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Foundation bags award at intellectual property symposium in Benin City

By Chuks Nwanne
08 September 2018   |   2:00 am
The Ace Jural Court, Faculty of Law, University of Benin, Benin City, was last week upbeat with sounds of Naija music belted out from deafening speakers that were strategically positioned at the faculty hall.

University of Benin

The Ace Jural Court, Faculty of Law, University of Benin, Benin City, was last week upbeat with sounds of Naija music belted out from deafening speakers that were strategically positioned at the faculty hall.

It was the climax of the event, ‘You and IP Law – The System that Promotes Innovation and Creativity, organised by Prestige Anchor International, in partnership with Law Students Bar Association, UNIBEN Chapter to sensitise the public on the importance of relevant intellectual property laws in the protection of creative and innovative ideas and works, especially in an era where copyright infringement is prevalent in the Nigerian society.

Honoured at the event was intellectual property lawyer, Mr. Rockson Igelige, with the award for ‘Best Intellectual Property and Creativity Foundation of the Year’ on behalf of Friends of the Creator (Artistic) Foundation (FCF), an intellectual property campaign foundation he co-founded and established a year ago, with head office at Oleh, Delta State. Igelige, also a renowned entertainment lawyer, served as one of the panelists that espoused the rudiments of IP law to a rapt audience at the ceremony.

Meanwhile, co-founder of FCF and chairman, Board of Trustees, Dr Ogaga Ifowodo, has expressed delight at the award, particularly as it came from the crop of young, undergraduate organisers, whom he said intellectual property rights belong in their future advocacy and law practice.

He said, “I’m delighted to receive the ‘Best Intellectual Property and Creativity Advocacy Foundation’ award of the Intellectual Property Law Society (IPLS) of the University of Benin (UNIBEN). We are particularly happy to note that law students, who are future advocates and defenders of intellectual property rights in Nigeria give this award.”

“Friends of the Creator Foundation is committed to this goal and energised by this recognition of its efforts to promote respect for copyright, patent, trademark and ancillary rights to do even more. We thank the IPL Society of UNIBEN for the honour and look forward to collaborating with them for the goal of advancing awareness by consumers, private and corporate, of intellectual property rights and obligations,” he added,

According to the poet, “As Nigeria’s entertainment industry, spanning film (Nollywood), sports and theatre, becomes more and more major contributor to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and to the national image, it is of the utmost importance that intellectual property rights owners be protected so that they can enjoy the fruits of their labour.”

Also, Lead Partner at Infusion Lawyers, Lagos, Senator Ihenyen, has also congratulated Friends of the Creators (Artistic) Foundation for the deserving honour bestowed on them for its exemplary work in propagating the ideals of rights protection and campaign.

Ihenyen said, “I congratulate Friends of the Creator Foundation (FCF) for the award of ‘Best Intellectual Property and Creativity Advocacy Foundation of the Year’ it received at the recent Intellectual Property Symposium & IP Award, University of Benin, Benin City. This award does not come to me as a surprise. FCF has been at the forefront of promoting Intellectual property in Nigeria, especially in the creative industry. Committed to stimulating creativity amongst creators, FCF organised a well-attended World IP Day on April 26, 2018 in Warri, Delta State. I look forward to more initiatives, as those introduced by FCF towards investing in the growth and

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