Following the need for a “let’s tell ourselves the truth” discussion as it concerns the Nigerian Music Industry and its stakeholders, the Music Publishers Association of Nigeria (MPAN), earlier today, held its first-ever Townhall meeting at Grand Junction Hall, Landmark Towers, VI.
The event which was billed to kick off by 12:30 pm began with Opening Remarks from music egghead and Publishing Consultant, Olumide Mustapha.
In his remarks, Mr Olumide highlighted the importance of Music Publishing, as it forms the backbone of the Music Industry, thereby creating extra revenue for creatives.
In his remarks, Mr Olumide highlighted the importance of Music Publishing, as it forms the backbone of the Music Industry, thereby creating extra revenue for creatives.
Isioma Idigbe, an Entertainment Lawyer was the next speaker who took the podium. She dissected, critically, the importance of Music Publishing and the need for every artist to have a Publishing contract.
Olumide Mustapha, was back on stage one again, but this time, with hard facts and figures. He showed all in attendance, the reasons behind Nigerian creatives lose hundreds of millions of Naira every year in Publishing income.
Ibukun “Aibee” Abidoye, The Vice President and General Manager of Chocolate City Music was swift and straight to the point with her presentation. She highlighted and proffered solutions to the problems plaguing the industry.
industry.
Chocolate City Music✔@choccitymusic
Aibee, @aibeeabidoye, talks about the transparency needed in operating a Collection Body and the eventual distribution of monies collected on behalf of creatives#MPANTownhall
Chocolate City Music✔@choccitymusic
@aibeeabidoye advocates a forensic audit of @COSONNG and MCSN.
Auditing should be the first thing in getting things right in the industry#MPANTownhall pic.twitter.com/DxF6YjWsfP
Transparency, accountability, an audit of COSON, and proper distribution of monies due to creatives, were but a few of the ways to moving the Music Publishing discuss forward.
Immediately after Aibee’s presentation was a Q & A session.
Chocolate City Music✔@choccitymusic
There are a lot of irregularities in the Music Publishing business.
There’s a need for regular bare-it-all conversations where we address these issues, one at a time.
Chocolate City Music✔@choccitymusic
@EfeOmorogbe takes the stage addressing the irregularities in the Nigerian Music industry, especially as it relates to Intellectual Property Rights#MPANTownhall pic.twitter.com/bY6QnvDej7
Efe Omorogbe of Hypertek Digital and Olisa Adibua of Beat FM added their voices to the various conversations that arose, bothering on the long overdue audit of COSON; Effective tracking of Music plays and Collaboration with other collection bodies, locally and internationally.
Various suggestions were made, and new workable roadmap was charted.
Other popular industry practitioners in attendance include but not limited to Peruzzi Vibes of DMW and Bizzle “The Plug” Osikoya, who gave the closing remarks after participants at the event signed various petitions which would be presented to the relevant authorities.
He, Bizzle, promised to personally oversee that sending of emails to everyone containing the slides and conclusions arrived at.
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Olubayo Paul
I'm a Strategic Communications Expert with over 9 years industry experience. I own unilagefiwe.com and olubayopaul.com; a widely published writer and a fluctuating Graphics Designer