Ruggedman: Why was COSON suspended? Okoroji refused to go

Ruggedman, Nigerian rapper, has blamed Tony Okoroji for the suspension of the Copyright Society of Nigeria’s operating licence.

In a protracted power tussle lasting months, Tony Okoroji and Efe Omorogbe laid claim to the leadership of the body.

The Nigeria Copyright Commission (NCC) had on Monday announced the suspension of the operating licence of COSON.

Reacting in an interview with Hip TV, Ruggedman said: “COSON has been suspended. Why has COSON been suspended? Because the head of COSON refused to go when the board voted him out.

“When they give you a voted of no confidence, you step aside. That’s the gentlemanly thing to do.

“But when the office is being questioned when they want to audit your account and you say no, it means you have something to hide.”

The rapper went on to explain that, “they didn’t at first want to push Tony Okoroji out. They wanted to just audit the COSON account.

“If Tony Okoroji didn’t have anything to hide, he would not want to stop them from auditing the account. He was throwing lawsuits left, right and center like it was Christmas presents. Suing anybody that says anything pertaining to getting COSON’s account being audited.

“So it was either he let them audit the account so business goes on as usual, artistes get paid their royalties. Even that one we’re having issues because it wasn’t clear how they were being paid. It wasn’t clear who exactly was being paid.”

Ruggedman went on to appeal to the heart of Okoroji on behalf of Nigerian creatives.

He said: “If you are a good-hearted human being, if you are actually out for the good of the Nigerian creative industry like you said, would you sit and let them suspend COSON or you will step down and let them audit the account? It’s easy. It is either left or right.”

Amid the ongoing crisis, 2baba has called on the NCC to intervene and Audu Maikori, a director on the board of COSON, has appealed to Okoroji to let go of power.