One of the popular sports competitions that drew a large crowd of spectators to the Uyo Township Stadium in the late 90’s was the SWAN Games. It was initially a football tournament among media houses in the state- an initiative of the Justice Udousoroh-led Executive of the State Chapter of the Sports Writers’ Association of Nigeria.

The contest, (whichh was later expanded to include other indoor Sports) was so popular that it became a yearly attraction for football fans, including the Military Administrator of the State, Navy Captain Joseph Adeusi, who lent ample financial support to it.

The competition’s massive acclaim stemmed, majorly from the fact that it offered the fans an opportunity to see, at a close range, the media celebrities whom they have always admired, and the high decibel hypes the media accorded it.

The domineering Teams of the tournament were the Akwa Ibom Broadcasting Corporation’s sister Sides – The AKBC Radio Raiders and The AKBC Television Waves, who most of the time, squared up with each other in a titanic final match of epic proportion.

There was also an audacious contender-The Correspondent Ambassadors, a team of Uyo-based Correspondents of National Newspapers. Owing to their nature of work and their limited number, the side was often ragtag, so, to boost their numerical strength, the organizers allowed Mass Communication lecturers at the University Uyo and Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic to play for them.

The team sprung a surprise in 1999 by eliminating the highly rated Radio Waves at the semifinal stage of the competition, only to be beaten by the AKBC Television Waves in the final.

So, it was with such a new wave of form that the Side began the next edition of the tournament, expecting to consolidate and possibly clinch the Trophy. But things didn’t go according to plans, at halftime of the quarter-final encounter, they were trailing 2-3 behind the AKBC Radio Raiders.

As the players resigned to fate, gradually coming to terms with the impending defeat, and while waiting for the Referee to summon the two teams to the pitch for the second half, he squeezed his newly acquired robust frame, by crouching through the wall of supporters who had encircled the players to proffer words of encouragement. Suddenly, the team Skipper, Bonny Nyong, excitedly sprang to his feet to welcome him. Their matchmaker, Udeme Nana, had arrived on time, to help pull the team from a critical situation.

His late arrival was caused by the exigencies of duties at the governor’s office where he was serving as the Director of Press Affairs to the then-governor Victor Attah – a position he was appointed to while working as a lecturer at the Department of Mass Communication, Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua.

With the desperation of a commander, whose platoon was facing decapitation, by their opponents, the Coach, Emman Ntuk, threw Udeme into the battle. The emergency nature of his introduction into the fray gave no time for tidy kitting. His green number 7 jersey was oversized while his white shorts, as they fluttered in the wind, kept ample social distance from his thighs – giving him the bearing of a Kenyan Olympic marathoner in full flight. The spectators had a good laugh at what they thought was a novelty substitution for comic relief.

But what happened moments after left everybody’s jaw-dropping in disbelief and admiration. A high pass descending toward him posed a challenge for him as he was dwarfed by taller opponents around him. In a deft deployment of agility, the striker defied the force of inertia, by leaping above everybody else, to cushion the ball down with his chest. Then with a blistering acceleration, from the left flank, he created ‘a safe Journey’ channel for himself by ignominiously displacing the defenders with a series of step-overs. The follow-up riffling shot from his left foot ricocheted off the crossbar. The stands roared in appreciation of his sublime skill and talismanic moves. Although they lost the match, he won the hearts of the spectators and the adoration of his teammates, having scored the goal that reduced the scoreline to 3-2.

Beyond his lavish support for his team, his active participation in the many years of the tournament galvanized his relationship with the media, which was his primary constituency.

Even though we had known ourselves in Calabar, I never knew he was such a skilful footballer. In 1982, my father was the Editor-In-Chief of ‘The Nigerian Gong’ – one of the three privately owned newspapers in Calabar, at that time. As a chip off the old block, while I was evolving as a broadcaster, I also developed an interest in (Entertainment) Journalism, which I practised as a freelance for my father’s paper. The publication also offered other budding journalists an opportunity to learn the rudiments of newspaper production. Udeme was one of them, having joined the team as a Features Writer and Reporter, upon completion of his post-primary education. That was where we first met. I was popular among the Newspaper staff members as ‘The Editor’s son’ and was regarded with admiration for taking after my dad.

