Lagos Unveils Blueprint for Artists’ Royalty Protection
The Lagos State Government announced on Thursday its initiative to enact legislation empowering Nigerian artists to secure their full royalties from record labels.
Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka, the Commissioner for Tourism, Arts, and Culture, revealed this during an interview with members of the Association of Nigerian Journalists and Writers of Tourism in Lagos.
Benson-Awoyinka addressed the issue in light of the untimely death of Nigerian artist Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, who reportedly faced difficulties accessing royalties held by his record label.
Emphasizing her commitment to a more vibrant entertainment industry for emerging artists, the commissioner outlined her plans.
“One of the key focus areas within the ministry is the music industry. We are dedicated to cleaning it up and ensuring artists are on the right path. We intend to introduce legislation to prevent cases like Mohbad’s from occurring in Lagos again.
“We’ve learned a valuable lesson, recognizing the need for government intervention. We will scrutinize artists’ legal agreements and documentation to rectify situations where emerging talents have limited rights to their music.
“Mohbad’s premature death highlights the urgency of this matter. We won’t tolerate a scenario where someone other than the artist’s family benefits from their royalties. The government will play its role in preventing such occurrences in Lagos,” stated the commissioner.
