The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), on Saturday, organised a distinguished send-off and appreciation ceremony for its former directors-general and retired directors who served the commission meritoriously in various capacities.

The ceremony was organised in honour of five former directors-general and 12 retired directors who contributed immensely to the growth and development of the commission.

The former directors-general honoured included the pioneer director-general, Mr Moses Ekpo, who served from 1989 to 2000.

Others were Sylvester Williams, who served from 2000 to 2002; PEnyinna Nwauche, who served from 2002 to 2004 and PAdebambo Adewopo, who served from 2004 to 2010.

The fifth former director-general was Adam Ezekude, who served from 2010 to 2018.

The retired directors honoured included Williams Aniche, Mohammed Bashir, Loretta Ezichi, Samuel Udowo and Stephen Aiyegbusi.

Others were Charles Obi, Doris Osahon, Christopher Nkwocha, Jacob Fagbemi, Okon Odokwo, Olatunji Adetule and Susan Bashorun.

The current director-general of the commission, John Asein, was also recognised for his previous contributions to the commission before becoming its chief executive.

Mr Asein had previously served as director and head of the Nigerian Copyright Institute, and also as head of the Legal Department of the commission.

Speaking at the event, Mr Asein said the honourees had never truly left the commission because their ideas, decisions, and contributions remained part of its institutional memory.

He said the commission would continue to benefit from the paths opened by the former leaders and retired directors during their years of service.

According to him, the ceremony was not merely a farewell but a gathering of the commission family to acknowledge, honour, and thank those who helped to build the institution.

Mr Asein acknowledged that the ceremony was long overdue because the five former directors-general honoured at the event had left office at different times after Ekpo completed his tenure in 2000.

He noted that none of them received a formal send-off of the kind organised by the commission, including when his immediate predecessor, Ezekude, left office in 2018.

He apologised on behalf of the commission, saying the services of the honourees deserved timely recognition, even though such recognition was not provided when expected.

Mr Asein, however, said it was better late than never, adding that many of those honoured served when the commission was still young and resources were limited.

He also noted that copyright was not yet widely understood or appreciated at the time many of the honourees were serving the commission.

According to him, the former leaders and directors broke the ground, planted the seed, and nurtured it, while the present generation was benefiting from the foundation they laid.

He said the commission now had a stronger legal and institutional framework, greater national visibility, and a more prominent place in discussions on creativity, the digital ecosystem, trade, culture and economic development.

Mr Asein said no institution should focus on moving forward while forgetting those who had carried it forward during its formative years.

He noted that although a ceremony could not repay years of sacrifice, it could convey an important message that the contributions of the honourees had been seen, remembered, and appreciated.

The director-general disclosed that the commission had commenced efforts to document the contributions of its former leaders through portraits, publications, and other legacy projects.

He said one of the initiatives was the establishment of the NCC Moses Ekpo Prize for the best graduating student in the Department of Performing Arts at Akwa Ibom State University, in honour of the commission’s pioneer director-general.

Mr Asein added that the commission had also commenced the process of establishing the Williams Prize, while other initiatives would follow in immediate succession.

He urged future generations to remember that the institution was built and sustained by people who believed in it during its infancy.

The director-general also reminded serving officials that one day others might write their citations, urging them to leave behind records worthy of remembrance.

He assured the honourees that retirement did not sever their relationship with the commission, stressing that their counsel and experience could still be sought whenever necessary.

Mr Asein said some knowledge was simply too valuable to retire and described the honourees as permanent members of the NCC family.

He thanked them for breaking the hard ground, planting and nurturing the seed, believing in the institution, and providing succeeding generations with a firm foundation upon which to build.

The NCC pioneer director-general, Mr Ekpo, in his remarks, appreciated what he described as the rightful heirs of the copyright system, including former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and the late Gen. Sani Abacha, for their contributions to the development of copyright administration in Nigeria.

Mr Ekpo said Mr Obasanjo provided free land that enabled the commission to carry out an expansion programme, while the establishment of a stronger copyright system was further enhanced when Nigeria hosted a World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) conference in Lagos.

He commended the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, and the NCC director-general for their collective decision to recognise the former leaders and retired directors, while thanking the audience for listening to their experiences.

Mr Adetule, who spoke on behalf of the retired directors, described the occasion as a memorable day that made them feel that their sacrifices had been appreciated.

He said the ceremony proved that their years of contribution and effort were not in vain, adding that they were excited that the commission had not forgotten their service after years of hard work.

Mr Adetule commended Asein for being a visionary leader and for taking the commission to a higher level through his in-depth experience and knowledge of copyright.

The highlight of the event was the presentation of plaques to the recipients in recognition of their meritorious service and contributions to the growth and development of the Nigerian Copyright Commission.

 (NAN)