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Opinion: Okoroji Should Submit To A Forensic Audit Period!

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By Efe Omorogbe

The relentless attacks on the person and reputation of Efe Omorogbe by those masquerading as defenders of “thousands of innocent Nigerian musicians” must be condemned by every stakeholder who has the long term interest of the creative industry at heart.

Since the December 7, 2017 sacking of Tony Okoroji as chairman of the management board of the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), there has been an endless string of media, legal and police attacks on Efe Omorogbe, one of six directors who voted Okoroji out in reaction to a series of serious infractions allegedly committed by Tony Okoroji during his 7-year tenure as chairman of the board.

While the industry regulator, Nigerian Copyright Commission has since suspended the operating licence of COSON, instituted criminal charges against Tony Okoroji and other officers of the society; and several cases are pending in various courts of competent jurisdiction across the country, the malicious and relentless attack on the person and character of Efe Omorogbe has continued unabated.

Efe Omorogbe has insisted on various platforms that his overriding interest is the establishment of standard corporate governance culture at COSON. His sole demand is for a full forensic audit of the account and operations of COSON from 2010 till date; an audit that will put the activities of both board (including himself) and management under scrutiny and establish the hard facts of the COSON matter. “I’ll take that (forensic audit) over board chairmanship any day”, he has repeatedly stated.

Instead of Okoroji to allow the audit to vindicate him and validate his much vaunted innocence and impeccable track record as the upright and selfless champion of intellectual property rights protection in Nigeria, he has resorted to belligerent litigation, incongruous police protection, the staging of PR events and release of corny communiques to promote an agenda that clearly delivers no value to rights owners.

The likelihood that it is royalties due to rights owners that is being used to fund this obvious battle for personal survival would be double jeopardy for stakeholders if confirmed to be true.

For genuine stakeholders, the primary desire is for the confirmation of the facts of the matter, lasting resolution of the crisis and the establishment of a new era of accountability, transparency and effective corporate governance in a critical institution within the creative industry structure.

From twisted narratives and malicious publications to blatantly false and misleading police reports, acolytes of Tony Okoroji have gone to ridiculous lengths to attack and demonize a man who has simply asked for a probe of a board that he has served on from inception.

All manner of base and divisive arguments have been bandied, all kinds of convoluted positions advanced to defend the indefensible.

Why is it easier to gather his Edo “kinsmen” together and threaten to report Efe Omorogbe to the Oba of Benin? How is it more effective to host a “select” stakeholders forum in Onitsha, invoke the wrath of the “elders” from the south east to call the “intransigent Efe Omorogbe” to order? When these “elders” gather to hold these meetings and sign these statements, why do they conveniently always forget to seek the other side of the story? Why is it easier to drop “bombshell” news headlines targeting Efe Omorogbe’s reputation than to advise Okoroji to submit to a forensic audit that neither he nor Efe Omorogbe can interfere with?

And perhaps the biggest question on them all; how long will it take for the Nigerian Copyright Commission to put this sordid drama to a halt and save the industry further damage by ordering that audit right away? Did I hear someone ask who will pay for it? COSON of course. Except the position is that it is more beneficial to right owners for the society to pay tens of millions to lawyers to fight its own members than to pay an auditing firm to save the society and indeed, collective management of copyright in Nigeria.

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‘Osun is Proud of You’, Gov Adeleke Hails Davido at 32

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Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke has congratulated his nephew and global music icon, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido on the occasion of his birthday, describing him as a superstar Osun State is proud of.

In a statement by his Spokesperson Mallam Olawale Rasheed, the Governor added that Davido’s consistency, energy and passion is evident in the result he has recorded not only in his music career but also in his life as a person.

Governor Adeleke furthered prayed for progress, more success and achievement for him while commending his continuous outreach to the orphanages and less privileged stating that it is a noble act every blessed hand in Nigeria must emulate.

He said, ” I want to rejoice with my nephew, David Adeleke Davido, on the occasion of his 32nd birthday, I am very happy we are all alive to witness it.

“Davido is a global super star that Osun state is very proud of. The consistency, energy and passion he has inserted into building his music career is evident in the result he has recorded not only in his career but also in his life as a person.

“I pray for him for progress, more success and achievement in long life, prosperity, sound health and mind.

“I equally want to commend his continuous outreach to the orphanages and less privileged. I must say that this is a noble act every blessed hand in Nigeria must emulate.

“Once again Happy Birthday to Davido”.

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Glo Festival of Joy Promo: Security Trust Boss Wins Toyota Prado in Warri

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Warri was agog with excitement on Thursday as the Board Chairman of Delta State Security Trust Fund, Mr. Daniel Mayuku, became the first winner of the much coveted Toyota Prado in Globacom’s Festival of Joy promotion.

Mr Mayuku was presented the keys to the prized asset at a ceremony held by the company on Thursday, November 21, at Gloworld, Delta Mall, Warri, by the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Emomotimi Guwor, and the Chairman of Uvwie Local Government Area, Chief Anthony Ofoni. Friends, admirers and other Glo subscribers joined in the celebration which turned into a carnival in the city with electrifying performances by Ema Dance Troupe.

