WHAT KIND OF FRIEND ARE YOU?

It was Monday, April 10, 2017 that I got a devastating phone call. My friend, my very good friend, Tony Grey, had passed on! On hearing the news, I screamed! My scream attracted the attention of everyone in my residence. I was left in great pain. My pain was not just in the fact that this incredibly committed artiste had died at close to 70, my pain was in the fact that I had let my good friend down.

Few weeks before he passed on, I had spoken several times with Tony Grey whose real name was Tony Leonge. He was on his sick bed in a hospital in Warri, the city where for many years he was the undisputed king of popular entertainment. Tony in a disappearing voice had asked for my help to raise money to beat the ailment that was holding him hostage. I promised to do what I could.

Tony Grey had the right to ask me for anything. Despite the fact that he was more than ten years older and had become quite famous long before anyone ever heard of me, Tony Grey always treated me like his buddy.

In fact, I first heard Tony Grey's big hits, 'She is my Love' and 'Ije Udo' while in High School in Enugu.  At that time, I used to break school rules to go and rehearse with a band called 'Life Everlasting' led by a great drummer, Stoneface Iwuagwu. Life Everlasting was based at Tourist Hotel on Zik Avenue. It had in its rank such committed musicians as Dallas Kingsley Anyanwu, Roy Obika, Jackie Moore Anyaorah, etc, who later became the backbone of Esbee Family and Sweet Breeze.  

With Life Everlasting and from Tourist Hotel, I did my first ever tour as a performing musician. All of us in the band and our instruments would be packed in a small Kombi bus and we would tour Onitsha, Asaba, Owerri, Aba and villages and hamlets in between. My first song ever on stage was a cover of Roberta Flack's 'Killing me Softly' We did a bit of Carlos Santana and also tried our hands on several Nigerian hit songs of the moment: Fela's 'Jeun Ku Oku', 'Love Rock' by the Strangers of Owerri, 'Fuel for Love' by Wrinkers Experience and of course, Tony Grey's 'She is my Love' and 'Ije Udo'.

At that time, I could not even dream of any contact with the likes of Fela, Tony Grey and EMI, their recording company. How would a young aspiring musician with bushy hair then called Alex Tony Okoroji in Enugu be thinking of being found in the same room with these big guys? Even if I thought of it, I could not say it loud to anyone. I would have been hushed and told that I was smoking something and living in a fool's paradise. They were too-too big!

In so many ways, my life has been a mystery. I actually came to Lagos, walked the streets of Lagos for many months, took every lesson I could in the 'University of Hard Knocks'. Somehow, after different projects in recording, I became friends with the great producer, Odion Iruoje and what followed was a long stint as a producer and Artiste & Repertoire Manager at the brand-new EMI studios in Oregun, Lagos.

It was at EMI that I met Tony Grey, the star that I had admired from afar. When Tony Grey was in town, everyone knew. He used to storm Lagos with two beautiful airconditioned Toyota Coaster buses branded 'Tony Grey's Ozimba'. Surprisingly he was very humble, always had this smile on his face and never had anything negative to say about anyone. I liked him and we became friends almost instantly.

When I became President of PMAN and arrows flew from left and right, Tony Grey was solidly in my corner. When I accepted the responsibility to build COSON into the institution that I believe the intellectual property community badly needs, Tony Grey was there. Anytime, we called a meeting, Tony Grey would abandon all in Warri and come to Lagos and always contributed positively.

When Tony Grey asked me for help from his hospital bed, he had every right to. In my attempt to follow due process and get it right, I wasted too much time. Of course, there is no guarantee that anything I did would have changed the eventual outcome but at least I would have done something for my friend.

On the phone, I promised Houston Grey, Tony's first son, that since I could not be with his father on his sick bed, I wished to be with the family as he was laid to rest.

I had made plans to leave for Warri the day before Tony's burial on a Friday. On Wednesday, I found out that I had a crazy fever. My body was on fire and my limbs were weak. I could not get away from home. I tried every self-medication known but the bad situation just got worse. Thursday morning, with a stuttering voice I called Dr. Jatto, my trusted doctor and told him there was an emergency and I was on my way to see him immediately.

I begged Dr. Jatto to do whatever he could and get me to travel on Friday to Warri to be with Tony Grey's family. Dr. Jatto quickly ran a battery of tests on me, shook his head and bluntly said that Warri was not possible. He said emphatically that he would place me on admission for at least three days. While I was arguing with him, I was injected with some stuff and I drifted into some state where I felt like two entities were pulling at me, the living and the dead. When I drifted out of sleep many hours later, the nurse smiled at me and said that while I was sleeping, they had pumped about ten different injections into me. My body was still hot and I was wired to some medical contraption.

I called for Dr. Jatto and begged him to at least let me go home at night, sleep on my bed and come back the next morning to continue with my treatment. He is a very good man, so, he agreed. I was driven home and could barely get out of the car. I was shivering badly. About 11.00 pm, I managed to compose a text message and sent to Tony Grey's son, Houston, the COSON Consultant in Edo/Delta States and several others who were supposed to co-ordinate the trip. The text read "Tried and tried, flight tickets already bought. Cannot make it. Spent the entire day on admission on a hospital bed. Will be represented" It was one of the most difficult things I ever had to do. Not being there for Tony Grey in life was bad enough. To also not be with his family at his funeral was too much to bear.

