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Tag: PMAN

  • PMAN detaches members from anti-Igbo song

    The national leadership of the Performing Musician Association of Nigeria (PMAN) has criticized and detached itself and its members from the anti-Igbo song circulating in Northern Nigeria.

     

    It said its disapproval of the song was out of concern for national peace and stability.

     

     

    In a statement jointly signed by the PMAN President, Lord-Liege Keston Okoro, his deputies; Gbenga Falope, the first vice President, and Baba Ojonugwa J.F.O, the second vice President, the musicians restated its pledge to a united Nigeria.

     

    It stated that “the hate song is indicative of the Rwanda genocide where Simon Bikindi, was guilty of the Rwandan song which activated the genocide in Rwanda.

     

    “The PMAN leadership hence call on all Nigerian musicians to preach love, peace and unity in all their works as they partner in the development of the nation.”

     

    “We are resolute and committed to a united Nigeria where every citizen’s right are equally guaranteed, thus we are calling on the federal government, security agencies and traditional rulers at all levels, to promptly device methods of checking the hate song from degenerating,” it said.

  • Lai Mohammed to sue PMAN over alleged property theft

     

    Nigeria’s Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed has said he will sue the Performing Musician Employers Association of Nigeria (PMAN) for accusing him of intellectual theft.

     

    Recall that PMAN had claimed that the recently held creative summit organized by the minister was part of a proposal submitted to him in August 2016.The outspoken minister described the accusation as laughable.

     

    Read here-You plagiarized our concept’-PMAN blasts Lai Mohammed

     

    In a recent interview, the minister said: ”As a minister of information and culture, I can’t stop people coming to me with proposes, so when a supposedly reputable organization as PMAN comes and says he wants to see the minister and he says we want to organize conferences on creative industry, does that stop me as a minister from organizing my own creative industry, especially when you did not come to me with a blue print to show me how the conference will be?”

     

    “Even if PMAN’s proposal was visible, there was no way at that point in time that I could have asked them to go ahead to do it but where is the law that says that the minister must accept any or every proposal from a group. Your right to organize a conference is exclusive to one person or a person comes to you and say because he has given you a proposal that he wants to organize a creative conference so you as a minister you are stopped, or you can’t do your work”?

    “But I can assure you I have instructed my lawyers to sue them for defamation,” he revealed.

  • ‘You plagiarized our concept’-PMAN blasts Lai Mohammed

     

    The Performing Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria (PMAN) has accused Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information, of intellectual property theft.

     

    A statement shared on the association’s Facebook page, said the recently held ‘Creative Industry Financing Conference’ contained ideas from a proposal it had earlier submitted to the minister.

     

    According to PMAN, the proposal was entitled ‘Bar Coding Technology for the Creative Industry in Nigeria’.

     

    The proposal which which highlighted plans on how to improve the Nigerian entertainment was handed to the minister during a meeting led by the body’s president, Pretty Okafor, on August 5, 2016.

     

    The association said the proposal contained ideas on how to improve the creative industry and generate over N15 trillion revenue for the government.

     

    PMAN alleged that the recommendations in its proposal were what the government went ahead to implement under the guise of the ‘Creative Industry Financing Conference’.

     

    Ifeanyi Ejiofor, counsel to PMAN, in a five-page petition, said, “Though the conference was deceptively tagged “creative industry financing conference”, it is our client’s firm belief that the conference was held in full implementation of our client’s original brain child and ideas as clearly highlighted in their respective presentation of 5th August, 2016 and Action Plan of 18th August, 2016, all in the possession of the Ministry of Information and Culture. Our client viewed this action as a grave infringement of their intellectual property rights and dubious conversion of their brain child ideas and concept, originating from painstaking professional study, research and investigation that gulped them over N500,000,” the petition read.

     

     

    PMAN has given the minister an ultimatum of 72 hours to desist from continuing with the plans in the proposal or be sued for violation of intellectual property.

     

     

  • We need to dismantle PMAN- 9ice

    Outspoken Nigerian singer, 9ice has opened up on the role of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN). The Gongo Aso singer said PMAN needs to be dismantled. He stressed that there is a need for an association that speaks with one voice.

