Last Friday, August 29, was a glorious day for the lady who, for 15 years, has been one of the cornerstones of the progress of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Nigeria’s biggest copyright collective management organisation.
Gaily dressed friends, family members and members of the COSON Board, on the day, stormed the magnificent COSON House in Ikeja for a memorable, sweet Red-Carpet Send-Forth event in honour of the widely respected Accountant and Administrator, Mrs. Bernice Eriemeghe Ashibuogwu, who was retiring as General Manager and CEO of the pace-setting organisation.
There was a lot of winning, dining, dancing and merry making as encomiums and messages of goodwill, from across the world, poured in for “Miss B’, the lady who for ten years was COSON’s Head of Finance & Administration, and in the last five years, was General Manager and CEO.
Lots of gifts were also presented to Mrs. Ashibuogwu at the outstanding event masterfully coordinated and hosted by a very emotional COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji.
Among the many persons at the event were Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Innocent Adams Ovbagbedia; City Lawyer, Mr Kola Dopamu Peters; Actor, Broadcaster and Film Producer, Mr Patrick Harry Doyle; Yes Magazine Publisher, Mr Azuh Arinze; Broadcaster and Former General Manager, FRCN’s Metro FM, Ms. Cordelia Okpei; UBA Business Manager, Ms. Chiemeka Okafor; the CEO. Dezet Group, Sir Uwem Umoh; celebrated entertainment journalist, Mrs. Nonye Ben Nwankwo; President, Creative industry Group (CIG), Amb Felix Duke and his wife, Lady Capriz, etc.
Gospel Reggae Star, Righteousman and his wife Carol Cee plus female singing sensation, KASI, thrilled the guests at the show that had several COSON Board members like Kenny Saint Brown (KSB), Richard Cole, Zdon Poperella, Evangelist Olusegun Omoyayi and National President of Music Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria (MUPMAN), Engr Sharon Esco Wilson, present.
Several other members of the COSON Board, like the vivacious first daughter of the legendry Ras Kimono, Oge Kimono; well-known Enugu based music toaster and publisher, Sir Angus ‘Power’ Nwangwu and Abuja based music publisher and war horse of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal of Nigeria (CCRN), Chief Uche Emeka Paul, joined the event on the big screen at the COSON Arena and sent touching goodwill messages to the celebrant on video, and so did the COSON Management personnel on study leave abroad, such as Head of Finance & Admin, Mr Tony Imuse in London, and Head of New Media, Mr Tolu Balogun in Swindon, UK. From Maryland, USA, Mrs. Queen Mary Okoroji, wife of COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji, also spoke to the celebrant on the big screen.
It will be recalled that at its meeting of August 12, 2025, the COSON Board approved the application of its iconic General Manager, Mrs. Bernice Eriemeghe Ashibuogwu, to proceed on terminal leave at the end of August, prior to her retirement. The Board thanked her for her extraordinary contribution to the growth and stability of COSON and approved a scheme for her to continue to play an important role in the activities of the society as a retained consultant, following her retirement as General Manager.
At the Send-Forth event, the retiring General Manager handed over a big COSON flag to Mr Vincent Adawaisi, erstwhile COSON Deputy General Manager, who on September 1, resumed as Acting General Manager of COSON.
