We lost trillions of naira while waiting for NCC’s licence – Mayo Ayilaran

The Director General of the newly approved Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria (MCSN), Mr. Mayo Ayilaran, has disclosed that what the MCSN loss in terms of revenue for the period it was not allowed to operate as a copyright collecting society was in multiples of trillions of naira.

Ayilaran who spoke at a press conference addressed on Tuesday April 11 2017 by reggae music superstar, Mr. Orits Williki, who is also the Chairman of MCSN, however, said that MCSN had decided not to cry over the spilled milk.

“If I tell that this is the exact amount we loss as a result of the years we were in the trenches, the years we were not allowed to operate, the years we were denied licence, I will be lying to you,” he said. “All I will tell you is that we can’t quantify how much we have loss because it has ran into multiples of trillion but we won’t dwell on that. We have decided to move forward.”

He also disclosed that MCSN has equally instructed its lawyers to withdraw all pending cases it instituted against the Nigerian Copyright Commission, which over the years denied it licence to operate as copyright collecting society; this, he said was in compliance with the directive of the office of the attorney general of the federation which mandated NCC to licence MCSN as a second collecting society after Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON).

“We have asked our lawyers to withdraw the cases and they are doing that right now as I speak with you and I equally hope that NCC will do same in terms of the cases they have against us,” a very elated Ayilaran said.

On his part, Williki in his address expressed his gratitude to the federal government especially to the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN) whom he said “has ensured that the change promised by the President Muhammadu Buhari led government reaches the copyright sector and creators of intellectual property at large.”

According to the decision to grant MCSN licence would have a positive effect on the economy especially in the areas of job and wealth creation.

Williki revealed that the decision of the Attorney General to grant MCSN licence did not come easy but was as a result of the outcome of a painstaking investigation of past events in the sector and the copyright Act.

“The decision and the resolution of the National Assembly in 2013 was also considered and they tallied with the findings of the Honourable Minister before finally giving his directive to the NCC to licence MCSN,” he said.

In giving the directive, Williki said that the Attorney General relied on his powers under section 50 of the Copyright Act “and as the chief law officer of the Federation as provided under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Williki who also thanked the Director General of NCC, Mr. Afam Ezekude, for carrying out the directive of the Attorney General did not fail to appreciate MCSN licensees and clients while assuring them that the rich repertoire of MCSN remains intact and readily available as the society is still the owner and now the collecting society for the largest repertoire in Nigeria.