‘Ownership, regulation, bane of collecting society for Nollywood’

Lingering issue of ownership, understanding the guaranteed rights for our films as well as the activities of regulatory bodies have been identified as part of the major factors militating against the setting up a viable collecting society for the Nigerian film sector.

Identifying these constraints while speaking at an international copyright forum, held last Friday in Lagos, and organised by the  Association of Nollywood Core Producers(ANCOP) in collaboration with the International Federation of Film Producers Association(FIAPF), Mr. Mayo Ayilaran, Chief Executive Officer, Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria(MCSN) insisted that the primary ownership of rights need to be well-settled ahead of any decision or effort by any stakeholder to exploit the potentials of copyright in any particular film.

According to him, having asked many film producers and directors in respect of who owns what right in the films they release, and getting no definite answer, for the industry to actualise the plan of setting up a collecting society, it must as a matter of urgency address the issue of ownership of the films.  For him, a harmonious relationship or interplay between the author or owners of these rights, based on contracts, would in many ways would make for an effective and efficient copyright regime in the film sector in Nigeria.