The entertainment industry in Nigeria, is one of fastest growing sector in the country : it has gone far the way will think. The industry as witness ups and downs while practitioners in the sector have made effort to build successful brand that attract investors and the final consumer.
The latest rebased in Nigeria, GDP as raise another observation for the industry key players because about 1.5 per cent which make Nigeria largest and biggest economy country in African come from the entertainment industry.
The issue of poor distribution, piracy, production and the financing aspect of it , bring the dialogue session for industry players and practitioners to rub minds together for the future ways of the industry, which give birth to the Nigeria Entertainment Conference 2014, the second edition which is tagged ” Creating Pathways To The Future” .
In this post I will share with you, Highlight From Nigeria Entertainment Conference 2014, which is held at the Grand Ball Room, Eko Hotel & Suites.
With speakers in various categories: Business session( Prof Pat Utomi) , Music session ( 2face Idibia) , Social Responsibility session( Omotola Jalade Ekeinde) , IT session and Nollywood session( Emeka Mba) .
The first session was Business which have Prof Pat Utomi, as speaker alongside panelist such as Ace comedian Basket Mouth, Founder of Storm 360 Obi Asika, Trainer economist Akintunde Oyebode, Music entrepreneur Gbenga George and Renowned movie marketers Aina Kusoro all rub minds on the path way forward of the business aspect of the industry.
The major issue discussed in the segment was
Importance of an effective distribution system for the industry.
Does government have a role to play?
Forces behind the distribution problem in entertainment industry.
Prof Pat Utomi, also touched on the matter of piracy stating that is a collective effort to fight it; ‘It is important for us to have a campaign to kick against piracy’.
The next session is the IT session have panelist : Co – Founder of Jobberman.com Opeyemi Awoyemi alongside with digital marketer Bukola Akingbade, Intellectual lawyer Nkiru Balonwu, Founder of Tech Cabal Seyi Taylor and Social Innovator Femi Longe. They all speaks on :
The role of IT in curbing piracy
Right of an artist/creator vs right media
IT solution for solving entertainment problem.
The music session is the most interesting segment of the day. The music session has Renowned Nigeria and African Afro Pop King 2face Idibia, has the speaker.
‘Slaying the Collective Rights Monster’ They rubs minds on how music industry needs to collectively put an end to the controversy surrounding collecting rights and royalty in Nigeria ‘The monster has to be tackled and wrestled to the ground. I am not an aristocrat but I have common sense and knowledge’, 2face said.
He also raised the issue of individual responsibility. ‘There is a task bestowed for me to say this today’ that is why I stand before you’. 2face says being educated and self-aware are the first steps to taking the fight to the ‘monster’ and that it is not a time for blaming or pointing fingers ‘This is not the time for ‘he said, she said’, we need to protect our IP. Try to know your rights’.
The ‘African queen’ singer also charged the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation to make sure the media obey the law. ‘NBC needs to ensure compliance on radio and TV. Nobody should be above the law’.
The war on rights and royalty currently ravaging the Nigerian music industry was discussed with panelist such as Respectful radio broadcaster Olisa Adibua, Music consultant Edi Lawani, Chairman of (COSON) Tony Okoroji, Intellectual property Adebambo Adewopo and On – Air -personality IK Osakioduwa. They all speak on issue of Broadcasting playing their song with royalist and also ban artistes under COSON from playing their music on radio.
During the session Olisa Adibua raised the question of which body royalties should be paid to. ‘There are many people involved in the process of making music and not just the artistes.
You have song writers, producers, record label executives and studio engineers. If the proper way of distributing these royalties are not discussed and settled, this royalty war will still continue,’ Olisa said.
Tony Okoroji however insisted that despite the many debates and obstacles trying to restrict the payment of royalties, intellectual property has to be paid for. ‘All we keep hearing are excuses. We don’t want excuses, we want music to be paid for,’ Okoroji explained Veteran musician Lagbaja also raised some major points, two of which are; ‘making ‘music logging’ a two-way system’ and ‘having more than one collective body’.
He also asked that COSON and other bodies shift the attention away from its leaders and focus more on the body’s infrastructure
The social responsibility segment have profiled Time’s Magazine 100 Most Influential people in the world Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde. This session has panelist such as TV Producer Sam Onyemelukwe, Media Strategist Emilia Asim -Ita, Mindful youth leader Toyosi Akerele and Enough is Enough mobilizer Yemi Adamolekun.
‘Why We Should Care’ also made a call to Nigerian entertainers to take up the roles of leaders in the society because ‘entertainers are the real leaders’. ‘Entertainers are the true leaders.
We have been the sleeping giant for too long. Let’s wake up and leads.
Let’s use our influence right’, she explained. But she warned people who have accused her of politicking with ‘people in high places’ not to mention her name in such discussions. ‘Somebody on a blog a few days ago wrote said Nollywood personalities are friends with politicians and spending the money together.
I Omotola have never campaigned or partied with any Government, so don’t mention my name among those who do that. I have suffered enough for refusing to party with them and take Ghana Must go backs, so don’t let me suffer more’, Omotola added ‘If as an entertainer you want to you want to be friends with politicians, do so without aligning your brand with whatever the politicians stand for’, she advice.
I hope you enjoy this short Highlight from dialogue session yesterday. Hope to see you Next Year for another edition.
Stay Bless
Speech Content Credit: NET