PMAN refuses to be bullied by Lai Mohammed and will not stand down until this issues are resolved - Pretty Okafor

 

The current battle between PMAN and Nigeria's Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed is far from over.

A new statement by PMAN regarding the on-going fracas insists that PMAN refuses to be bullied and will not stand down until this issues are resolved.

See the full statement below...

The National Executive Working Committee of The Performing Musicians Employers' Association of Nigeria (PMAN) is deeply disturbed after thorough review of recent interviews granted by the Honorable Minister of information , Alhaji  Lai Mohammed, where the Minister stated that he stopped the implementation of the PMAN CREATIVE INDUSTRY BAR CODING PROJECT  just because a group of persons approached him and claimed that they were the original PMAN, even though the Minister himself as a lawyer  knows that  PMAN is United under sole registered TRADEMARK , and no group of persons can parade itself as PMAN without the express permission  of the PRETTY OKAFOR led executives,  and more so that his Ministry has done nothing wrong by not notifying PMAN of the Ministry's abrupt change of plan after PMAN had already submitted the Projects BLUEPRINT to the Ministry of information and the Ministry had also announced its partnership with PMAN at a World Press Briefing held at the Ministry of information Office in Abuja on August 12, 2016. 

The Minister’s claim that he backed away from his initial commitment to the PMAN proposed Initiative because some people came to him claiming they were the original PMAN is ridiculous, and  we are confident that the Minister and the Ministry  of Information  do not have any official records to back such  claims and neither was there a petition written to the Honorable Minister by the invisible” PMAN” perpetrators . The Minister's only defense against PMAN's copyright infringement allegations is FRIVOLOUS,  and the Ministers inexplicable FIRE BRIGADE  approach as recently displayed during implementation of Projects designed  for the Creative Industry  is a "RECIPE FOR DISASTER "

Moreover, the Minister stated that an advertising agency, anonymously brought a similar proposal to the Ministry of Information, however, PMAN’s legal team is currently investigating how a certain  "THINK TANK MEDIA" got hold of PMAN’s CREATIVE INDUSTRY BARCODING PROJECT Proposal submitted in confidence to the MINISTRY OF INFORMATION, as the Agency has inadvertently confirmed publicly on published Propaganda posts , that its own proposal to the Ministry is entirely different from PMAN’s proposal to the Ministry, this is veryquestionable, how did this Agency have access to PMAN'S Proposals  and its content remain a mystery to PMAN.

PMAN seriously doubts that due process was adhered to between the Ministry and the so-called advertising Agency given the tricky methods being utilized to plagiarize PMAN's Blueprint.

PMAN is particularly suspicious of the terms and details of the “PARTNERSHIP “ between the so called Advertising Agency and the Ministry of Information in regards to the  implementation of the ongoing Creative Industry projects by the Ministry of Information, and calls on the Acting PRESIDENT, His Excellency Professor Yemi Osinbajo to Probe the ongoing Plan being implemented ,or rather being IMPOSED on the creative Industry. The twenty (20) individuals the Minister announced will  invest one million US dollars are of particular interest to PMAN, we want to know what sort of arrangements are being made on behalf of the Creative Industry, especially the MUSIC INDUSTRY, to ensure the Industry is not  being sold out to the Twenty (20) unidentified individuals or the  "20 musketeers" as they are now being called in the Music Industry Circle.

 

The Honorable Minister of Information Alhaji Lai Mohammed,  threatened to sue *PMAN* for libel as televised nationwide by reputable media platforms, the new *PMAN* will like to make this very clear,  the Union will not be bullied nor will we be  intimidated  by the Minister of Information's status, fame or any other designated person or entities that seek to distract or deter the focus of  PMAN'S  fight for justice and  the fight for the rights of over 20 million practitioners of the Music Industry and the Creative Industry at large, to enjoy the fruits of their  labour by establishing a transparent structure where everybody will be accountable for the royalties they collect on behalf of Nigerian Artists and the creative Industry.

PMAN strongly believes  that the questionable acts and disposition of the Honorable Minister of Information , Alhaji Lai Mohammed are inconsistent with the praiseworthy and notable values ascribed to the Government of His Excellency, PRESIDENT MOHAMMED BUHARI,  PMAN has confidence in the BUHARI administration  because of its emphasis on TRANSPARENCY,  ACCOUNTABILITY and ANTI-CORRUPTION, therefore, we call on the PRESIDENCY to intervene in this urgent matter and rescue the MUSIC  UNION and the Creative Industry at large.

PMAN is deeply disturbed once again not only because its Copyright has been infringed upon, but also because the Union feels betrayed by the acts of the Minister of Information, the UNION, however, is compelled to prosecute this matter to the full extent of Law and is committed to uphold justice for the Entertainment Industry, our lawyers will initiate the necessary legal proceedings and PMAN is confident that with the overwhelming evidence both material and circumstantial will reveal the truth that, the ongoing Comprehensive Plan to restructure the Creative Industry is truly PMAN'S brainchild.