Ganta, Nimba County – Director General Garmai Koboi of the Liberia Intellectual Property Office (LIPO) has issued a passionate plea to Liberian artists, urging them to cease offering their creative works for free in exchange for exposure on radio stations and in entertainment centers. Her remarks were made during a nationwide awareness campaign in Ganta City, Nimba County, aimed at educating various sectors of the public on the importance of safeguarding intellectual property rights.
Speaking to a diverse audience that included high school students and street vendors, DG Koboi emphasized the long-term risks artists face when they devalue their work by offering it without compensation. “Our artists must understand that their creativity is valuable. Giving away your work for free in the hope of exposure dilutes its worth and opens the door for exploitation,” she said.
The nationwide campaign is focused on raising awareness about intellectual property rights across Liberia’s fifteen counties, with the goal of equipping creatives, innovators, and entrepreneurs with the knowledge needed to protect their intellectual property.
Empowering Artists to Safeguard Creativity
DG Koboi’s remarks come at a time when many Liberian artists, musicians, and content creators struggle to make a sustainable living, often relying on free publicity in exchange for their work. “Exposure is not a form of compensation,” she continued. “Your creativity and innovation deserve more than just recognition, they deserve protection.”
The Director General went further to stress that the practice of offering free work undermines the value of artistic and creative contributions, affecting not only individual livelihoods but also the growth of Liberia’s creative industries as a whole.
Targeting Youth and Entrepreneurs
A key component of the awareness campaign is to inform young people, especially high school students, about the significance of intellectual property from an early age. DG Koboi made it clear that even those with informal skills, such as street vendors and traditional healers, should understand the importance of protecting their knowledge and practices.“Whether you’re an artist, musician, street vendor, or even a traditional healer, your ideas and innovations belong to you. They should be protected just like any other valuable asset,” she urged, highlighting that creativity extends beyond the arts into everyday innovation and local knowledge systems.
Call for a Stronger National Framework
In addition to raising awareness, DG Koboi called for greater governmental support, advocating for an increased national budget to support intellectual property initiatives. She pledged to establish local LIPO offices across Liberia’s fifteen political subdivisions to ensure that more citizens have access to information and resources to protect their creations.
“A national framework that adequately supports intellectual property rights will not only benefit artists and innovators but also contribute to Liberia’s economic growth. Our intellectual and creative resources must be harnessed and protected,” she said.
DG Koboi also underlined the importance of collaboration between the public and private sectors, as well as international partners, to strengthen Liberia’s intellectual property ecosystem. She noted that an empowered creative sector, with robust protection for its innovations, would enhance the country’s cultural identity on a global scale.
As Liberia continues to rebuild its economy and bolster its creative sectors, DG Garmai Koboi’s message serves as a wake-up call for artists and innovators. The Director General’s push for increased awareness and the establishment of local LIPO offices demonstrates her commitment to protecting Liberia’s intellectual and cultural heritage. With growing support for intellectual property protection, Liberian creatives now have the opportunity to safeguard their work, ensuring that their contributions are not only recognized but fairly compensated. “Protect your creativity—your work deserves recognition and protection,” DG Koboi concluded, reinforcing her appeal to all Liberians to take ownership of their innovations and ensure they are not exploited.
Contact: For more information on how to protect your intellectual property, contact the Liberia Intellectual Property Office (LIPO).
