Lagos – The Chairman, Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Chief Tony Okoroji, on Wednesday urged President Muhammed Buhari to foster an intellectual property revolution in Nigeria.

Okoroji told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on the sidelines of the organisation’s ongoing seven-day programme aimed at promoting the concept of intellectual property.

He said that the nation was bound to benefit from the innovative endeavours of its citizens.

“Nigeria can use the creativity of the people and deploy it massively for the benefit of the Nigerian nation.

“Music, films, stage plays, authorship and all creativity are the ways we can sustain this nation through a new vista.

“Look at our young people that are making great movies, music and various creative ingenuity, I think that Nigeria should begin to pay attention to these areas.

“As the Nigerian economy begins to unfold, we can no longer depend on oil, we must have an alternative means of sustaining ourselves and our country men,’’ he said.

Okoroji added that the COSON week is about showing the people that we care.

“We are going to do a true good road show to tell the citizens of Lagos what our industry look like and that we love them.

“For them also to know that we care and can share with them what they do and to see what we are like.

“And feel the music also because they cannot pay to come and watch the show in Sheraton or elsewhere,’’ he said.

He also said that “we will clean the streets and control traffic; we will do all those things ordinary Nigerians do.

“It is a way of showing that there is dignity in labour and we will make our people happy,’’ Okoroji added.

Also at the programme was Majek Fashek, who said that COSON was a wonderful copyright regulatory body that would help the nation’s musicians to reap from the fruits of their labour.

The renowned reggae musician who gained national acclaim with his famed “Send down the Rain’’ album in 1997, told NAN musicians would be paid the way their contemporaries were remunerated in the U.S.

“In America, I get a cheque every month whenever they play my music on the radio or television; this is what Okoroji is trying to do for artistes in the country.

“Every month, they pay the artistes like me, I get a reasonable sum regularly, and so, if you pile my money for playing on the radio or TV, I will be having about a hundred thousand dollars.

“I am not broke as some people thought, Okoroji is trying and he needs great support for that,’’ he said.

NAN reports that the COSON week which commenced on Nov. 1 would be concluded on Nov. 7.