MUSIC INDUSTRY ICON, CHRIS AJILO, CALLS ON FG TO AWARD COSON CHAIRMAN, CHIEF TONY OKOROJI, ONE OF NIGERIA’S HIGHEST HONOURS

MUSIC INDUSTRY ICON, CHRIS AJILO, CALLS ON FG TO AWARD COSON CHAIRMAN, CHIEF TONY OKOROJI, ONE OF NIGERIA’S HIGHEST HONOURS

88 years old Chris Ajilo, one of the oldest living professional musicians in Nigeria and a pioneer musicologist, has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to award COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji, one of the nation’s most significant honours for his exemplary service to Nigeria.

Pa Chris Ajilo, as he is fondly called, was General Manager of Performing & Mechanical Rights Society (PMRS), one of the key organisations that provided the platform for the formation of COSON. In a public statement he just issued, he said that he is aware of the huge sacrifice and self-denial it takes to build a successful organization with no government funds especially in the very unstable creative industry in Nigeria.

According to Ajilo, “For several decades I have watched Chief Tony Okoroji commit himself totally to the promotion and defence of the rights of musicians and other creative people in Nigeria with unequalled personal sacrifice and results that are very visible to everyone. Those of us in the music industry cannot be thankless people. Rather than persecute him, every well-meaning stakeholder in the music industry should join me in calling on the Federal Government of Nigeria to award Chief Tony Okoroji one of the nation’s most significant honours for his exemplary service to our country”.

In his statement, Pa Ajilo wrote, “By December 26, 2018, I will be 89 years old. I am one of the oldest living professional musicians in Nigeria and a pioneer musicologist. I worked for several years at Polygram as staff producer and thereafter consulted for Polygram and Premier Records Limited before assuming the role of pioneer General Manager of PMRS, a job I did for over two years without any pay. What I have learnt is that to successfully build an organization like PMAN, PMRS or COSON in which large numbers of creative people are brought together, you have to have the calling for what is essentially a thankless job.

“In November 2017, I travelled to Lagos from my home town, Ijebu Jesha, in Osun State. At Eko Hotel & Suites, Lagos, I was honoured with a special award in a spectacular ceremony of the COSON Song Awards very professionally coordinated and produced by Chief Tony Okoroji and the COSON Management which made my trip to Lagos possible. Before that, I was present at the opening of the very beautiful COSON House, a magnificent structure belonging to the musicians of Nigeria built without borrowing a kobo by the unique leadership of Chief Okoroji.

“You can imagine my anger when last December, a few weeks after my return from Lagos, I learnt that one Efe Omorogbe had schemed with some others to kick out Chief Okoroji as Chairman of COSON and that Omorogbe was parading himself as Chairman of COSON and coordinating a broad media campaign to tarnish Chief Okoroji’s good name. This is a repeat of the PMAN experience”.

In conclusion of his public statement, Chris Ajilo, composer of the iconic song, ‘Eko Gbagbere’ used to celebrate Lagos, wrote, “I wish to place on record the fact that I condemn in no uncertain terms the attempt to foist Efe Omorogbe on COSON as Chairman. I commend the members of COSON who met in Lagos on December 19, 2017 for doing the right thing and restoring Chief Tony Okoroji as Chairman of COSON. I consider it an insult for anyone to seek to impose a leader on COSON. I call on the Nigerian Copyright Commission to draw a line between regulating the collective management activities of COSON and the attempt to control the internal affairs of the society which is not an appendage of the NCC. Led by the same Chief Okoroji, we fought for the setting up of the NCC to serve our industry and not to be lord and master over us. If they so badly want a job for Mr. Omorogbe, let them find him employment at the NCC”.

Watch EKO - by Chris Ajilo ft Banky W and Korede Sax

MORE LEGAL WAHALA FOR EFE OMOROGBE AS COSON CHAIRMAN, OKOROJI, SLAMS N212 MILLION LIBEL SUIT AGAINST HIM.

COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji

MORE LEGAL WAHALA FOR EFE OMOROGBE AS COSON CHAIRMAN, OKOROJI, SLAMS N212 MILLION LIBEL SUIT AGAINST HIM.

True to an earlier statement issued on his behalf, Chairman, Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Chief Tony Okoroji has filed a suit at the High Court of Lagos State, Ikeja asking for the sum of Two Hundred and Twelve Million Naira for libel against embattled former member of the COSON Board, Mr. Efe Omorogbe.

The suit supported by a 29 paragraph Statement of Claim, several exhibits and witnesses was filed on behalf of Chief Okoroji by Tochukwu Tagbo and Christian Eneje of the Lagos law firm of Commercial Practice Solicitors

In the Statement of Claim, Chief Okoroji pleaded that on January 16, 2018, Mr Omorogbe organised a major press conference at Protea Hotel, Isaac John Street, GRA, Ikeja, which was attended by numerous representatives of the press, widely reported in newspapers and magazines across the country, viewed by millions of people on television and on the internet across the world and that at the conference, Mr. Omorogbe made several defamatory statements against him.

Chief Okoroji also pleaded that Mr Omorogbe caused to be published in City People Magazine dated 31st January 2018, further words defamatory of him and that indeed, Omorogbe further caused to be published in Vanguard Newspaper dated 20th January 2018 other words and statements defamatory of him and that Mr. Omorogbe took active steps to ensure that his devastating words against the Claimant (Chief Okoroji) were widely published, broadcast, posted on several websites on the internet and republished in the press with the intention of doing the most horrendous damage to Chief Okoroji’s good name, character and reputation.

