Obaigbena Advocates Law to Protect Intellectual Property in Nigerian Media Industry

Wale Igbintade

Chairman of the THISDAY/Arise Media Group, Prince Nduka Obaigbena, has called for the enactment of laws that will ensure that Google, Facebook and other social media platforms pay for intellectual property and news items produced by the Nigerian media.

Obaigbena stated this Tuesday while delivering a Keynote Address at the Lateef Jakande 2nd Annual Memorial Lecture with the theme “Rapidly Changing Media Landscape: Media Survival Strategies” held at Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos State.

Obaigbena said the law must ensure that Nigerian journalists get paid for their intellectual property being shared on social media.

He urged the Nigerian Guild of Editors to liaise with the government and lawmakers in order to make it a reality.

He said, “If we get payments for the job we do everyday as journalists, we will be in a far better place. That is the first survival instinct that we must do, either as a group, led by the Nigerian Guild of Editors, where I happened to be secretary in1988 and working with the government to ensure that our intellectual property that is shared everyday on social Media is paid for.

“First we need to have the laws changed, where intellectual property is recognised as an asset. That recognises the work of your brain as an asset class. That asset class has to be bankable, and you can create value with it.

“I challenge the minister of information to ensure we pass a law that those who use our work online, call them Google, call them Facebook, call them Instagram or any other name, must pay for it”.

Details shortly…