Nigerian Musicians Threaten To Boycott Xmas Events

Pop icon, 2Face Idibia, bared his mind on the issue and he his not happy with the current situation while Banky W, co-owner of Empire Mates Entertainment (E.M.E) threatened to pull out of all events if the feud is not resolved soon.

Nigerian musicians have threatened to boycott events holding this Christmas and afterwards.

Following the on-going feud between Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) and the joint alliance of the Independence Broadcast Association of Nigeria (IBAN) and Broadcast Organization of Nigeria (BON) which has led to the ban of 96 musicians on radio and TV, COSON and its members have reacted.

Rising from a stakeholders interactive session that was recently held on Tuesday, December 10, 2013 at Rumours Night Club, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos to declare its stance, the members amongst other things declared that it is not going to change its position on the issue of royalties even if their message will be driven with series of boycotts of events this Christmas season.

Since the ban, many musicians have begun to make their positions known.

Banky W, co-owner of Empire Mates Entertainment (E.M.E), said: "You claim to have banned my artistes and you want them to perform at your events, I am categorically stating that if this issue is not resolved by the meeting with Nigeria Broadcast Commission, then I don't have a choice than to pull out all E.M.E artistes from these events."

Also, Pop icon, 2Face Idibia bared his mind on the issue: "It is sad that some group of people do not want things to work the way it works everywhere in the world."

"It is not about me but about the respect for the rule of law and intellectual property and that's what we artistes are demanding for. They pay for everything; why not the music?"

"This ban will cost them something, I mean Rhythm Unplugged. The organisers of Rhythm Unplugged are part of the people that banned artistes- they have radio&TV stations."