Even as a sixteen-year-old secondary Schoolboy at Saint Patrick’s, Calabar, he had shown sparks of journalistic brilliance as one of the School’s representatives in Radio and Television Quiz programmes. On such occasions, he drew special attention on account of his petite frame, which was in sharp contrast to his intellect and resourcefulness – qualities that have helped him to acquit himself creditably in his career as a prolific Features man.

In 1993, he joined ‘The Pioneer’ Newspaper, published by Akwa Ibom State Newspaper Limited, as a Features Writer, in a novel circumstance. Anietie Usen, who was the new General Manager of the outfit, had met him one morning at the Government House Press Centre. Instructed by the axiom that ‘dynamites come in small packages, Usen observed to the late elder Nnamso Umoren, whose office as the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, they met, that, the shape of the guy’s head looked like that of someone intelligent and invited him over for an interview.

Our professional fraternity deepened shortly before his appointment as the Director of Press Affairs to former governor Victor Attah, in 1999. Somehow, we found ourselves working together in a production consultancy capacity for some newspapers and magazines. That was how I had the privilege of seeing his appointment letter to that position, before anybody else! After Obong Attah’s tenure, he was appointed the Senior Special Assistant (Media and Public Affairs) to former governor Akpabio.

Over the years the man has developed himself, professionally, socially, and academically, having earned two postgraduate degrees, one, an MBA (Marketing and Public Relations) from the University of Nigeria (where he got his bachelor’s in mass communication, years earlier) and the other (Advertising and Public Relations) from the University of Uyo – crowning the kitty with a Ph.D in Mass Communication from UNIUYO

A one-time Head of the Department of Mass Communication, Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic. Dr. Udeme Nana is a member of many professional associations, including, the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations and, the International Public Relations Association (London). He is also a Fellow of, the Salzburg Global Seminar, Austria, and an Alumnus of Lagos Business School of Media and Communication.

In addition to many academic publications, Nana, in 2005, wrote a book whose title raised eyebrows, ‘The Age Of Videots’ – a collection of some of his writings published in various newspapers between 1983 and 1995. Its follow-up, ‘The Age Of Digideots’ is still in the works.

Perhaps, his most celebrated initiative is the Uyo Book Club, which he founded in 2015 as an intellectual hub to re-awaken the culture of reading among people in various walks of life. According to him, “It was founded on the belief that, through reading, the sensibilities of people can be refined as a foundation for a better society.”

Already, his vision has not only been realized but has also brought Akwa Ibom and Nigeria, global recognition following the recent attempt at breaking of the Guinness World record for the longest marathon read-aloud by a member of the Club, John Obot. The Book Club initiative has projected Uyo and Akwa Ibom State in positive light; he has hosted two National Book Clubs Conferences which made Uyo to emerge as the National Book Clubs City for 2 years (2021 & 2022) in addition to spreading the gospel of reading across the state.

Since we became friends, in 1982, Udeme has remained in his elements as a likable, easy-spoken, and easy-going fellow, devoid of airs and graces, but rather imbued with a passion for the advancement of humanity, by supporting worthy group causes and individual initiatives in entrepreneurship.

It Is therefore befitting that the Akwa Ibom State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, during its Dinner and Awards Night, last Friday honoured him as one of the Ambassadors of the Union – an award which can be regarded as a commemoration of his 41 years in journalism.

With his strides so far, he has demonstrated that one doesn’t need to be an elephant to be relevant, as he has been able to be relevant without ‘elephance’.

Bravo, my friend, Udeme !

•Eddy Ekpenyong is the General Manager, Comfort FM, Uyo.

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