COSON had on Thursday, December 7, 2017, announced a change in its leadership with the appointment of Efe Omorogbe as its new Chairman. However, the collective management society for musical works and sound recordings did not immediately state why Okoroji was removed and replaced by Omorogbe during an emergency meeting on December 7 at the COSON house in Ikeja, the Lagos State capital, Southwest Nigeria.
Apparently dissatisfied with his removal Mr Okoroji on December 19, 2017, at the Extra-Ordinary General Meeting of COSON, instigated the sacking of Omorogbe’s board and his reinstatement as the chairman of COSON. Okoroji’s reinstatement also led to the reconstitution of COSON board which saw the appointment of Azeezat Allen, John Ewelukwa Udegbunam, Ras Kimono, Richard Cole, Sir Shina Peters, Kenny Saint Best, Sharon Escco Wilson, Maureen Ejezie and Francis Ola Akinfesi as members. While events continue to unfold at COSON, Efe Omoregbe has finally stepped out to reveal 10 reasons why Tony Okoroji was voted out of power as Chairman of the Board. Excerpts from his report on the matter reads: Contrary to the fraudulent narrative being sold to the public since the purported reinstatement of Tony Okoroji, the former chairman of COSON board was voted out at the December 7, 2017 board meeting after more than 4 hours of deliberations on issues surrounding the illegal dissolution of standing committees and the board’s position in reaction to a petition addressed to it by concerned stakeholders.
Written by respected stakeholders and COSON founding fathers (Evangelist Ebenezer Obey – Fabiyi (MFR) –: Himself, Obey Music & Pioneer Music/Afrodisia; Mr. Bode Akinyemi – : Ivory Music; Chief OsitaOkeke – : OssyAffason Ltd; Chief Rogers Okonkwo – : Rogers All Star Records; Mr. Laolu Akins – : Artist, Composer & Publisher and Mr. Toju Ejueyitchie – : Premier Music Publishing Ltd), the petition raised pertinent questions about the running of the society by the board under Tony Okoroji. Okoroji’s lengthy responses to the issues offered neither reasonable defense nor admittance of wrongdoing. The need to save the society from the highhandedness and gross abuse of office by the then chairman of the board became apparent. Consequently, 6 out of 10 board members present at the emergency board meeting of December 7, 2017 voted for Okoroji’s removal as chairman for the following reasons among others: Dissatisfaction with the clear conflict between him acting as Executive Chairman of COSON, and him acting as a contractor and consultant to COSON through his company TOPS and other vehicles. Dissatisfaction with the continued engagement of companies owned by fellow directors, Azeezat Allen and John Uduegbunam as consultants to COSON.
Disapproval of the manner of handling of an earlier petition by Premier Music Publishing Company Ltd (the owner of over 1,000 musical works and sound recordings), personalization of the issues and misrepresentation of the directors’ true sentiments in his response to the NCC query on the same petition. Disapproval of the conduct of the chairman on the issue of negotiation and payment of the contractor who handled the renovation work at The COSON House. Disapproval of the chairman’s claim of 10% commission on licensing income deemed to have been “brought in” by him.
Disapproval of the 15% commission claimed by TOPS/Creative Legal from MTN’s settlement payment and the fact that the sum of N22,500,000.00 was paid out without the knowledge, approval and signature of the finance committee chairman, Joel Ajayi and other members. As a rule, signatories do not sign cheques to themselves as beneficiaries and payments above N2,000,000,00 require board approval. Disagreement with the hurried and illegal dissolution of all standing committees in the absence of key members.
Total lack of confidence in the credibility and ability of the chairman to superintend any proposed restructuring process that will enthrone world class corporate governance to protect the society from unethical business practices and abuse of office.
Disapproval of Okoroji’s request for the board’s approval for COSON to underwrite a quoted sum of N26, 200,000.00 as cost incurred by his company, TOPS in the execution of The COSON Week – a series of events which contractually, are allowed to hold on the condition that the production company can independently generate the funding. For three editions in a row the board has had to approve the bill, with no oversight, no insight, no tenders, the board was no longer prepared to allow the Chairman to consume COSON. The NCC was represented at this December 7, 2017 Emergency Board Meeting by Mr. Obi Ezeilo who conducted and recorded the board votes when Okoroji was removed.
