Why Lagos Govt Is Not Fighting Piracy

For many years, piracy has been the major bane of the creative industry in Nigeria. Pirates have feasted heavily on the intellectual properties of helpless movie producers, musicians and comedians alike, and there seems to be no solution in sight.

A cross section of Nigerian movie actors and actresses protesting against piracy of their works.

There had been series of appeals, protests and confrontations by the creative work owners, but despite this, pirates continue to enlarge their coasts at the detriment of the industry.

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Charles Oputa (Charley Boy), a former president of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN), had led several protests to Alaba Market, a place recognised as the den of the pirates –all to no avail.

Gbenga Adewusi, the head honcho of Bayowa Films & Records, also staged a popular protest to Alaba Market, but he got what he didn’t bargain for as the notorious pirates pummeled him. Adewusi’s clothes were torn and he equally sustained injuries from the attack.

The movie October 1 was pirated.

Members of the Yoruba Video Film Producers/Marketers Association of Nigeria (YOVIFPMAN) have also championed several attempts and protests in taming the pirates. They liaised with the Lagos State Censors Board headed by Chief Dapo Awobotu, formed a special task force and arrested some pirated CD hawkers. But they could not be prosecuted because the state government has not criminalised such act.

It now dawned on the movie marketers that without the full backing of the government, they cannot fight a successful war with the pirates. So they organised several meetings with representatives of the state government, who on each occasion give empty promises.

Then “one day, we used our connection to meet former governor of Lagos State, Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu at his Bourdilon residence. After letting him know our grievances and how far we have gone fighting the battle all alone, and how seriously we need the support of the government, we were shocked to the marrow by his response,” an executive of YOVIFPMAN confided in a Naij.com reporter.

Another powerful movie, equally pirated.

Jagaban, as Tinubu is fondly called, was said to have told his visitors that he wish to assist them, but if he does, it would be at the detriment of his ruling party’s chances of dominating elections in the state.

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“He (Tinubu) told us that Alaba Market falls under the jurisdiction of Alimosho Local Government (the biggest local government in Lagos), and that the government cannot afford to clampdown on the market, as this would give the opposition party edge during subsequent elections,” our source added.

Several creative works worth billions of naira have been pirated in Nigeria, making copyright owners and marketers incur huge loss and debt, while the pirates live-large.

Kunle Afolayan’s blockbuster, October 1st, and AY’s 30 Days in Atlanta are some of the latest victims of the pirates.

 

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