In a few weeks, precisely on
May 20, 2017 the ultra-modern ‘COSON HOUSE’ will be commissioned at Oluwaleyimu
Street, off Allen Avenue in Ikeja. For several months, construction has been
going on practically 24 hours every day to ensure that COSON House is ready to
mark the 7th Anniversary of the copyright revolution in the Nigerian
music industry which began with the government approval of COSON on May 20,
2010.
On Saturday May 20, we will not just be celebrating the opening of
a new building in Lagos. We will be celebrating the culmination of a life time
of struggle for every artiste and every creative person in Nigeria to whom
COSON House belongs.
Those who are close certainly
understand the level of sacrifice and pain it has taken to get to a place where
Copyright Society of Nigeria is working for otherwise hapless musicians across
the nation and across the world and fighting their fights. Those of you who are
close understand the let downs and betrayals on every mile of this struggle.
COSON HOUSE may not be seen as
a significant achievement in other professions and industries where access to
resources is not so difficult and stable structures have existed over time. In
the Nigerian creative sector ravaged by instability and low expectations
however, to assemble the consensus and drive the resources for such an
undertaking in the present economic situation, is not a joke. The commissioning
of COSON House is therefore a very momentous event for every Nigerian artiste. Many
might not know but COSON House is the first real property of any significance
owned by any organization, association or union in the history of the Nigerian
creative sector.
According to COSON Chairman,
Chief Tony Okoroji, ‘it is instructive that we did not get one Naira assistance
from the federal government or any Nigerian government at all to finance COSON
House. We did not get one dollar from any donor agency or any foreign
institution to build COSON House. It is also instructive that we did not take a
loan of any type from any bank to finance COSON House. I am proud to say that
when the ultra- modern COSON House is commissioned on May 20, we will not be
owing a penny on the building or on any of the facilities contained therein.
The building and facilities within COSON House fully belong to musicians across
Nigeria and other stakeholders in the music industry, forever without any
encumbrance whatsoever.’’
The COSON House is not just set
up a building that will house the corporate headquarters but has assembled
compact facilities for study, research, training, retraining and continuous
dissemination of information that will ensure that the concept of intellectual
property takes root in our fatherland and that Nigeria becomes an important
player in the new global knowledge economy.
In COSON House, a hub has been
created for all those who want to understand the intriguing subject of
copyright and other forms of intellectual property.
It is therefore with joy that
we call on you and every Nigerian to celebrate with us on May 20 as we rejoice over
the commissioning of COSON House.
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