MONROVIA – The Copyright Society of Liberia (COSOL) has signed three Entertainment Stars, from the body of Liberia’s Entertainers, as its Ambassadors to promote COSOL’s dream of increasing its membership of persons in Liberia’s Creative Industry.
By Samuel G. Dweh (Freelance Development Journalist)
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The signing ceremony was held in the Conference Room of the Liberia Intellectual Property Office (LIPO) adjacent the General Services Agency (GSA), located on UN Drive, Monrovia.
The date was May 17, 2024.
COSOL COSOL is the Secretariat within the Copyright Department of the Liberia Intellectual Property Office (LIPO), and is the Liberian Government’s arm for the protection and promotion of people’s creative works. Some of creative works are: books, Journals, Pamphlet, movie, music, photography, choreography, and scientific invention.
COSOL’s other functions include: the collection of royalties for the arbitrary use of creative contents by the electronic media and the adequate distribution of royalties to owners whose works are used.
The aim of the induction of the Entertainers into the COSOL’s fold is for each person to spread the ‘COSOL’s ‘copyright messages’ to the general Liberian populace and body of foreigners using “creative works” by Liberians.
The three persons conferred with COSOL’s Ambassadorial status are: Roseline Wheeler (Comedian); Prince Trokon Zeon (Musician); and Henry Amazin Toe (Musician)
The main event began with an invitation of God’s ‘guiding presence’ by Rev. Solomon Akorsah, Pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Liberia. He also performed the introductory song (Gospel), “The Lord will make a way somehow”, and the two musical interludes—“Guide My Steps” and “He Will Not Let You Fall” Speaking for LIPO, its Deputy Director-General, Mr. Clarence H. Cole, said his female boss, the Director-General, Madam Garmia Koboi, was at an International Intellectual Property Conference in Geneva, Switzerland.
He congratulated the leadership of COSOL for the wisdom of signing Brand Ambassadors, and thanked each Entertainer for acceptance of the task of promoting COSOL’s messages through his/her entertainment medium.
“Without contents from entertainers, there won’t be LIPO or COSOL,” the LIPO’s Deputy D-G said.
The next Remarks came from COSOL’s Executive Director, Mr. James Y. Draper. Prior to his appointment as as COSOL’s new COSOL’s Executive Director on the 22nd of April, 2024, and replacing Attorney-at-Law Prince E. Decker who had served as COSOL’s Executive Director from 2019 to September, 2023, Mr. Draper is a former Executive Secretary of the Liberian National Commission for United Nations Education, Scientific & Cultural Organization (UNESCO); former Assistant Minister for Tourism at the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs & Tourism (MICAT); and former Consultant on Intellectual Property at the Ministry of Commerce & Industry; and an Arts and Craft specialist.
“The idea of COSOL was birthed 113 years ago during the Presidency of Arthur Barclay,” he recalled.
He said the selection of each person as COSOL’s Brand Ambassador was based on his or her “often demonstrated integrity in the entertainment industry. We expect our Ambassadors to positively project us, COSOL, during implementation of the tasks they had been hired for.”
One of COSOL’s goals, Mr. Draper added, is to ensure collection of royalties for all persons in the creative industry, especially those who have registered their works at COSOL.
At the conclusion of his brief Remarks, the COSOL’s E.D. indirectly said to everybody in the Liberian creativity industry: “When other people use your work, in line with COSOL’s monitoring and mandate, your pocket, wallet, or purse is heavy.”
The personal professional profile of the new COSOL’s Executive Director, released to this writer, states that he is
Next item was a comic rendition by Mr. Ojuku Kpui, a comedian, with a stage name “Ojuku Wakins”. “My wife has been unfaithful tome me due to my current poverty status,” he said referring to the female Ambassador Roseline Tanneh Wheeler.
The next segment of the event was official affixture of signature on the Contract Sheet by each to-be Ambassador of COSOL. The signing was followed by remarks by each Ambassador.
“Will God’s empowerment of me, I will do my best in doing COSOL’s works and for the development of my Country through entertainment,” the only female Ambassador, comedian, said in her vernacular (Bassa) and English, intended to cause laughter of the audience. Her performance name is “Ma Mary”.
“I am on record for fighting for artistes and other entertainers. I will move to the next level with this advocacy through my Ambassadorial role for COSOL,” the next speaker-Ambassador, Prince Trokon Zeon, emphasized.
The third speaker, Ambassador Henry Amazin Toe, promised to lead a ‘radical action’ against individuals and institutions—including owners of Radio Stations— in the act of illegally using the intellectual works of artistes.
“Nigerian artistes did same when the Nigerian Government was relatively silent on other people’s criminal use of their intellectual properties while the producers were getting little or nothing,” he said.
Musical performance by a Liberian musical duo—Stephen Tiah and Collie A. Kollie, with Performance Name “Double Blow”. The tile of their song was “The Biggest Zorr”
During performance on stage, the duo talked about the “Biggest Zorr” of the 15 Counties of Liberia.
“Zorr means capability,” the musical pair explained to this writer during an exclusive interview during lunchtime by the body of participants.
The Master of Ceremony of the Ambassadorial induction program was Mr. Karpeh Nah, Head of COSOL’s Corporate Service.
