About 10 years after leaving the Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria Ltd/Gte (MCSN) to join the then newly formed Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), veteran singer, Onyeka Onwenu, popularly called the Elegant Stallion, has found her way back to the MCSN.
Onyeka while speaking on her return, listed mismanagement of funds and lack of accountability as part of the reasons she retraced her steps back to MCSN which she said is not only a registered and recognised body but one that also looks out for the welfare of artists.
Speaking at a world press conference held at the Corporate Headquarters of MCSN in Lagos, the One Love Star stated that she is honoured to be back in MCSN after her sojourn with what she described as a now-defunct COSON which she said is riddled with mismanagement of the funds of musicians.
“I’m honoured to be here, MCSN is home. I should have been here earlier but we felt that we could put things in order at COSON but this was not the case as it was a situation where one man thinks he knows it all, the result is the mess COSON is today.
“COSON is dead as a collecting Society. It has no approval to operate as a Collecting Society and any corporate body or organisation that that pays money to them for the use of music does so at its own risk because musicians will come after them for their monies,” she said.
According to her, since joining the defunct COSON 11 years ago, she is yet to be paid a dime, adding that this in addition to mismanagement of musicians’ funds by the Society led to her decision to leave for MCSN.
“It was a one-man show at COSON where millions of naira were awarded in contract to one man. How can one person award contracts to a company fronting for him without bidding? Who does that? It is morally wrong. I said no, it is morally wrong.
“For this stand, I had four cases instituted against me and I had to spend my personal funds running into millions of naira defending myself in court. Corruption is not only about government,” she added.
She explained further that she decided to return to MCSN because she realised that with time, the stance of Mayo Ayilaran and Orits Williki who had always advocated for multiple societies were right, “because the more the merrier.
“Orits Williki and Mayo Ayilaran are extraordinary people, they have been fighting for copyright issues for decades. Without MCSN it would have been a one-man show,” Onwenu stated, reiterating that she is back to MCSN to devote her time to ensure that creators get their fair share of rewards in terms of royalties.
Reacting to the return of the Elegant Stallion, the Chairman of the Board of the society, Orits Williki said the return of Onyeka Owenu to her “home” (MCSN) is the energizer the society needs to go all out to ensure that maximum royalties are collected for the benefits our members.
The CEO of MCSN, Mayo Ayilaran, said his happiness about the return of Onwenu to society knows no bounds as it will serve as a booster to spur him on to work harder for society and its members.
“MCSN is the natural home for Onyeka Owenu, I’m very happy for this development. It will spur us on to work harder for our members so that they can enjoy the fruits of the labour while alive,” he added.
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