Chief Okoroji also pleaded in the Statement of Claim that in widely publishing the words and statements complained of in the suit, Mr. Omorogbe was actuated by blatant malice as he knew very well that his words and statements are patently false as Omorogbe very well knows that the Claimant is a man of impeccable character and honour and an outstanding Nigerian and that Omorogbe in publishing and/or causing to be published the sordid and reckless words was motivated by the naked desire to destroy the Claimant and usurp the Claimant’s position.

Apart from the damages and cost asked for, Chief Okoroji has also asked for an injunction restraining Efe Omorogbe, his servants or agents or otherwise, from further publishing or broadcasting, or causing to be published or broadcast, the said words or any words similarly defamatory of Chief Okoroji

The suit filed by Chief Okoroji is different from the court action filed by COSON against Mr. Omorogbe.

EFE OMOROGBE HUMILIATED AGAIN AS COSON HEAD OF FINANCE REFUSES HIS ‘GREEK GIFT’

EFE OMOROGBE HUMILIATED AGAIN AS COSON HEAD OF FINANCE REFUSES HIS ‘GREEK GIFT’ 

Efe Omorogbe, the very embattled former member of the Board of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) who was recently locked out of COSON House has just received another huge embarrassment as the COSON Head of Finance & Administration, Ms Bernice Eriemeghe has immediately turned her back at Efe Omorogbe’s desperate directive to Ms Eriemeghe to take over from Mr. Chinedu Chukwuji as General Manager of COSON.

In response to Mr Efe Omorogbe’s directive, Ms Eriemeghe issued the following statement: 

“THANK YOU MR OMOROGBE BUT NO TO YOUR GREEK GIFT

“I have been informed that Mr. Efe Omorogbe and his group have asked me to take over as Acting General Manager of COSON.

“I am a woman of honour and I hereby say ‘No’ to what I consider a Greek gift and a scheme that will result in divide and rule. My colleagues and I in the Management of COSON jointly signed a letter sent to the NCC in which we emphasized our position and informed them that issuing opaque directives to COSON which they know cannot be obeyed will result in chaos in the organization. We have also warned of our massive resignation should they continue to meddle in the internal affairs of the organization which we are capable of resolving. I have no intention of betraying my colleagues.

“Furthermore, I was present at the COSON Extra- Ordinary General Meeting held in COSON Arena on December 19, 2017 when the members of COSON from every part of Nigeria spoke loudly and clearly in one voice that Chief Tony Okoroji should remain as the Chairman among other issues. Please let us all respect the collective will of the majority of the members of COSON that we are all accountable to and represent their interest.

“Mr. Efe Omorogbe is a very good friend of mine but the interest and desires of the members of COSON is most paramount at this point. It is a statement of fact that the members of COSON do not want Mr. Omorogbe as their Chairman at this time. That is clear to me. Anyone trying to force him on the members of COSON does not mean well for COSON as this clearly is capable of destroying the organization.

“For the avoidance of doubt, I will continue to support Mr. Chinedu Angus Chukwuji as General Manager of COSON and Chief Tony Okoroji as Chairman.

“Thank you.

“BERNICE ERIEMEGHE

Head of Finance & Administration”

COSON SUES EFE OMOROGBE: ASKS THAT HE STOPS PARADING HIMSELF AS AN OFFICER OF COSON OR CHAIRMAN

COSON SUES EFE OMOROGBE: ASKS THAT HE STOPS PARADING HIMSELF AS AN OFFICER OF COSON OR CHAIRMAN

Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) has gone to court against a former member of its Board, Mr. Efe Omorogbe.

In the suit No ID/4827/GCMW18 filed on behalf of COSON by Mr. James Ononiwu of Whitedove Solicitors, the society has asked for an injunction restraining Mr. Efe Omorogbe from parading himself as Chairman of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON).

COSON has also requested from the court an injunction restraining Mr. Omorogbe whether by himself, servant, privy or agent from calling or convening any meeting by whatever name, be it board meeting, general meeting, etc, at any location whether in Lagos or anywhere in the country or outside the country in the name of Copyright Society of Nigeria.

The action which has COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji as joint claimant is supported by a 16 paragraph sworn statement deposed to by the General Manager of COSON, Mr. Chinedu Chukwuji.

Commenting on the development, Afro Juju superstar and COSON Board member, Sir Shina Peters said, “there is no well-meaning person in the Nigerian creative community who is not proud of COSON, an organization that has been managed with the level of professionalism and sophistication previously thought impossible in Nigeria.

Sir Shina Peters

“The quality of leadership provided to COSON by our Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji, has resulted in phenomenal growth in the society. It is sad that those who were too busy to dedicate their time to COSON suddenly have a lot of time for the organization. They want to hijack COSON, suck it dry and kill it the same way PMAN was killed after Okoroji had built PMAN into a big national institution.

“The members of COSON across Nigeria, the Board, our management, consultants, reciprocal representation partners across the world and very many young Nigerians are united and resolute that what happened to PMAN will not happen to COSON. COSON is a legacy we will bestow on the next generation of Nigerian artistes. We are 100% in support of Chief Tony Okoroji, an uncommon Nigerian who has dedicated an entire life time to ensure respect for the Nigerian creative community. We trust him. Can’t everybody see that the more they try to destroy Okoroji, the more his profile grows? I want to assure everyone that despite the concerted attack on COSON from well-known quarters, COSON continues to work and work very well. I remain very proud of COSON”