    In his words:” We need to dismantle PMAN, PMAN isn’t functioning, what we have are different segments. We need to have an association that speaks for all so that through them, the government can hear us”.

    When asked If he got burnt when he contested for a political position, he said: “I wasn’t burnt In any way, life is all about the experience . I had a lot of experience at that time and It has modified who I am today. It’s something I will still pursue.”

    9ice also decried the absence of structure in the entertainment industry.

    Hear him:”We lack structures in the entertainment industry, what we have is a bunch of hustlers who get things done. The government doesn’t listen to us. They don’t think the entertainment industry can yield funds even better than oil. With time, I think they will listen to us” he said in a chat with Rubbin Minds.

  • COSON intensifies efforts to ensure debts owed it are paid in 2017

    COSON intensifies efforts to ensure debts owed it are paid in 2017

    The Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) has assured members that efforts are being made to ensure that debts owed the organization are paid this year.

    The Chairman of COSON, Chief Tony Okoroji said this in a statement issued by Chibueze Okereke, the Public Relations Officer on Monday in Lagos.

    Okoroji said that he was looking forward to starting discussions soon with the newly constituted John Momoh led Executive of the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) on the significant debts owed COSON.

    The chairman urged key players in the industry to have faith, adding that it was capable of playing a key role in revitalizing Nigeria’s struggling economy in 2017.

    He added that the government was beginning to understand the potential of the creative sector, and had shown willingness to activate a number of initiatives for the growth of the industry.

    “The Attorney-General of the federation has assured me that he will take all necessary steps to ensure that the Private Copy Levy scheme is activated without further delay.

    “This will bring a new stream of income to musicians, movie makers, authors, and publishers among others.

    “The attorney-general also promised that the Nigerian Copyright Commission will be revitalized and given the muscle to protect producers and investors in the creative industries,” he said.

    Okoroji said that COSON was partnering with the telecommunications industry to fast-track development in the industry.

    “At the end of 2016, we began a major conversation with MTN, the biggest telecommunications company in the country.

    “Imagine the possibilities if we begin to speak with one voice with the ‘telcos’ and work together to harness the huge potential of the Nigerian entertainment industry.

    “This will eventually benefit all the parties and our country,” he said.

    Okoroji also said that he had discussed with the Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and was convinced of a positive outcome of their chat.

    “The minister is clearly taking steps to get the National Endowment Fund for the Arts up and running.

    “This should provide needed funding for different projects in the sector.

    “There is also the growing engagement with the Tony Elumelu Foundation which the minister is supporting.’’

    Okoroji, who was a former chairman of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN), added that work would soon commence in the newly acquired ‘COSON HOUSE’ in Ikeja.

    “By the second quarter of 2017, COSON should move its operations from Opebi to an ultra-modern edifice, with the space and technology to properly drive the organization.’’

     

  • Nneji urges PMAN to promote unity among musicians

    A renowned musician, Mr.Sunny Nneji, on Monday, urged the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN) to be more unified in decision-making processes for maximum results in 2017.

    The popular pop highlife star said that it was only when the ‘movers and shakers’ of the music industry cooperated among themselves, that meaningful progress could be achieved.

    “This is a new year and I welcome everybody into it. However, it is necessary for the leaders in the music industry to be unified in making decisions.

    “It is only when we can speak with one voice that progressive steps can be attained and our goals can be reached,’’ Nneji said.

    The music maestro said that unification in the association would affect the quality of music being produced by upcoming and existing musicians in the industry.

    According to him, it will be easier to set a standard and enforce such standards for the production of quality songs that can preserve Nigerian culture across the world.

    “When there is unity in any sphere of life, only the best can be expected from such venture,’’ he said.

    Nneji said that 2017 would be a good year for music to thrive and expressed confidence in the new crop of artistes being discovered in the industry.

    Nneji is popularly known for his hit songs “Oruka’’, “Tolotolo’’ and “Happy Birthday’’ among others.