Towards ensuring that authors of musical works are duly recognised and given their due honours, the Ijaw Publishers' Forum, IPF, has urged musicians from the Ijaw ethnic nationality "to properly acknowledge and credit the original creators of songs" that they remix.

The body of Ijaw publishers made this known in a statement it released through its President, Comrade Ozobo Austin, in Warri on Monday, June 17, 2024.

The IPF in its statement emphasised the importance of intellectual property rights and the need for artists to respect the work of their peers and mentors.

According to the IPF, "We admonished our talented Ijaw musicians to ensure that they properly acknowledge and credit the original creators of songs they remix.

"This is not only a matter of intellectual property rights, but also a show of respect for the creative work of their mentors and others," the professional body of Ijaw publishers added.

Going forward, the Forum emphasised that remixing songs without proper credit has become a common practice in the music industry, but stressed that this does not make it acceptable.

"We understand that remixing songs is a creative way to pay tribute to the original artists, but it is important to do so in a way that respect will be accorded their mentors to avoid plagiarism and copyright which may lead to litigations," the statement added.

The IPF therefore appeal on Ijaw musicians to lead by example and to promote a culture of respect and acknowledgement in the music industry for their mentors.

"This is the way they can inspire a new generation of artists to prioritize intellectual property rights and creative integrity", the IPF noted.

The IPF's call is coming at a time the music industry continues to grapple with issues of copyright infringement and intellectual property theft.

#penglobalcommunity