Artiste wants robust government participation in industry
NAN-ELS-1
Music
Lagos, Oct. 12, 2017 (NAN) An upcoming musician, Lily Perez, on Thursday called on the Federal Government to play a more active role in the music industry to enhance growth.
Perez told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that government involvement would help curb persistent challenges in the sector.
NAN reports that Lily Perez is a Lagos based gospel artiste with some singles and a newly released album titled: “Seat of Victory’’ to her credit.
Perez said that the lack of structure in the industry was due to the non-participation by governments at all levels.
“Nigerian music has taken over the music business globally; however, just a little profit accrues to the artistes that put out those songs.
“Our complaints vary from royalties to funding to piracy, amidst other major challenges.
“Over time, external bodies keep springing up with the motive of correcting these challenges.
“But in a short while, they go to sleep or relent because they have very little authority to drive their course,’’ she said.
The musician stressed that government’s intervention should include policies that would strengthen activities of already existing music associations while music unions would be put in place.
“We have been dealing with piracy, being one of the biggest challenges; has there been improvement? Yes, but we have not succeeded so much because the government has not made it a priority.
“Having a vibrant music industry like we have is capable of generating over 40 per cent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), but nothing is on ground to monitor how these monies come in or are used ,” Perez said. (NAN)
VOI/COF/EAL
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Edited by Oluyinka Fadare/Ekemini Ladejboi