The long-standing conflict between the Cameroon Music Corporation, CMC and the Cameroon Civil Society for Musical Arts, SOCAM, may have finally been resolved.
The conflict first emerged as a fall-out to the poor management of authors’ rights and piracy issues in the country. The two corporations reached a deal of understanding in Douala on April 13. Ndedi Eyango signed on behalf of SOCAM while Sam Mbende represented CMC.
The move is to reconcile the two corporations and arrive at a consensus that will henceforth manage authors’ rights has been described as a new page that is about opening in the music sector in the country.
“That has been the biggest thing that we failed to do because, for seven years, some of our brothers have never received their author’s rights and were not part of any decision taken. I believe that if today the two people that speak for artists are coming together, it’s very important and serious” Eyango said.
By signing the accord, SOCAM and CMC agree to create a new organ or modify the text of one to suit artistes and musicians. “What preoccupies SOCAM and CMC now is to emerge with one organ that will properly manage author’s rights in the music sector in accordance with the rules and regulations guiding author’s rights in Cameroon,” reads a joint press statement signed by the two artistes- Eyango and Mbende.
Between 2008 and 2014, SOCAM and CMC faced a series of unresolved disputes ranging from legitimacy to legality. The crisis which the artists blame on the Minister of Arts and Culture, they said has impacted negatively on their careers as many of them for several years have not benefitted from author’s rights dues.
