The Copyright Society of Liberia, the Liberian Government’s arm for improving the economic wellbeing of Liberian writers and performing artistes, celebrates its third year of existence August 17, 2023.
By Samuel G. Dweh (Freelance Journalist, PWD Reporting Network member), +23188661896/776583266; [email protected]/ [email protected]
The anniversary event was in COSOL’s Head Office (former Ministry of Labour’s Building), UN Drive, Monrovia.
The introductory part of the event began with the program’s Master of Ceremony, Mr. James Y. Draper, COSOL’s Corporate Service Consultant, asking participants to tell other members of the audience what they remember about pre-civil war Liberia’s popular artistes—musicians, movie stars, and others.
But he singled out Samuel G. Dweh, former president of Liberia Association of Writers (LAW), to tell other participants about his knowledge about “Malawala-Balawala” (a comic movie)
“I was in my seventh year during that time. My memory of Malawala-Balawala was, it was it produced by Mr. Kekura Kamara and Garma Soko, and the show caused children and parents to abandon their house chores just to be in front the Television,” Dweh responded.
The person responsible for Invocation (Prayer), Rev. Solomon Akosah, Administrative Assistant of the Copyright Department of the Liberia Intellectual Property Office (LIPO), exhibited his musical talent with his personal productions (songs): “The Lord Will Make the Way” and “Keep Going On Toward Your Goals”
During the Prayer, he declared: “God, please enable all artistes to economically benefit from their intellectual properties.”
For her part, “Overview of COSOL’s Third Anniversary”, COSOL’s Program Officer, Ms. Jamus P. Bannah, said COSOL was created in 2019, from an Act that created the Liberia Intellectual Property Office in 2016.
“COSOL collects royalties for Liberian Artistes in Liberia and those outside of Liberia,” she said.
However, she added, COSOL works for only artistes who had registered their works with COSOL.
She informed the guests about COSOL’s various Units: Licensing Unit, Blank Tape Unit (for works imported from other countries), Mechanical Rights Unit (for artistes’ works sold at business centers and those sold by street vendors), Distribution Unit, and Enforcement Unit (for compliance)
Her Overview concluded with questions from artistes and answers from her.
Some of the questions were on process of registration of works, COSOL’s punitive methods for violating users of other people’s works, and mode of royalties disbursement used by COSOL.
The Program Officer provided answer to each question.
“I registered with COSOL and filled the Form issued to me, but I haven’t received any benefit yet,” a disabled artiste (came on crutches to the event)
“We talk about your issue after the program,” the Program Officer responded to the artiste’s concern.
On the next segment, COSOL’s Birth, Growth and Development, Mr. James Y. Draper, said Liberia’s first Copyright Act was created in 1911, and that COSOL has two major departments.
“The two Departments are Copyright Department, responsible for literary works; and Industrial Property Rights Department, responsible for Inventions,” he said.
On commercial vehicles operators’ use of musicians’ works in their vehicles, he announced to the visitors: “There’s an upcoming Memorandum of Understanding between COSOL and the Ministry of Transport for commercial vehicles operators to be paying for musicians’ songs registered with COSOL.”
There were musical and comedy interludes.
The musical components were by Gospel Musician Izetta Saydyu-Tay (song’s title: “Closer To You”), Julius Shine (stage name “Jay Shine”), with song advising artistes to register their works with COSOL; and another secular song from Majd-Radam (a White Man—his accent like an Indian)
The comedy component was by popular Liberian comedian, Bahn B. Gbezazi (stage name “Wedegar”) He caused laughing spell in the audience with his joke about his “uncle” whose only Bible Verse was “John 3:16”—recited during his family’s morning’s devotion and evening devotion.
Remarks from popular musicians and heads of artistes’ unions were the next.
Miracle Kettor, female Gospel Musician (crooner of “From Zero to Hero”) advised all gospel and secular musicians to adequately package their musical products, so that they will reap the financial benefits they dreamed about.
“We should also be united, instead of the divisions current in our musicians’ community,” she said.
Mr. Eddie Mantu Gibson, president of the Liberia Movie Union (LIMU), said LIMU is in a partnership with the Umilversity of Liberia (UL) and some of the private Universities for teaching of Performance Arts in any of the universities.
“This opportunity is for members of the Liberia Movie Union and members of other artistic associations that want to learn Acting or Filmmaking,” he said.
Mr. Clifford Robinson, COSOL’s Board Chair, said leader of any of the artistic unions or association should focus much on personal impactful legacy, instead of the money he or she can get from being the leader.
He praised President George Manneh Weah for his support to Liberia’s artistic sector and his selection of a “creative and far-sighted Prince E. Decker as Executive Director of COSOL,” he added.
Music Ambassador Duplexe Rickey Jaeploe (stage name DJ “Aseby), a popular musicians promoter, expressed his disappointment over absence of the leaders of the Musicians Union of Liberia, and heads of many of the other unions at COSOL’s anniversary.
For his part, the Executive Direcor of COSOL, Mr. Prince E. Decker (Lawyer), said more artistes have benefited from incentives from COSOL for their registered works.
“COSOL is your vehicle to the Promised Land,” he announced to the artistes present at the event and those absent.