Federal government has pledged to support the Copyright Society Organization of Nigeria (COSON) to enhance its efforts in the growth of the economy.
Geoffrey Onyeama, foreign affairs minister, stated this in Abuja when the board members of COSON led by Chief Tony Okoroji, its chairman paid him a courtesy visit.
The organisation had earlier conferred on the Minister COSON award of the year which is the highest honour of the organisation.
Onyeama said that the importance of the organisation could not be overemphasized with regards to the development of creative industry in Nigeria.
“I want to really commend the leadership of the organisation and I feel very humbled and honoured for the award which shows the importance of intellectual property.
“We are now in the knowledge economics in the world and we have seen how the creative industry has played important role in the economy of major industrialised country.
“And, how it has played more and more important role in Nigeria, its role came to limelight during the rebasing of Nigeria economy where Nigeria became the largest economy in Africa,” he said.
According to him, one of the greatest factors that contributed to that was the creative industry; and it is important because what they do was to collect royalties to pay the artists.
He said that the creative industry had really redefined the country and also rebranded the nation and helped in growing the economy.
Earlier, the Chairman of COSON board sought the cooperation of the Federal Government in the development of creative industry.
Okoroji said that the organization was trying to work with the Federal Government at different levels and at the level of foreign affairs because Nigerian creative products are all over the world.
“The issue is that we are not getting appropriate value for the work and then we need to engage all the stakeholders and others involved in the changing nature of the economy”.
