Bolaji Amusan, President of the Theatre Art and Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria, has announced that major entertainers in Nigeria, including musicians, actors, filmmakers, producers, and directors, will file a lawsuit against piracy in the National Assembly.
Mr. Latin, also known as Amusan, condemned the Nigerian Copy Right Law (2004) as “weak” and “insufficiently strict” not combating movie piracy in the country.
The actor made the remarks during a press conference to promote the Association’s 2021 Conference, which will be held in Abeokuta under the topic “Film as a Tangible Asset.”
Around 5,000 actors and actresses are expected to attend the conference, which will take place between December 16th and December 18th, 2021.
Speaking about the obstacles that members face, Mr Latin encouraged the National Assembly to pass a strong anti-piracy law in the country so that pirates can reap the benefits of their labor.
The existing copyright law, according to the theatrical practitioners’ president, sees piracy as a bailable offense, with the infraction attracting a silly or minor fine.
He urged the National Assembly to pass legislation that would severely penalize pirates.
“I have expressed it at various fora that the only way for us practitioners to enjoy the fruits of our labor is for the National Assembly to establish a very severe and powerful law that will protect us,” he said. The existing anti-piracy legislation is ineffective, and it is a bailable offense.
“Today, you transport a pirate to the police station when he is apprehended. “At the end of the day, they issue him bail for an absurd amount.” We have a lot of guilds and associations in Nigeria, but we have one umbrella organisation that is trying to bring the heads of the many guilds together.
“Piracy is a cankerworm, a cancer that eats deep into the fabric of the creative industry, and if you don’t fight it, it will eat you alive.”
and if you don’t try to kill it, it will kill the industry.