The rate at which discrimination, factionalisations, discrepancies and Selective tendencies, openly practiced in the Akwa Ibom State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and its chapels has been described as alarming, destructive cancer worm, and very dangerous to the practice of journalism profession” in Akwa Ibom State.

Many anxious journalists who were “not listed” to participate in a Two-day Workshop organised by Mobil Producing Nigeria Limited “for all journalists in Akwa Ibom State”, expressed these feelings and disappointments while discussing the treatment in groups, at the venue of the workshop, hosted at the Godswill Akpabio International Press Centre, Uyo.

For instance, some of the “not selected” members of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the NUJ in the state, representing their various media organisations outside the state, condemned the discriminative practice, as they wondered why the Elder Patrick Albert-led state council of the NUJ and their selfish chapel executives, should descend so low, by always preferring to invite mainly the local media operatives, “some of whom are not trained professional journalists, but quacks.”

It is recalled with frustration and regrets that the most side-lined journalists in Akwa Ibom, are those correspondents working for online media organisations, as they are always looked down upon, with ignorant questions, such as, “Which one is your newspaper? We prefer the hard copy newspapers,” and “How many people can afford to buy or have time to operate the computer laptops, so we want to see your newspaper in print.”

Even those who should be seen as enlightened people in the society, including senior public office holders and those in the private sector; also display their ignorance of the importance, existence and the durability of online news system in the fast unfolding global computer age, no matter the explanations.

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