As Nigeria marks the 62nd anniversary of the nation’s independence, Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Nigeria’s biggest copyright collective management organization has sent a message of congratulations to all Nigerians.

In the goodwill message, COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji, said that despite the immense challenges faced by the Nigerian people, Nigerians must drive ahead with the knowledge that our nation has a new opportunity in the upcoming democratic process to right our wrongs and build a nation that provides a great future for our young people.

Said Chief Okoroji, “all over the world, the ingenuity of the Nigerian people continues to be on display. Our music, movies, literature, fashion, programming, and similar products of the creative endeavor are in substantial demand across the world. In the creative industry, Nigeria has significant comparative advantage. We only need patriots who have the vision, the passion, and the understanding of the new world to be in the right positions to spark the fire and change the national narrative. We ask for an end to the period of the locust in Nigeria when poor leadership without vision has held our country down.

“As we celebrate this Independence Anniversary, we call on all Nigerians, especially every member of COSON and all other groups and associations in the Nigerian creative industry to make sure that during the forthcoming general elections, we deploy our PVCs to elect a government that works for the Nigerian people and not against us; that respects the rights of creative people and respects the rule of law. That is the way to stop our nation from sliding into irreversible hopelessness.

“On this Independence Anniversary, we once again ask for a new Nigeria in which the people of wealth and influence are no longer those who have brazenly stolen the people’s wealth or scammed us and tricked us out of what rightfully belongs to us. We ask for a new Nigeria driven by knowledge and creativity. We want a new nation where a creative songwriter can depend on his creativity and live well; a good performer does not have to worry about how to feed his family; a talented filmmaker or actor will not be burdened by where his next rent will come from; a gifted author can become a millionaire and does not have to sweat at the thought of his children’s school fees and a fashion designer with unique talent can be celebrated for his or her creativity. We ask for a Nigeria in which a great photographer can be a man of means; an architect does not also have to be a builder to earn commensurate income from his talent; an inventor can live off his invention and a creator of content can thrive from the deployment of his content.

“We earnestly ask for a new Nigeria in which a lecturer is no longer ashamed to say that he teaches for a living. In other words, we demand a nation in which knowledge and creativity are celebrated.

“As we celebrate this Independence Anniversary we hold the hope that change can come to Nigeria and the labour of our heroes past shall not be in vain”.

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