OKOROJI DEVASTATED AT THE DEATH OF JAMES IROHA

The Chairman, Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Chief Tony Okoroji has expressed great sadness at the death of Mr. James Iroha, known nationally as “Gringory”.

Mr. Iroha who created the nationally acclaimed sitcom, Masquerade in which he featured as Gringory, the senior houseboy to Chief Zebrudaya Okorigwe Nwogbe was reported to have died in Enugu earlier this week.

Chief Okoroji has described the late Mr. Iroha as one of the greatest creative talents that Nigeria has ever produced. He recalled that Mr. Iroha played host to him a few months back in his Umuahia home where they had concerted discussions on how to activate some creative projects that Mr. Iroha had conceptualized. Chief Okoroji at the meeting had also promised to generate response to the debilitating eye problem that James Iroha was experiencing.

Just before the news of the passing on of Gringory, Chief Okoroji had concluded arrangements with Mr. Olu Akinlabi, Senior Project Manager, “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” for a special appearance of the COSON boss on the popular Television programme specifically to assist Mr. Iroha.

Reacting to the death of James Iroha just a few months after the death of another Masquerade star, Christy Essien-Igbokwe who was discovered by the great James Iroha, Chief Okoroji exclaimed “this is a bit too much and absolutely devastating. I took a crew to Umuahia a few months ago and recorded a significant video interview with James Iroha. Some of that was used in The Story of The Lady of Songs, the cradle to death documentary which I produced on Christy Essien-Igbokwe. A great part of the interview dealing with the experiences of James Iroha is yet to be seen by anyone. I hope we can put it together soon and let the nation see. I am saddened by the fact that we were unable to execute much of what we had planned to do. There will never be another James Iroha”.

James Iroha studied theatre arts at the University of Ibadan and was conferred with a national honour by the Federal Government of Nigeria. He will be surely missed.

Tony Okoroji Sues Onyeka Onwenu N200M for Defamation of Character

If you missed the battle going on between these two, read it here. The update is that the Copyright Society of Nigeria, COSON, boss, Chief Tony Okoroji, is now suing the elegant stallion of N200million for defamation of character. He is also demanding a full page apology in five national dailies as compensation for the article that Ms Onwenu sent to the press accusing him of the embezzling the N3 million donation made by the Cross River State Government to facilitate the burial rites of late Christy Essien-Igbokwe.

ONYEKA ONWENU EXPLODES: Okoroji must account for N3m Essien-Igbokwe’s burial funds

A battle line appears to have been drawn between ace musician, Onyeka Onwenu and Copyright Society of Nigeria, COSON, boss, Chief Tony Okoroji as the former has asked the latter to give account of the N3 million donation made by the Cross River State Government to facilitate the burial rites of the departed songster, Christy Essien-Igbokwe.

In a letter sent to Okoroji, and made available to us, Onyeka is compelling Okoroji to step forward and clear the air by simply accounting for the whereabouts of the said money.

The letter reads in parts; Dear Tony Okoroji: “I write this letter with a pained heart, one full of disappointment at the news that you pocketed the N3 million donation made by the Cross River State Government to the Christy Essien Burial Committee for use towards her burial programme.

‘I understand that you took this decision because you claimed you were owed certain amounts for “unauthorised” expenditures made by you during the burial week. Unauthorised, because you did whatever you wanted and undertook actions against the decisions of the committee as a whole.

Actions such as the making of a documentary and the commissioning of satellite musical stampedes in other States. You headed sub-committees assigned to you but handled everything to the exclusion of other members and then you took over other sub-committees and insisted on imposing yourself on everyone else.

“I know you like to say that others were not up to doing the work but that is a misinformation that suits your imagination. How could they when you wouldn’t let them. How many meetings did you have with members of your subcommittees?

How many remedial meetings were called by the committee to redress some of your mistakes did you respect? You took delight in presenting us with a fait accompli, in setting programmes for events that were even outside your purview and jurisdiction. You even dared to impose pre-printed programmes that went against the committees decision.”Protecting reputations

“We tolerated all these just so we can protect the integrity of the burial programme and protect all our reputations. You believed your own hype and thought that you were smarter and more cunning than anyone else. Did you not inform us that you made that substandard documentary on Christy with your own money, therefore, we had no right to complain.

Yet you have now turned around to charge the committee for it. Let me note here that you used COSON staff, paid by copyright owners, something you have done, consistently over the period of your chairmanship and which you know or should know is patently wrong.

“You also said that the MCs you brought in for the tribute night at the NiteShift, against the committee’s decision had offered their services free of charge.

But now you are charging for their services. During our last committee meeting and in response to my objection to your “one man, devil may care” decision taking, your inability to be a team player and total lack of regard for the people you are supposed to work with, you accused me of having the capability of sending hired assassins after you.

What a reckless thing to say and how irresponsible are you. I decided to ignore you but on a second thought, you had projected onto me something that you were considering doing yourself. I have taken note of it.

“I would have been very happy to see you prove me wrong by doing the right thing. But what did you do, you confirmed our worst fears by taking money which did not belong to you. My dear brother, Tony, I wish that you would have a rethink and return the money.

It is blood money and would do you no good. You make us wonder if the reason you were part of Christy’s Burial Committee was to help give a befitting burial rites or to rip it off. You have an opportunity to prove your innocence.

“I understand that the first thing you said at the first committee meeting was that there must be no financial impropriety and now, you have eaten what you vomited. If indeed you are being owed, why not let the committee decide. What are you afraid of. It is not too late, you can still do the right thing. God bless you as you do so.”

Coson Declares September 1 As ‘No Music Day’

The Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) has declared Thursday September 1, 2011 as a ‘No Music Day’ throughout Nigeria. The declaration was made in a statement issued by COSON president Chief Tony Okoroji on Friday, August 26, 2011.

Okoroji says the day ‘will be dedicated to drawing national attention to the widespread infringement of the rights of composers, song writers, performers, music publishers and other stakeholders in the music industry in Nigeria’.

Similarly, the Nigerian Music Industry Coalition have requested that all broadcasting stations dedicate time on the same day to granting and airing interviews, debates or any other program related to artistes rights as a way of supporting the cause.

This isn’t the first time a protest of this sort would hold as it was first staged throughout the country two years ago on Tuesday, September 1, 2009.

In 2009, the compliance level was low, but the facilitators said at the time that the campaign was a success judging by the level of awareness and debate that followed the advocacy.

This also spurred the apprehension and prosecution of the notorious ‘Alaba King of Pirates’, Tony Onwujekwe and consequently the birth of COSON.

No word yet from PMAN, the umbrella body for musicians in Nigeria. And we’re yet to confirm which stations (TV and Radio) will be joining in the ‘No Music Day’ campaign…