Piracy, illegal copying and unauthorised use of intellectual property have dealt severe blows to copyright owners. In this regard, there is every need to support years’ struggle which culminated in the establishment of a law which mandates organisations that publicly and commercially use audiovisual works for purposes of entertainment to be properly licensed by AVRS.
Mrs. Ibiwari Charity Clapton Ogolo, Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Information and Communication, made this known in her address of welcome to participants at the recent select stakeholders’ forum for both the creators and consumers of audiovisual content, organised in Port-Harcourt by the Audio Visual Rights Society of Nigeria (AVRS).
Declaring the forum open, Ogolo said, the gathering of audiovisual industry stakeholders underscored the paramount significance of audiovisual works and intellectual property in the emerging economy.
Said she: “There is no doubt that piracy, illegal copying and unauthorised use of intellectual property has dealt severe blows to copyright owners. Thus, your struggle over the years which culminated in the establishment of a law which mandates organisations that publicly and commercially use audiovisual works for purposes of entertainment to be properly licensed by AVRS. This action remains the catalyst for the continuous growth of the creative industries and should be supported by everyone”.
September 19, 2023, witnessed the gathering of prominent figures in the resource-rich Rivers State for this event which marked a significant achievement for the AVRS, the sole collective management organisation responsible for audiovisual works in Nigeria, as it successfully hosted a select stakeholders’ forum for both the creators and consumers of audiovisual content.
Prior to the stakeholders’ forum, the AVRS delegation, led by Mr. Mahmood Ali-Balogun, the Chairman of AVRS, made visits to some broadcast stations in the beautiful city of Port Harcourt, popularly referred to as the Garden City.
This extraordinary event witnessed a gathering of prominent figures within the audiovisual industry, hotels including high-ranking government officials representing the government of Rivers State and the Nigerian Copyright Commission. The forum, which lasted for about three hours, provided audiovisual sector stakeholders and users of audiovisual content with the invaluable opportunity to gain insights into the realm of copyright and the crucial significance of respecting intellectual property rights in today’s knowledge-based economy.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Ali-Balogun, the Chairman of AVRS, warmly welcomed all participants at the forum. He emphasised that the event had been carefully crafted to serve as a platform for both audiovisual copyright owners and users to come together, engage in meaningful interactions, and seek clarity on the pivotal role played by AVRS as a Collective Management Organisation (CMO). He emphasised that the forum was a testament to AVRS’s dedication to educating the public, particularly audiovisual content users as well as filmmakers.
In addition to fostering interaction between audiovisual copyright owners and users and educating the public, Mr. Ali-Balogun said, the event was aimed to achieve several other critical objectives like promoting collaboration between AVRS and the user community in Rivers State; addressing any copyright concerns and challenges; introducing and highlighting the various programmes and services offered by AVRS; enhancing the overall public awareness of audiovisual rights; promoting compliance with copyright laws and regulations among users of audiovisual works; and being a valuable platform to seek feedback and suggestions.
During his remark, Mr. Freddy Ndigbarra, a Director in the Ministry of Culture & Tourism, representing the Permanent Secretary, conveyed the Ministry’s commitment. He stated that both the Ministry and the government of River State were dedicated to collaborating with AVRS and the creative industries within the state, adding that their joint objective was to advance the recognition of creators’ rights and guarantee that all entitlements due to rights holders in Rivers State were duly awarded.
Ndigbarra also urged the leadership of AVRS to maintain open communication with the Ministry, ensuring their active involvement in all state activities to maximise outcomes for the stakeholders in Rivers State.
Dr. Sam Dede, a renowned actor, his speech, appealed to all public and commercial users of audiovisual works within Rivers State and beyond to collaborate closely with AVRS, stressing the importance of ensuring that all outstanding royalties owed to actors, filmmakers, and individuals who contribute their talent and resources to the film industry were promptly and fairly compensated while they are still alive.
He firmly expressed that it was unjust for creators and filmmakers to invest their talent, time, energy, and resources in producing valuable content that drives businesses without reaping the appropriate rewards.
The forum also saw the active presence of other notable figures from AVRS, as well as esteemed members of Nollywood, including Jide Kosoko and Monalisa Chinda-Coker.
