Nigeria’s creative industry gets committee to fight piracy

The Federal Government has moved to tackle the problem of piracy, considered as one of the major snags halting the development of the creative industry, by inaugurating a seven-man committee to tackle the malaise.

The Anti-Pracy Commitee which includes proven professionals in their chosen fields of endeavour was inaugurated by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Monday and it was charged with working out the modalities to tackle the piracy of creative works in the country.

Members of the committee include the Director General, National Film and Video Censorship Board, Mr. Adedayo Thomas; The Chairman of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Chief Tony Okoroji; Deputies Inspector General of Police in Charge of Criminal Investigation Department Hyacinth Maidugu and that of Operations Joshak Habila; President, Motion Picture Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MOPAN) Abdullahi Maikano Usman; Ms Tundun Aderibigbe of the House of Tara and Mr. Tonye Princewell, a movie producer.

While inaugurating the Committee, the Minister said the time has come for a decisive action against piracy in the country.

“This is the first meeting between the police and the major stakeholders in the Ministry of Information and Culture as well as the Creative Industry (on piracy). This meeting is evidence that this is not just about mere talk, but about action,” he said.

The Minister also tasked the committee to devise a pragmatic approach that will ensure a regular and sustained enforcement, with a view to putting an end to the menace of piracy.

In his remarks, Chief Okoroji described the inauguration of the committee as a milestone in the Creative Industry.

“This for us in the Creative Industry is a historic and momentous day,” he said, pledging the commitment of members of the committee to putting their best in articulating a strategy that will stamp out piracy.

The inauguration followed last week’s visit to the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, by the Minister to solicit the support of the Police in the fight against piracy which has ripped off many producers, artists, marketers and stakeholders and has prevented the industry from rapid financial growth and advancing in major areas, due to low income from their intellectual material.

Incidentally, Lai Mohammed had recently been accused of intellectual property theft by members of PMAN (Performing Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria) who alleged that the Minister plagiarized its proposal that was presented to him under the name, Barcoding Technology for the creative industry in Nigeria.