Stakeholders in the creative industry have been urged to support the fight against anti-piracy fights and the unauthorized use of original ideas in books form or arts. The director of Nigeria Copyright Commission, Rivers State, Mr Abdusalami Babatude, made the call at the World Intellectual Property Day event organized by the Commission in Port Harcourt.
Mr Babatude encouraged authors to create more readable materials to get benefits for their works. He described the process as an asset worth protecting as it is a cherished possession of any one who is an originator of creativity stating that if not properly protected there will unauthorized use and abuse will be inevitable thereby leading to damages and huge loss to the owner.
The Director explained that the Nigeria Copyright Commission is out to protect such ideas, talents, and works of art because it is a priced possession, and the commission is committed to reducing piracy to the barest minimum. On her part, the chairperson of the event, Prof Ibiere Ken-Madua, ko highlighted the essence of the day, describing it as an awareness of the creative industry.
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Prof Ken-Maduako explained that the event cuts across various creative works, both written and performing art, which could stand the test of time irrespective of the time of origination, and so the owners deserved the right to credibility, benefits, and protection for their works. She started,” Although some writers do not know that their works can be protected, it is wise that anyone is knowledgeable about this fact and the need to sensitize them or connect them to the authority.
Prof Ken-Maduako expressed satisfaction that the day did not only captured Intellectual Ownership Property Rights, it also served as a base for cultivating good reading habit as demonstrated by contestants of the reading competition and efforts made by various performing artists in the creative industry.
Some participants at the event, the Governor PMAN, Comrade Moses Segun, a secondary school pupil Zoe Ekwedike and a University student Lawrence Nwafor expressed joy, saying the event served as an eye opener to them on the importance of protecting their intellectual property as authors, educating, entertaining and also motivational for up coming authors in the creative industry.
They also emphasized that the event encouraged them as students to be more committed to their passion, dreams, and goals of creating a legacy that will live on for generations. The theme for the celebration was IP AND MUSIC, FEELING THE BEAT. The event was filled with an atmosphere of love, oneness, talents ready to be launched, and passionate personalities.
