Tony Okoroji: COSON chairman begins indefinite 'one man' protest at a federal High Court in Lagos

The embattled COSON boss is protesting with placards alone due to the transfer of a crucial case to a new judge.

Tony Okoroji, the Chairman of the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) has begun an indefinite one-man demonstration in front of the Federal High Court, Lagos.

The embattled COSON boss is protesting with placards alone due to the transfer of a crucial case to a new judge, which would determine if the syndicate, Musical Copyright Society Nigeria (MCSN) is truly an approved society to collect royalties on behalf of musicians.

Why Okoroji is Protesting

Okoroji said that his action has become necessary to draw the attention of the world to a new and dangerous attempt to destroy the Nigerian judicial system by the blackmail of a Nigerian judge to force him not to deliver a judgment written by him.

He says he's asking all lawyers and judges in the Nigerian legal system to insist that the case file in Suit No FHC/L/CS/1259/2017 which he said was taken away in bizarre circumstances from Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court, Lagos, just as he was about to deliver judgment in the suit, be returned to the judge so that he can deliver his judgment and any of the parties dissatisfied with the judgment can proceed to the Court of Appeal.

According to Chief Okoroji, the key question Justice Buba was scheduled to answer in his judgment is this: Under Nigerian law, is the syndicate known as Musical Copyright Society Nigeria (MCSN) truly an approved collecting society and authorized to collect money on behalf of innocent Nigerian musicians?

 

Okoroji was insistent that some people desperately do not want that question answered hence the muscling of Justice Ibrahim Buba and the failed machinations to remove Okoroji himself as Chairman of COSON.

Pulse has reached out to Tony Okoroji, and we will update as developments happen.