The President of the Theatre Art and Motion Pictures Producers Association of Nigeria, Bolaji Amusan aka Mr Latin, has said that entertainers in Nigeria including actors and filmmakers will storm the National Assembly over piracy.
The TAMPAN president disclosed this at a recent press briefing held to announce the association’s 2021 conference, dated to hold on December 16 and 18 in Abeokuta with the theme ‘Film as a Tangible Asset’.
Speaking on the challenges facing the entertainment industry, Mr Latin said that copyright law treats piracy as a bailable offence, lamenting that the offence attracts a ridiculous amount.
He urged the National Assembly to enact a strong law against piracy in the country for the practitioners to enjoy the fruit of their labour.
“I have said it at different fora that the only way for we the practitioners to enjoy the fruit of our labour is for the National Assembly to enact a very strict and strong law that will protect us. The current law against piracy is a very weak law, it’s a bailable offence.
“When a pirate is caught today, you take him to the police station. At the end of the day, they grant him bail at a very ridiculous amount. We have so many Guilds and Associations in Nigeria, but we have one Umbrella body and we are trying to come together with the heads of various Guilds,” he said in parts.
Speaking further, the actor lamented that entertainers work like ‘elephants’ yet eat like ‘ants. He added that they have decided to take the ‘bull by the horn’ by matching to the National Assembly.
“Piracy is like cankerworm, it’s like cancer eating deeply into the fabric of the creative industry and if you don’t try to kill it, it will kill the industry.
“We are working like elephants and eating like ants. A time will come when we will not be able to eat like ants.
“We are trying as much as possible to take the bull by the horn by going to the National Assembly,” he said.
