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The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has rolled out the drums for its past leaders, honouring five former Directors-General and 13 retired Directors at a star-studded ceremony themed “Celebrating Our Legends”, held alongside celebrations marking the Commission’s 37th anniversary.
Leading the list of former Directors-General was pioneer helmsman, His Excellency Moses F. Ekpo, who steered the Commission from 1989 to 2000. He was followed by the late Dr. Sylvester O. Williams (2000–2002), Professor Eyinna Nwauche (2002–2004), Professor Adebambo Adewopo, SAN (2004–2010), and Mr. Afam Ezekude (2010–2018).
Also honoured were 13 retired Directors: the late Mr. Williams Aniche, Alhaji Mohammed Kabir Bashir, Mrs. Loretta Chinwe Alero Ezichi, Elder Moses Udowo, Mr. Stephen Bayode Aiyegbusi, Sir Charles Obi, Mrs. Doris Awele Osahon, the late Mr. Christopher Onyewuchi Nkwocha, Mr. Jacob Sunday Fagbemi, Mr. Okon Odokwo, Mr. Olatunji Babatunde Adetula, and Mrs. Susan Uyo Bashorun.
In a twist that underscored the Commission’s institutional continuity, the sitting Director-General, Dr. John Asein, was himself honoured not for his current office, but for his earlier years of service as a Director before rising to the top job.
Welcoming guests, Dr. Asein said the ceremony brought together the Commission’s extended family to celebrate those whose sacrifices built the institution’s foundation. “They broke the ground, planted the seed and nurtured it,” he said. “And today, we stand in the shade of the tree that grew from their labour.”
He announced that the Commission was institutionalising several legacy projects in honour of past leaders, including the Moses Ekpo Prize — awarded to the best graduating student in the Department of Performing Arts at Akwa Ibom State University — and a forthcoming Dr. Sylvester O. Williams Prize, now in the works.
No institution, he argued, should march forward while forgetting those who carried it through its formative years. A ceremony could never fully repay years of sacrifice, he said, but it could send an unmistakable message: their contributions had been seen, remembered, and valued.
Beyond the tributes, Dr. Asein used the occasion to restate the Commission’s forward-looking agenda, pointing to its increasing reliance on digital enforcement tools to combat piracy. He cited crackdowns on platforms such as NetNaija and Moviebox as proof of what sustained investigation and collaboration with rights holders and the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA) could achieve.
With artificial intelligence, streaming platforms, and the global rise of Afrobeats reshaping the creative value chain, he said the Commission was working to ensure creators derive greater value from their intellectual property, positioning copyright as a pillar of Nigeria’s emerging knowledge economy.
Declaring the event open, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, SAN — represented by the Ministry’s Director of Legal Drafting, Dr. Patrick Etta Oyong — described the occasion as a celebration of service, institutional memory, and continuity. Strong institutions, he noted, are built over time by successive generations.
He commended the honourees for strengthening copyright administration and Nigeria’s standing in the global copyright system, while urging the Commission to balance its heritage with the demands of a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
In his goodwill remarks, pioneer Director-General Moses F. Ekpo reminisced about the Commission’s early years, expressing confidence that it would continue to grow as a pace-setting force in Nigeria’s creative and entertainment industry.
The ceremony featured citations, plaque presentations, a red-carpet meet-and-greet, and an anniversary cake-cutting, capping an evening of nostalgia, dancing, and celebration for an institution marking 37 years of shaping Nigeria’s copyright landscape.
