PROTOCOLS

I give God the glory for His Grace upon us and the success of this unique week.

Today is one of those days I feel the intensity of God’s love. I feel humbled by the array of personalities gathered in this hall to honour our invitation to the third edition of our annual press week in the life of this NUJ administration in the State. I feel a sense of elation that we keep improving and adding value to this annual event, making it bigger and better. Each year, we carefully select our theme to reflect on societal concerns and take steps to enlighten our members and get them ready to respond professionally to changing issues and events through public lectures such as we have today. That way, we have succeeded in preparing our members to adequately react to such events in a more professional manner.

Today, our theme, “Media, Politics and National Unity, The Quest for Credible Election in 2023: The Role of Journalism”, is borne out of our determination to reflect on the upcoming election and prepare our members for the role expected of them in times like this. The 2023 general election in Nigeria is unique in many ways. It is coming at a time the nation is facing very challenging political, economic, and especially, security situations.

As Journalists, we are a vital component in preparing our people for this all-important election through our news reports, political analysis and setting economic and social agenda that would drive campaigns in a more peaceful and enlightened way.

We have in this hall today, international award-winning journalist and Executive Director, International Centre for Investigative Journalism, Mr. Dayo Aiyetan, a man whose scintillating investigative reports in the Tell Magazine were always compelling and deep. He will lead the discussion on the role of journalism in the 2023 general election in our country and set the tone for what would be the journalist’s template for election reporting in the days leading to the 2023 elections. This is not Dayo’s first time with us here. He is a partner in the new professionalism-driven journalism being propagated by the NUJ in Akwa Ibom State. He is currently mentoring and inspiring a new and vibrant breed of top-notch investigative journalists emerging from Akwa Ibom state. The result is already becoming manifest.

Please , let me use this opportunity to recognize one of us, Comrade Ekemini Simon. This young journalist is the current toast of investigative journalism in Nigeria thanks to the mentorship of Dayo Aiyetan. He just made Akwa Ibom State and the NUJ proud in Abuja returning with the award as the best investigative journalist on the Open Contract Reporting Project (OCRP) by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR). This feat was attained because of hard work and the creative partnership of the likes of Dayo Aiyetan and our own Ibanga Isine, who have continued to make available his enormous media reach and experience for the training of journalists from Akwa Ibom State. We are immensely indebted to Ibanga Isine, who was recently appointed into the board of the Nobert Zongo Cell for CENOZO Investigative Journalism in West Africa. Congratulations sir.

This is the direction journalism is heading to in Akwa Ibom State, a direction away from the cut-throat dog-eat-dog political murk-raking practice of old. We are encouraging our members to take a que from Ekemini Simon’s performance and replicate. It is time to announce to the world that it is not only in Lagos and Abuja that quality journalists could emerge. We are here to announce our emergence as a State where excellent Journalism is practiced. This is the only way to distinguish us from the “Android Media” men and jobbers denting the image of journalism and media practice, especially within the social media space.

What then should we look forward to as we approach the 2023 election? We are looking forward to a journalism practice and reporting that would transcend name-calling, mudslinging and character-assassination that have come to characterise such periods in our state. We are looking forward to journalists who would take pride in their professional practice by producing political analysis, setting campaign and governance agenda, and preparing the Akwa Ibom electorates with relevant information for them to make wise and beneficial choices during the election. We are determined not to follow the herd in vilifying personalities and raising tension in the polity. We are looking forward to Journalism in 2023 that will unite the people of the State and not destroy. Journalism that will usher objective reports and set agenda for credible elections.

As a body, the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Akwa Ibom State will be interested in who becomes what in the State. We are going to be vitally involved in the politics of 2023 because we are very strategic stakeholders in what happens to this State. We shall be asking questions and demanding answers from those aspiring to lead; we shall engage them, we shall compel them to concentrate on the issues of development and raising the living standard of our people, away from fruitless personality attacks and needless resort to fanning the embers of ethnic discontent. In all these, we shall be nonpartisan.

The NUJ shall continue to throw its doors wide open to all the political parties, all the candidates and to all those aspiring for one elective position or the other. We shall be politically non-aligned, but ideologically aligned with the people of this State to elect leaders they can trust to give them meaningful lives.

I urge our members to remain committed to ethical journalism and see the future of the State as paramount in all their political writings. Politicians will come and go, as we have seen, but our Statements will remain and that is what is more important. We shall all aspire to report without malice; to write without hate and render our supports with love. We enjoin politicians to campaign with restraints and base their political utterances on issues devoid of violence, verbal or physical.

Back to our press week. The week shall climax with our award night. This year promises to be bigger in all ramifications. This year, we are going to present a whooping N500,000 to the best investigative journalist in an award instituted by Mr. Inoyo Udom Inoyo and named after a father figure in journalism and inspirational journalist, Ray Ekpu. Other prices shall be given in various areas of reporting. We encourage our members to take part in all the events and continue to take pride in their professional calling as journalists.

I wish to thank the Akwa Ibom State Governor, His Excellency,Mr. Udom Emmanuel for his untiring commitment to peace in the State. We thank God that we have continued to enjoy a level of security and peace in the State that is a far cry to what is happening around us. We pray God to sustain us in peace, even during the commencement of political campaigns and during the elections. Thank you, Your Excellency for all your support and encouragement.

We wish to also express our sincere gratitude to the Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Moses Ekpo, MFR, who is here present on this occasion. He is a registered member of our State Council and international journalist of repute for all his love and support. Let me use this opportunity Your Excellency to once again celebrate you on the Lifetime Achievement Award bestowed on you by the Sun Newspaper in October this year. Indeed, you are a legend and bridge builder in this profession. We are proud of your sterling contributions to the Completion Agenda of this administration.

To our worthy patron, Akparawa Ephraim Inyang, we lack adequate words to express the depth of gratitude for all your innumerable assistance and support. Thank you for always being there each time we come calling.

To the Chairman on this occasion, Ambassador Assam Assam, SAN, we are grateful for answering our call to carry out this important function for us. God bless you sir. We are also grateful to Barrister Effiong Akwa for accepting to be our keynote speaker and our legend, Mr. Moffat Ekoriko for his overwhelming support.

The Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Comrade Ini Ememobong, has been awesome. He has not only helped us achieve all our targets, but he has also continued to make himself available at most of our congresses, explaining government direction at any given time. You are a great NUJ partner and benefactor. Thank you, sir.

Many thanks to the Chief Press Secretary to the .Governor, Mr. Ekerete Udoh thanks for always throwing your doors open each time we come calling.

I wish to thank members of the press week committee for putting up this magnificent week. Thank you for all the time and effort you committed to this project. Together ,we shall continue to make NUJ Akwa Ibom State proud.

To all my colleagues in the SWC and SEC, I cannot thank you enough. You all are the best mentors. Our teamwork approach has been awesome. Together we have piloted the affairs of this union with very high degree of success. I am proud of each and every one of you. I could never ask for a better team.

Our members have been our dependable pillars. We count ourselves lucky to have gained the kind of support and loyalty you have given to us. I am proud of you all. I am proud that you have heeded our calls for professionalism and elevated same to the enviable heights we have seen in your reports and commentaries. That is the only way to go. You are trained journalists; the profession belongs to you, and you must not allow gate crashers to make you lose sight of who you truly are. Do not allow yourself to be cajoled into joining amorphous so-called media groups, whose only aim is to use your talent in its deformed form for their selfish and avaricious means.

I most heartily welcome our guests to this opening ceremony of our week and urge you to be a part of the entire week.

Thank you all and God bless.