In a statement made available to Starconnectmedia, Izamoje said the suit was filed in his behalf by Barrister Charles Makwunye at an Igbosere High Court seeking redress and damages for widely circulated and published statement that appeared online between October 16 – 26, in which COSON claimed he caused the death in penury of many late Nigerian musician such as Cardinal Rex Jim Lawson, who died in 1969, Celestine Ukwu who died in 1977, Sonny Okosun, Christy Essien Igbokwe, Bala Miller, Oliver De Coque and Chief Osita Osadebe among others.
“I am not aware COSON equally listed and made press statements about the Chief Executives of other broadcast houses in their earlier publications and , therefore, see their release which was so widely circulated and published as a deliberate and calculated attempt to rubbish my integrity, dwarf all I have achieved in sports business and turn the families of the deceased musicians against me..”, Izamoje said.
See below for the full text of the statement.
For releasing, publishing and circulating a statement on its website, Twitter and Facebook pages that I deem libellous, slanderous and defamatory, a N5.5B lawsuit has been filed against the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON).
Suit no LD\1007\13 was filed at the High Court of Lagos State, Igbosere by my solicitor, Barrister (Dr.) Charles Mekwunye. I am seeking redress and claiming damages for COSON’s widely circulated and published press statement that appeared online between October 16-26, 2013 in which the body said I am one of those that caused the death in penury of many late Nigerian musicians . COSON named Cardinal Rex Jim Lawson who died in 1969 , Celestine Ukwu who died in 1977,Sonny Okosun, Christy Essien Igbokwe, Bala Miller, Oliver De Coque and Chief Osita Osadebe among others. It listed me as a broadcaster of unauthorised music and said I have made massive advertising revenue and profit from the works of the musicians.
I was in primary one when Rex Lawson died and in secondary school (class 4) when Celestine Ukwu passed on! It is trite law that a natural person cannot broadcast. I have been and remain a sports presenter. While I remember the listed musicians for their accomplishments, I was never their great fan. My business interest has been and remains sports, not the works of Nigerian musicians. I did not cause and have not caused any musician to die in penury. COSON must prove advertising bookings and revenue addressed to and paid to Larry Izamoje for music. Indeed, COSON rebuffed all attempts by my solicitor to have them retract the story which other websites, local and international, also published.
I am not aware COSON equally listed and made press statements about the Chief Executives of other broadcast houses in their earlier publications and , therefore, see their release which was so widely circulated and published as a deliberate and calculated attempt to rubbish my integrity, dwarf all I have achieved in sports business and turn the families of the deceased musicians against me..
It would be recalled that the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) and the Independent Broadcasters Association of Nigeria (IBAN) are opposing the arbitrary and unilateral imposition, by COSON, of royalty fees on broadcast stations.
Dr Larry Izamoje