An overjoyed Mayuku declared: “When I received the first call that I won a Prado in Glo Festival of Joy promo, I believed it was a scam and I immediately told the caller not to call me again. However, after few minutes, I started receiving calls from friends and I decided to call my friends in Glo and they confirmed it. I was in disbelief; I thought it was a scam. I jokingly asked for the car immediately and I was told to come to Glo office for verification and today the jeep has just been presented to me. Globacom is truly Nigerian, a network that delights its subscribers every year. They are still the best.

Other lucky winners also went home with tricycles (Keke), power generating sets, sewing machines and grinding machines. Ovueve Efejiro, a native of Ughelli, who won  Keke, said, ”I just won Keke through Festival of Joy promo, I am very grateful to Glo. This Keke will help my family. My brother will use it for commercial purpose immediately”, while a generator winner Felix Gabriel thanked Globacom for always remembering Nigerians every year in its annual promos.

Speaking at the presentation, Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly Hon. Emomotimi Guwor who was the special guest, said “Globacom is a network that is known for giving. Over the years, many Nigerians have been empowered by Glo. The people of my constituency in Warri South West and entire Delta people are grateful to Glo. We will continue to use Glo and I also want to be part of the winners one day soon. So, I will ensure that my line is always on and ready. Kudos to Glo and our own Dr. Mike Adenuga. Please keep on empowering Nigerians.

Similarly, the Head of licensing and operation, National Lottery Regulatory Commission, Delta State office, Mrs Anwuli Efejuku, commended Globacom for the transparent nature of the promo. She said, “We witnessed the raffle draw few days ago here in Warri where it was conducted in the presence of everyone and today the winners that emerged have been presented their prizes. Congratulations to all the winners.

To participate in the Festival of Joy promo, new and existing subscribers should dial *611# to opt into the promo and to keep recharging. He added that new subscribers can participate immediately by purchasing a new SIM, registering it and dialing *611#.

“Customers are required to recharge up to N100, 000 cumulatively during the promo period to qualify for the draw for the Prado Jeep, N50, 000 cumulative recharge for Kia Picanto, N10, 000 in a month for tricycle and N5, 000 total recharge in a month to win a generator. For the sewing machine, a total recharge of N2, 500 in a month is required, while for grinding machine, a recharge of N500 in a day will be eligible for the draw. New subscribers can participate immediately by purchasing a new SIM, registering it and dialing *611#, Globacom explained.

Guests at the event included representative of  Urhobo community in Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission  (DESOPADEC) Hon. Karo  Goru Jonathan; Chairman Uvwie Local Government Area, Delta State, Chief Anthony Ofoni; representative of National Lottery Regulatory Commission, Delta State office, Mrs Anwuli Efejuku;  representatives of the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom, Chief Okieneni  and Chief Emmanuel Eyela;  President of  of Igbudu Market Association, Warri,  Chief Rume Kugberu and Nollywood actors, Ese Eriata and comedians Gordons and M.C. Forever.

The next prize-presentation exercise comes up in Lagos, where another set of Nigerians will go home with different prizes including another brand new Toyota Prado, Kia Picanto car, Keke  and others.

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Ozekhome Hails Goodluck Jonathan on 67th Birthday

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Leading human rights activist and constitutional lawyer, Prof Mike Ozekhome, has celebrated former President Goodluck Jonathan as he turns 67 today.

In a heroic-worded eulogy, the renowned author, who recently launched 50 books at once, praised the former president for his gigantic strides during his tenure, and for putting the nation above his personal interest in the aftermath of the 2015 general election.

Below is Ozekhome’s full statement:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY DEAR BROTHER AND GOOD FRIEND,DR GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN, GCFR

BY PROF MIKE OZEKHOME, SAN, CON, OFR.

GEJ, you are a true democrat in the truest sense of the word.More than 8 years after you left office, many Nigerians are still yearning for your kind of humane and purposeful leadership that shunned discrimination, tribalism, sectionalism, prebendalism and cronyism.

Nigeria surely prospered under you, overtaking South Africa as the biggest rebased economy in Africa and one of the fastest growing economies in the world. For the common man,life was good. You certainly made your mistakes, like us all humans and mortals. But your gargantuan pluses far outweigh your few minuses. God has indeed been very kind to you, raising you from a bootstrap state of nadir to the zenith of power as president of the biggest democracy in the black world. But you never allowed power to intoxicate or overwhelm you as an aphrodisiac.

You showed uncommon humility and selfless leadership- a servant leader. As a living icon phenomenon, you have exemplified the quintessence of the highest virtues and nobility of a good man. At a time Nigeria was on the precipice of collapsing under a looming electoral inferno in 2015, you placed the national interest above your personal interest by conceding defeat to then candidate Muhammadu Buhari, even when votes were still being counted. Your immortal words before that historic occasion to the effect that “My ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian” easily placed you in the pantheon of rare heroes. The words rekindled the genre of Abraham Lincoln’s imperishable words during his 18th November, 1863 Gettysburg declaration, that “Democracy is government of the people, for the people and by the people”. Your continuous shuttle diplomacy across the world with which you illuminate dark electoral crevices has proven you to be a world leader of respected pedigree.

Through you, Nigeria exports Democracy.

Happy birthday to an iconic and uncommon democrat.

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