I took each of the thirteen tablets Dr. Jatto packed for me and slept off. I woke up about 3.00 am Friday and could not go back to sleep. While I felt a little better, I was still very weak. I composed a new text message and sent to everyone I had sent a text to before I slept. The new text read "Your true friend is that one who stands by you when it is most inconvenient. Tony Grey was such a friend. I will be at the airport this morning on the way to Warri to be with his family as he is laid to rest. I appreciate everyone's concern but I have to do what I have to do" The new text set off a battery of telephone calls begging me to rethink.

I verily believe that your true friend is not that person who calls you only when he needs something from you. He is that person who is there for you when you are in need and it is most inconvenient. Yes, I was at the funeral of my friend, Tony Grey.

See you next week.

DO NOT FORGET, I DRIVE ON A FULL TANK OF FAITH

Several times in recent years, I have been asked how I am able to take the many AK 47s and torpedoes repeatedly fired at me. You may have heard that each time, I have replied that I drive on a full tank of faith. I verily believe that as long as you have faith, you can move mountains. You are unbeatable.

That might sound arrogant but it is not meant to be. I have come to the conclusion that if what you do is for the good of God's children and you believe in the power of the Almighty, many will be confounded as to what you achieve and how bullets fly past you without touching you.

For your tank to be full of faith, please make sure that you do not top up with hate, greed, jealousy, covetousness and their likes. When what moves you is the love of God's children, faith becomes not just a weapon but a shield.

It is my rule not to launch an attack on any innocent person. In fact, I will go out of my way to avoid a confrontation. It may be why I get attacked so often and get underestimated so often. It is only when I have tried my best to avoid an attack that I respond and respond forcefully. 

Many complain that I do not appear to worry about anything; my health, my safety; my finances or tomorrow. I just trudge on. As long as what I am doing is to the glory of the Almighty, I do it with joy and a smile. I do not worry. I drive on a full tank of faith. I verily do not believe that the Almighty will send me on an errand without ensuring that I have the means to get there.

Nobody can bring you down except yourself. If you do not have faith, you have already failed even before you have started. If you see the cup as half empty instead of half full, you have already failed. I know that no matter how bad the situation may appear, there is a way, there is an answer, there is a solution.

I believe that we spend far too much time staring at and worrying about our problems instead of looking at the solutions which most times are right in front of us. When you drive on a full tank of faith, you see solutions and not problems.

I have nothing against people who go to church regularly. I however do not believe that faith has anything to do with how many times you go to church. I have written here before that I was born a Catholic and remain a Catholic. My older sisters and Madam though complain ceaselessly that I do not go to church as regularly as I should. I just do not believe that God is only in the Catholic church. I believe that He is in every church and in fact in the Mosque, in the market, in our offices, on the streets and in our homes. Believe me, God is in bars and hotels too. He is everywhere.

I also honestly do not accept that there is one God for the Catholics, another for the Anglicans, a different one for the Pentecostals and a patently different God for my brothers and sisters of the Islamic faith. I do not accept that you will go to hell because you are not Catholic. I believe that the divisions that exist among us are man-made, more social, sometimes political and certainly not spiritual. Each time I look at the many problems, quarrels and wars across the world, I see the consequences of the divisions that man has created among the children of God.  These divisions result in suspicion, hate and ultimately, bloodshed and strife.

Sometimes, I believe that in Africa, we pray far too much. We pray like people who have no faith. We pray and pray and pray and do so little work. We pray like God is not hearing us. Then, we shout! While the rest of the world is working, we are praying. Thereafter, we pray to get a visa to go and live in the countries where things are working well because the people have been working while we prayed.

My take is that whatever I ask of the Almighty has already been given to me. I just move on to implementation and harvest.

Please, next time you wonder how a guy called Tony Okoroji can take the many AK 47s and torpedoes repeatedly fired at him, stop wondering. Just remember that I drive on a full tank of faith.

See you next week.

WHAT EXACTLY IS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY?

Intellectual Property has become a very important subject in global trade and a significant item in virtually every international trade negotiation process. Any nation which is considered not to be committed to the protection of Intellectual Property rights of others is sure to face significant consequences from the world's major trading nations. Because of the changing nature of wealth, a sizeable part of the Gross Domestic Product of most countries now has appreciable Intellectual Property content. No country which is serious about growing its economy and providing jobs for its citizens, can afford to ignore this sometimes, complex issue.

