The Copyright Society of Nigeria on Tuesday withdrew a N2bn suit against the Silverbird Communications Limited, owner of Silverbird Television and Rythm FM, and Chairman of the company, Ben Murray-Bruce.
COSON had instituted the suit before a Federal High Court, Lagos, alleging that the company engaged in an “unauthorised copying, communication and broadcasting of musical works of Nigerian artiste, without licence”.
It specifically accused Silverbird of broadcasting, without COSON licence, the musical works of departed artistes including Sunny Okosun, Oliver de Coque, Christy Essien and others, to which the plaintiff said it had the sole right to collect royalties on behalf of their sucessors.
In its notice of discontinuance, COSON, through its counsel, Mr. Justin Ige, informed the court that the management of Silverbird were now willing to yield to a settlement talk.
Silverbird’s counsel, Mr. Gbenga Bello, did not oppose the motion for discontinuance.
Justice Musa Kurya, in a ruling on the request for discontinuance, held that since both parties had agreed to settle their matters out of court, the court had no discretion but to oblige same.
“An order is hereby made to discontinue suit no FHC/L/CS/838/12,” Kurya ruled.