One of them said: ‘’why is the House of Representatives such a killjoy? Just when we were waiting in anticipation for the December 15 deadline, with virtually all of us rejoicing over the much-needed exposure the days following that date will bring our way, the green chamber waded in with a resolution that have made nonsense of our calculations!’’
In case you haven’t figured, this is the submission of one of the artistes who really wanted the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria, BON, to make good its earlier threat to boycott songs by popular Nigerian music acts. These artistes, you will find in the constituency of the up-and-coming. But let’s first put the narrative into proper perspective before proceeding from there.
Some days ago, BON- a coalition of private television and radio stations across the country- stunned Nigerians by slamming a ban on the airing of songs by about 100 Nigerian artistes in broadcast stations across the country. Speaking in Abuja, the BON Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Jijiwa said that the suspension of the artistes’ works will take effect from December 15, 2013.
He disclosed that the action was in solidarity with the Independent Broadcasting Association of Nigeria, IBAN, which has been waging a running battle with members of the Copyright Society of Nigeria, COSON, for some time now over copyrights. The raging battle is centred on payment of royalties for the broadcast of certain music by radio and television stations in the country. COSON is pushing for that, while, IBAN is not willing to oblige.
COSON has been accused of employing an attitude of hostility, antagonism, grandstanding, intemperate language, veiled and real threats, and harassment of broadcast stations in making its demand. These, Alhaji Jijiwa said, led BON into taking the drastic decision which some industry analysts have described as the first of its kind anywhere in the world. The BON Chairman was quick to point out that his organisation is not at war with Nigerian musicians per se but that it’s simply out against COSON.
To drive home this point, Alhaji Jijiwa urged some of the affected artistes, who may not be members of COSON but have their names wrongly listed among those banned, to contact BON on or before December 15 to have their music reinstated. He warned actual members of COSON to expect their music being withdrawn or suspended on or before that deadline. And we are talking of an estimated 80 per cent of performing Nigerian musicians becoming casualties of this faceoff between BON and COSON.
Let me not get you jaded with the names of those favourite acts that you won’t get to hear their songs on local radio and TV by virtue of this ban. But suffix to say that all the artistes you can think of are affected; remember they are a hundred of them. So, there isn’t any local artiste you’ve ever known that won’t be under the hammer. But, they graciously spared for us those ones we have not known, perhaps to allow us know them.
It may be that the warring parties have something else up their sleeves aside that which they have made known to the public. They may simply be advancing the course of the music industry without our knowing. They may be forcing us to embrace variety since that has been widely mouthed as the spice of life. Even if not for us, they may be doing it for themselves. Since they, who monitor local broadcast stations, listen and watch its contents than the rest of us, boredom may have set in. Perchance, this ploy is to reinforce their interest. You know, they must watch and listen; else broadcasting in our country won’t fare well. So much for the speculations!
The fact remains that they are about to leave us with the obscure ones to take over those slots initially enjoyed by the prevailing ones in our radio and TV stations. And the dark horses are happy for it. Why won’t they, since they are the ones who instead of demanding payment for the airing of their songs, like COSON is doing for its members, pay and pray for their songs to be aired.
So, they have to be happy that if not for anything: the broadcast stations will be constrained to air their singles whether they pay or not. They’ll really be in a celebratory mode because the proposed ban will turn the table around causing stations to even go as far as airing jingles inviting them to forward their songs for continuous broadcast. I spoke with three of them who suggested this much.
But, why won’t they merry over what was about to come when a similar episode experienced in Nollywood some years ago assures them that it will play out for their good? Remember when major home movie producers and directors boycotted top-notch actors like Nkem Owoh, Pete Edochie, Patience Ozokwor, Omotola Jalade, Genevieve Nnaji etc for charging exorbitant fees, that was when the stars of the likes of Mercy Johnson shone.
Thus, the music artistes, who have become tired of having the up-coming prefix attached to their monikers, must be feeling a repeat broadcast was imminent hence their celebratory and upbeat mode. Senses of decorum and propriety may not have allowed them come out so loud in expressing their happiness, but, when you chance into them while they are revelling and hanging out, you wouldn’t need to be told about their feeling towards the ban! Nonetheless, someone would say: not so fast.
And truly they shouldn’t have been so fast in celebrating for members of the House of Representatives have cut short their joy even before their imagined gain became real. In a unanimous voice vote passed by the House this Thursday, it directed BON/IBAN to withdraw the December 15 directive banning the airing of the music of several Nigerian artistes on our local television and radio stations.
While presenting the issue to the House under matters of urgent public importance, Reps member, Abike Dabiri-Erewa said: “I am worried that a tussle between the organisations should not degenerate to a situation that will retard the progress made so far in our music industry. The victims will not only be the artistes but Nigeria and Nigerians. I am aware that this crisis can be resolved through dialogue.”
I honestly disagree with that line where she was talking about the ban retarding the progress so far recorded in our music industry. That isn’t true! If you have been following my line of argument in this piece; you should know why I’m disputing that. How will resting the works of those who have already attained popularity to promote those of unsung artiste retard the progress made in our music industry? I think it would further boost our music industry rather than detract from its success.
The only time I know it will negatively affect the industry is if the ban will be taking us back to the aeon before the revolution in our music industry was effected. I’m talking of that time when almost 95 per cent of the songs we heard on radio and watched on television were from foreign artistes. If broadcast stations resort to this era, that’s when we would have a problem. But, I’m consoled by the fact that NBC won’t allow that. So, like they say: ‘nothing spoil’
As a matter of fact, those hundred artistes whose music has been affected don’t actually need our local stations. Most of them have their songs enjoying massive airplay in international music channels. They are the ones whose works are played over and over again in parties, clubs and such other places. Still, they remain the ones for who fans troop to the internet to download their songs. Thus, I’m lost as to how the prohibition of their music in our local stations will affect them.
On the contrary, it is the up-coming artistes that really need their songs to be given airplay so that they can get announced. And the ban of the works of those other artistes would have been a perfect opportunity for this to happen. Hence, their favourable disposition towards the ban as announced. And for Nigerians being the victims, I don’t think so. I’m sure they will be pleased to be afforded the works of ‘underground’ artistes. For, many have argued that the unsung artistes are actually the ones with the real talent.
I think we should be mulling a policy where the works of those who have become so popular are withdrawn from been played in our local stations to allow the massive airing of the songs of those not yet there. The proposed ban would have presented a veritable test ground for this. See it as another way of advancing the frontiers of the zoning principle if you like, but, I will rather see it as a way of balancing fame: a way of making everyone get a piece of the pie, a way of empowering more people thus landing a big blow on unemployment and a way of availing music enthusiasts more options.
I really appreciate what COSON is doing as it is simply looking out for its members. I equally understand the predicament of IBAN and BON who are been tasked to do what is alien to our climes. But, let them be allowed to slug it out the way they were bent on. For in the end, if IBAN succumbs, it’s for the good of the industry and where it doesn’t, we would take solace in the fact that the impasse made us get used to some other artistes. Whichever way, the industry wins, somehow.
Ugochukwu is a freelance journalist. You can follow him on twitter via @ugsylvester or reach him through ug.ugovester@gmail.com
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