 

So, what is Intellectual Property? Intellectual Property may be defined as the proprietary rights which result from intellectual activity in the industrial, scientific, literary and artistic fields. It must be clearly stated that these rights do not apply to the physical objects in which the creation may be embodied but to the intellectual creation itself. For example, Microsoft Inc. might own the intellectual property rights in a computer program but not own the CD which contains the program. Similarly, Chinua Achebe or his estate might own the intellectual property rights in "Things Fall Apart" but not own the paper on which the enchanting story is printed. Conversely, someone might be the owner of a video CD copy of an edition of The Oprah Winfrey Show but that does not make such a person the owner of the intellectual property rights in the show. In the same vein, Oprah Winfrey might claim the intellectual property rights in her show recorded on a video CD belonging to someone else.

 

The name, Coca-Cola must be one of the most famous names in the world. While there are thousands of variants of the cola drink, the one that comes by the name, Coca-Cola or simply, Coke has acquired a world-wide reputation for quality. That reputation is an asset that produces enormous wealth. Imagine if everyone was free to put the name, Coca-Cola or Coke on his product. How are we to distinguish the unique product of the Coca-Cola Company from the concoction made by a fly-by-night beverage maker in Ijebu Ode? What if everyone was free to sell his product in a bottle similar to the unique Coca-Cola bottle? There will be absolute confusion in the marketplace and commerce, the way we know it, will be impossible. The names, Coca-Cola and Coke and the peculiar Coca-Cola bottle are trademarks of the Coca-Cola Company.

 

A trademark distinguishes the goods of one producer from those of another. The law protects trademarks as intellectual property because a trademark can be "stolen" without the owner losing any tangible asset. The Nigerian Bottling Company Ltd uses the names, Coca-Cola and Coke and the uniquely shaped bottle. Such use however is authorized. Major organizations guard their trademarks jealously and any unauthorized use of a trademark might result in a massive lawsuit.                         

                

My brother and friend, an irrepressible Nigerian entrepreneur by the name, Leo Stan Eke, has been working assiduously to make the name, Zinox; synonymous with quality computers in Nigeria and beyond. Mr. Eke is expending incredible time and energy building a brand name. That brand name is a trademark, a valuable property and there is no question that anyone who attempts to exploit that property without authorization will "see fire". Another person that is quietly creating a brand name that is winning admiration is Mr. Cosmas Maduka. Mr. Maduka's Coscharis is fast becoming a symbol of quality for the different products associated with the name. An appropriate review might reveal that the name, Coscharis today has more real value than the company's fabulous corporate Headquarters building on Adeola Odeku Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. 

                                             

The Mercedes Benz brand name and its three-star symbol have long been associated with luxury and dependability in the global automobile industry. In consumer electronics, Sony has almost become another word for trust. It is in the same way that the average Nigerian housewife is in love with names like Bournvita, Milo, Maggi,  Omo, Indomie, Uncle Ben's, De Rica, Peak, etc. These names have been established in her mind as representing good quality. Even when the products bearing the names are more expensive than others, the Nigerian housewife will buy these brands. These names are worth millions to their owners and the law protects them as intellectual property. Some of the names have also cost millions to establish. Anyone who still doubts the value of a trademark, only needs to look at the billions of naira each of the mobile telephone service providers in Nigeria is spending on advertising and promotions to make sure that anytime a Nigerian thinks of making a telephone call or buying internet data, he thinks GLO, MTN, AIRTEL or 9 MOBILE.

 

Intellectual Property covers a wide area of creative rights. It is considered so important that the United Nations had to establish a specialized agency, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), to deal with intellectual property issues. From the treaty establishing WIPO, which was concluded in Stockholm Sweden on July 14, 1967, it can be said that intellectual property includes rights relating to Literary, artistic, scientific works, broadcasts, phonograms and the performances of performing artistes all of which belong to the branch known as Copyright and Neighbouring rights.

 

Intellectual Property Rights also cover inventions in all fields of human endeavor, scientific discoveries, industrial designs, trademarks, service marks, commercial names, designations and protection against unfair competition all of which are located in the industrial property branch of Intellectual Property.

 

Probably because the list of the rights that may be protected as intellectual property is indefinite, the specific article of the Stockholm Treaty which attempts to list those activities that produce intellectual property includes "all other rights resulting from intellectual activity in the industrial, scientific, literary and artistic fields".

 

From the above, it can be seen that Intellectual Property rights may be broadly divided into Copyright and Neighbouring rights which rights are protected in Nigeria by the Copyright Act and Industrial Property rights protected in Nigeria by the Patents & Designs Act and the Trademarks Act.

 

With the expanding scope of   Intellectual Property rights however, it is obvious that new laws are required in Nigeria to deal with the protection of emerging rights such as Geographical Indications, Undisclosed Information, Layout Designs of Integrated Circuits, Plant Varieties, Animal Breeders and Farmers' rights, etc.

 

The bottom line is that with the changing nature of wealth, the true wealth of our country is no longer in the oil buried underground but in the creative genius in the heads of our people.

The foregoing, in my series of lectures in "Saturday Breakfast", is adapted from my book, "Copyright & the New Millionaires" A hard copy of the book can be obtained at TOPS LTD, 8 Tokunbo Alli St, Off Toyin Street, Ikeja. You may also call Edith on 0803 849 6110. I hope you found the piece informative.

 

See you next week.