The board voted yours truly as chairman with immediate effect and banned directors and their companies from operating as vendors or consultants to COSON under any guise. The board also reconstituted its finance committee to deal with the request by Okoroji for the society to pay N26.2m to TOPS to defray the quoted cost for COSON Week and commences engagement with PWC and KPMG for auditing and strategic growth support. Meanwhile, dating back a few weeks, it was celebration galore at COSON House in Ikeja on Tuesday, December 19, 2017 as members of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) from different parts of the country met at the COSON General Assembly and restored Chief Tony Okoroji as Chairman of the society. There was singing, dancing and prayers to the Almighty as Chief Okoroji who was initially absent from the meeting arrived the COSON House Arena following the demand of the members and a long telephone conversation initiated by music icon, Prof (Sir) Victor Uwaifo, who chaired the General Assembly. Upon his arrival, Chief Okoroji received a tumultuous welcome from the COSON members.
The meeting which was attended by several icons of the music industry from different parts of the country resolved that the very sudden purported change of the Chairmanship of the Management Board of COSON on December 7, 2017, just 12 days to the EGM, under bizarre circumstances, be condemned and annulled by the COSON General Assembly. The COSON General Assembly clarified that Chief Okoroji of whom the members of COSON across Nigeria have the greatest respect and confidence in, remains the Chairman of the Management Board of COSON.
The meeting had the entire COSON building overflowing with stakeholders in the music industry and had in attendance such personalities as Prof (Sir) Victor Uwaifo, Sir Shina Peters, Ras Kimono, Kenny Saint Best, Azeezat Allen, Hon John Ewelukwa Udegbunam, Prince Biodun Eguakhide, etc. The COSON members commended Chief Tony Okoroji for his humility, maturity and comportment in the face of perfidy. They praised his vision and incomparable sacrifice towards the growth of the Nigerian creative industry and for making COSON the most transparent and accountable organization in the history of the Nigerian creative industry;
The COSON General Assembly also commended the former President of PMAN for leading COSON in the middle of a biting recession in Nigeria to the building and commissioning of the magnificent COSON House, the first and only such property belonging to any organization in the Nigerian creative industry, an edifice built without any money from the government or any other institution, foreign or local and without any loan from any bank. Following the resolutions of the COSON General Assembly at the Extra – Ordinary General Meeting of the society held at COSON House Ikeja on December 19, 2017, the Management Board of COSON has been reconstituted to lead the organization till the May 2018 Annual General Meeting of the society. The reconstituted board has foremost Intellectual Property expert and former President of PMAN, Chief Tony Okoroji as Chairman. Other members of the board are star singer, Mrs. Azeezat Allen; musicologist and immediate Past-President of Music Label Owners & Recording Industries Association of Nigeria (MORAN), Hon John Ewelukwa Udegbunam; Rub-a-dub master, Ras Kimono; famed drummer, Mr. Richard Cole; Afro- Juju star, Sir Shina Peters; top gospel music singer, Kenny Saint Best; President of the Music Producers & Marketers Association of Nigeria (MUPMAN), Engr Sharon Escco Wilson; Highlife singer and Leader of Energy Band, Ms. Maureen Ejezie and Uche Emeka Paul, an Abuja based musician and label owner. With Tony’s reinstatement and the board shuffling, Efe Omoregbe isn’t backing down as he was heard stating that “Okoroji is COSON and COSON is Okoroji. It is therefore inconceivable that anyone’s actions can be pro-COSON unless it is pro- Okoroji”.
Meanwhile, Tony Okoroji, who turned 60 in December 2017 also opened up after his reinstatement with the following words explaining what really happened: “I am sensitive to anything that would destroy COSON or damage the great brand that we have painstakingly built through unbelievable toil. I did not want any controversy around COSON. I did not want COSON to become another PMAN. I do not have an office, cubicle or desk at COSON House which I laboured to build. I had nothing to pack. So, I picked up my laptop and left COSON House without complaining to anyone. My private office at TOPS is not far from COSON House so I went there to work. I did not think it made any sense to show any anger because of what had just happened. I would have given the enemies of COSON underserved pleasure.” Okoroji said it was through the efforts of COSON members from around Nigeria who had gathered for a scheduled general meeting that he got his mandate back.
“Members of COSON from every corner of the nation met at COSON House. It was a scheduled general meeting which usually holds every year in the last seven years. In the interest of peace, I had decided to stay away from the meeting. I was at work when I received a phone call from one of our most esteemed members, Prof Victor Uwaifo, who told me that he was chairing the meeting and that the members of COSON insisted on seeing me. I tried to argue with him but he was insistent. In our industry, you do not say no to a legend like Sir Victor Uwaifo. So, I went to the COSON House, the first time in 12 days, and found the place overflowing with COSON members. The reception I received will remain in my heart for the rest of my life. I cried,” he said. With the ongoing ruckus in the COSON house, one can only wait to see how things pan out in the coming weeks.
–DANIJI EMMANUEL
