By IMOH ETIMUDO

The 2023 NUJ Press Week in Akwa Ibom State climaxed with a Dinner and Award Night, where different categories of awards – professional, ambassadorial, and awards of excellence – were given out. It was a rare, Ray and red night.

It was an assemblage of the best and brightest of the profession, and the NUJ Press Centre could pass for a newsroom with a plethora of editors, reporters and friends and families of members of the pen profession. But the journalists spoiled their week because they deceived the public. And as the deception came from journalists, who will publish it?

Mr Ray Ekpu, one of Africa’s best and most decorated journalist, was given a Life Time Achievement Award. Ray Ekpu is a senior apostle of the literary craftsmanship ministry who moved to the “permanent site” of the profession decades ago. He has been honoured everywhere in the world but this particular award came from home, and he valued it. It was Ray’s night.

Ambassadorial awards went to younger apostles of the Ray Ekpu brand of journalism – Udeme Nana, a Member of Premium Times Ombudsman Board, Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, Northern Operations of Vanguard Newspaper, Victoria Ibanga, former Secretary General, of The Nigerian Guild of Editors, Nsikak Essien, former Editor of The National Concord Newspaper, and Ibanga Isine of Guardpost. Nana is the Founder of Uyo Book Club, an initiative focused on reviving and promoting the culture of reading among Nigerians. These names ring a bell in the journalism profession which they have used to fly all over the world. But no matter how far a bird flies to, the feet face the ground, the home. So, they too, came home and were honoured.

Awards of Excellence were deservingly given to the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Works and Fire Service, Professor Eno Ibanga, Transition Chairman of Uyo Local Government Area, Dr Uwemedimo Udo, Inoyo Toro Foundation Member, House of Representatives, Clement Jimbo and Chief Sunny Udonsek.

Journalists also won various categories of professional awards that were carefully selected from entries submitted to a team of experts led by a Distinguished Journalist and journalism teacher, Dr Herbert Batta, an associate professor.

All the winners smiled home with attendant accompaniments, but it appeared those who should be smiling till this morning are the winners of the Umo Eno award for development journalism and the Ray Ekpu Investigative reporter of the year. Hardwork pays, hardwork has no space for hard copy poverty.

The event was chaired by Rt. Hon. Eseme Eyibo, the Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs to the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio. He is a member of the All Progressives Congress, APC. The Guest of Honour was Rt. Hon. Onofiok Luke, the immediate past member of the House of Representatives, representing Etinan Federal Constituency, and former Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly. He is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The Governor of Akwa Ibom State, a PDP Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, was represented at the event by his Commissioner for Information, Comrade Ini Ememobong, a former Publicity Secretary of Akwa Ibom State Chapter of the party. Another APC stalwart, Senator Ita Enang, was present. So also were the Member of the House of Assembly for Ibiono Ibom State Constituency, Hon. Moses Essien of the Young Progressives Party, (YPP) and the member representing Abak Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Clement Jumbo who was represented.

All of them smiled and exchanged banters and pleasantries throughout the event. It was as if they were looking for such an opportunity. NUJ gave it to them, free of charge. But, they should come back and show appreciation! They are good friends of the union.

Indeed, it was a night of collaboration, corroborated by the speeches and remarks of the Zonal Vice President of the NUJ Zone “F”, Comrade Opaka Dokubo, who gave glowing torrents of tributes to Akwa Ibom State for their show of unity across party divides. He was quick to recommend that such spirit of unity and brotherliness should be replicated in all States of the nation, and the nation at large.

Special Guest on the occasion, Rt. Hon. Onofiok Luke, hinted that the new Akwa Ibom State is blind to party lines and that deliberate efforts would be sustained to ensure that all leaders and former leaders of the State were on the same page as they write the most intriguing chapter of the book of Akwa Ibom State.

Governor’s representative and Commissioner for Information, Comrade Ini Ememobong, reassured members of the fourth estate of the realm of the cooperation and support of the Governor, and Government of Akwa Ibom State.

Chairman of the occasion, Rt. Hon. Eseme Eyibo and Senator Ita Enang urged the Chairman of Akwa Ibom NUJ, Comrade Amos Etuk, never to let the steam and flame of the light of unity and excellence he has lit to dim, but keep it aglow.

Comrade Amos Etuk has shown competence, capacity and creativity in leadership, and the NUJ has been the better for it. It was obvious that his predecessors – Akparawa Ikpong Essien Udom, Comrade Sunday Antai, Innocent Okon, Esq, Comrade Israel Umoh, Elder Ephraim Etti, Dr Joe Effiong and Elder Patrick Albert were super proud of their worthy successor, Comrade Amos Etuk. But he, Comrade Amos Etuk, too, is not exonerated from the inadvertent deception by his NUJ.

How did NUJ “deceive” the public? The theme of the 2023 Press Week was, “Development Journalism: Setting the Agenda on Climate Change”. It was an apt and timely theme. But as the event was later to reveal, and rounded off, the most pronounced of its theme was: “Journalism: Setting the Agenda for Nigeria’s Political Development and Unity”. Therefore, it is safe to say that that was a sub-theme of the week! The night of many colours said so. I got immunity for the wild but literary use of words: “deceive and deception” from the presence of Mr Ray Ekpu. I use them with immunity not impunity.

That is the context through which the NUJ “deceived” the public in a beautiful way! It is a loveable deception. Kudos to the Comrade Amos Etuk-led NUJ, and the hardworking planning committee for the week, led by Comrade Helen Udofa.

It was a night of rarity, Ray and red. It was a rare assemblage of people with diverse political backgrounds, it was a night of the legend, Ray Ekpu, it was a night Comrade Amos Etuk wore a red cap, and red chieftaincy cloth dotted with lion heads. He is a “red-cap” chief of journalism, and a lion in the profession, roaring with creativity, inclusivity and veracity. Igweeeeee!!!! Again, a night of rarity, Ray and red.

Akwa Ibom State NUJ is setting the agenda in more ways than one!

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