Afam Ezekude, director general, Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), has said that the commission has seized pirated materials with an estimated market value of about N4.8 billion, in the last one year.
Ezekude made the declaration in Ibadan, Oyo state, Tuesday adding that “the commission within the period under review seized an unprecedented total number of 15 container load of pirated works, in collaboration with Nigerian customs service.
Out of this number, 13 of the containers were load with literary works of Nigerian and foreign authors, 11 were seized in the year 2012, and two others in the first quarter of this year, 2013.”
He spoke at the conference centre of the University of Ibadan while delivering a paper at a two-day seminar organised by a non-governmental organisation, Reproduction Rights Society of Nigeria, Repronig, with a title: “Protecting and Rewarding Intellectual Property.”
Speaking through Mrs. Olabisi Ogundiran, one of the staff of the commission,the NCC DG emphasised that the commission had succeeded in securing in 2012, the issuance of the copyright (levy on materials) Order 2012, having engaged in relevant consultation and received necessary approval from the Attorney General of the Federation, Barrister Mohammed Adoke.
He, therefore, advised the Repronig to seize the opportunity of the new order to impose a levy on all the intellectual material coming into the country, declaring that “with the new order you have the backing of law and you can be rest assured that the commission will always support you.
Professor Olu Obafemi, chairman, governing board, and acting executive director of Repronig in their addresses said that the organisation was formed majorly to protect and promote the rights of intellectual property owners.
The emphasised that the organisation is in charge of reproduction of literary or printed works including plastic and visual arts like photographs. Its “Mandate is to license those who want to reproduce literary, artistic and visual works as it derives its power from the Copy Right Act of 1988 as amended.”
The duo therefore called on the heads of educational institutions to hear the organisation out and be conscious of their responsibility at ensuring that copy right law is complied withth