THE NIGERIA LEGAL SYSTEM AND PROTECTION OF MUSICAL WORKS: AN OVERVIEW

Onuora-Oguno Azubike

Abstract


Copyright law is aimed at protecting intellectual product of any individual. It is needful that such works must be tangible in its form and not otherwise. In Nigeria, several laws exist that are meant to protect works recognised to be capable of enjoying copyrights. The Copy Right Act, Cap. 68, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990 as amended by the Copyright Amendment Decree No. 98 of 1992 and the Copyright (Amendment) Decree 1999, is the primary source for protection of Copy Righted works in the country. However, for an average Nigerian, it is no longer news that the nation has wellarticulated laws, but very weak enforcement of such laws. This, no doubt is causing untold hardship to the citizenry, particularly as it relates to the entertainment industry. This paper examines the Copy Right Act in Nigeria as it relates to musical works. It examines musical works that are eligible for copy rights, basis for registration and challenges to the enforcement of the law. It concludes with recommendations on how rights of individuals can be protected.

Full Text:

PDF

References


Olowu B, Nigeria Protecting and enforcing trademarks and copyrights. Available athttp://www.ehow.com/facts_5171393_musicperformance-copyright-laws.html (accessed September 21, 2013). http://www.nigerianlawguru.com/articles/intellectual%20property%20 law/PROTECTING%20AND%20ENFORCING%20TRADEMARKS% 20AND%20COPY%20RIGHTS.pdf, (accessed 20 September 2013). Justus A. Sokefun, An overview of the Protection of Intellectual Property in Nigeria: The Nigeria Journal of Private and Commercial Law, Vol.2 (2001) OlabisiOnabanjo University, AgoIwoye. Onuora-Oguno, N. C &Onuora-OgunoAzubike, (2013) Uncensor the Minstrel, UnCage Human Rights: A Case for the Emancipation of a Music Genre in Igboland. C e n t r e p o i n t J o u r n al o f H u m a ni t i e s , University of Ilorin Press. Olusola A, Intellectual Property Protection in Nigeria: The Position of the Law on Copyright infringement and Protection, available at http://www.ngex.com/reports/intellectual_property%20.pdf (accessed 20 September 2013). http://hss.fullerton.edu/linguistics/cln/SP10PDF/Ogagamuspoetry.pdf. (Accessed 20 September 2013). http://www.nigerianlawguru.com/articles/intellectual%20property%20 law/PROTECTING%20AND%20ENFORCING%20TRADEMARKS% 20AND%20COPY%20RIGHTS.pdf. http://www.nigerianlawguru.com/articles/intellectual%20property% 20law/PROTECTING%20AND%20ENFORCING%20TRADEMARK S%20AND%20COPY%20RIGHTS.pdf. http://www.tribune.com.ng/index.php/tribune-law/9363-enforcingcopyrights-law-in-nigeria.

Statutes Section 1 Copy Right Act, CAP 69 as Amended. The Copyright, Designs and Patent Act 1988.


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.