I do some scribblings. If you’re in that realm, you might just have come across an idea you want to put down and be wondering whether it hasn’t been done by someone, somewhere before you.
Well, if one’s not careful, they may end up in the courts answering to charges of piracy.
But then, I just thought our legal practitioners should clearly define whether what has become our culture could be pirated.
If our culture is truly made up of our customs, arts, social institutions and achievements, I don’t really think anyone should be seen as an embodiment of all these.
For instance, the whole world experienced both world wars. The whole world was affected by slavery. In Nigeria, we all experienced the civil war. We’re experiencing the effects of lethargic governance after being subjected to the horrors of a long period of undemocratic rule.
Several poets have written about Abiku, the child that always dies. But two prominent poets wrote poems on the topic.
Rather than accusing one another of plagiarism, their works are often compared to each other for educational purposes.
Indeed, the skies are wide enough for every bird to fly. Also, variety is the spice of life which makes the Yoruba conclude that the world is just like a gangan drum. The drum has two opposite sides, we just can’t afford to see things from the same perspective.
Of course, I’m not asking to let go of people who have perfected the art(science?) of copying and pasting intellectual materials.
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