2014 NUJ Press Week: Celebrating Media and Service Excellence

By Patrick Albert

To the glory of God, this Dinner/Awards Night is the climax of our   2014 NUJ Press Week which kick-started on Friday, November 21, 2014 with the theme “The Media and National Unity in an Emerging Democracy.” We are happy and grateful to the Almighty God that all the activities lined have been very successful. The Lecture Session with the topics: “Professionalism: Media Ethics and Responsibility in Sustaining Democracy” and“Free Press, Democracy and Sustainable Development” on Monday, November 24, 2014 was most educative and rewarding.

Interestingly, great minds and notable scholars namely: Dr. Etim Anim of the University of Cross River State and Monsignor (Prof.) Slyvanus Udoidem of the University of Port Harcourt were the intellectual stewards at the Lecture Session, which was ably chaired by our media pearl, Mr. Ray Ekpu.

Elder Patrick Albert, NUJ Chairman, AKS

As the Fourth Estate of the Realm and the Society’s Watch-dog, engaging on such a Lecture Session, was to further preview media practice in the State in line with our drive for professional proficiency and adherence to our Code of Ethics as well as examining critical public issues with a view to proffering solutions towards the peace, law, order and good governance of the society.

As we gather tonight, I want to assure you of an enduring treat. Permit me therefore, on behalf of the State Working Committee (SWC), the State Executive Committee (SEC) and the entire members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Akwa Ibom State Council, to welcome you all - our guests, media professionals and friends of the Press.

However, let me welcome very specially, our Grand Patron, Chief (Dr.) Godswill Obot Akpabio, CON and the Deputy Governor, Her Honour, Noble Lady (Barr.) Valerie Ebe to this historic Dinner/Awards Night. Our hearts are filled with joy for your presence and we say emedio!

Let us use this occasion to further appreciate and commend our Governor, Chief (Dr.) Godswill Obot Akpabio, CON for the successful completion and inauguration of the Akwa Ibom International Stadium. Your Excellency, I wish to restate that your leadership has effectively placed Akwa Ibom State on the World Map. Today, Akwa Ibom evokes greater relevance not just for being an oil producing State, but as a destination of choice due to the massive infrastructural renaissance initiated by your administration. 

Your Excellency, nobody can take away or erode the fact that Akwa Ibom State today is not how you met it in 2007. The transformation is phenomenal. That is why NUJ agreed without any dissenting voice, to appoint you as our Grand Patron.  

We are also beneficiaries of your uncommon transformation. Apart from donating Five (5) air-conditioned Toyota Hiace Buses to our Union, you also performed the groundbreaking of Godswill Akpabio International Press Centre with a commitment to have it completed before May 29, 2015. The Centre, will on completion, have a-1000 Capacity Auditorium, a-two storey office complex and a Club House. Already, we have done the perimeter fencing, Gate House, Mini Club House and upgrade of facilities in the existing one-storey complex. 

A taste of how useful and complimentary the Godswill Akpabio International Press Centre will be to the Akwa Ibom Stadium when completed was seen during the Nigeria-South Africa’s Match on November 7, 2014 as the Press Centre played host to all journalists who came from far and near for the international Soccer game. We are hopeful that before the March, 2015 date for the scheduled Nigeria/Brazil friendly soccer duel, a great deal of work will be done on the Godswill Akpabio International Press Centre.

   We wish to acknowledge taking delivery of 1000 GOtv Decoders for distribution to members. Also we have been assured that the 100 Laptops earlier promised will be released within the next few days. These supports and understanding are fruits of a workable partnership with our Union, especially based on the Media friendly disposition of the Governor.

   If we are worried about 2015, it is on the basis of who will be able to sustain the feat already set by the Governor. We cannot afford to be taken aback after May 29, 2015. We pray to the Almighty God to help us as the processes begin for the choice of who becomes the Governor of Akwa Ibom State come May 29, 2015. 

It is a truism that a vibrant Press makes for the sustenance of democracy as well as engendering development. This desire to ensure that the Media in the State is alive to its responsibilities informed our various programmes for training and retraining. By the end of this year, our Work Plan for 2015 will be ready and we call for continued support and cooperation from the Government, public functionaries and organizations.

Already, we have been able to establish an ICT Resource Centre through the benevolence of Barr. Emmanuel Enoidem, Commissioner for Special Duties, Akwa Ibom State and the Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Elder) Samuel Ikon. We remain very grateful to them for responding to our appeal to fund the project.  The facility aids journalists in the discharge of their duties.

The facility has also kick-started the process of establishing a database for the NUJ Media Museum meant to chronicle the lives of media practitioners from Akwa Ibom State – predating Nigeria’s Independence as well as media history in the State since the State’s creation in 1987. With the ICT, a visitor to the NUJ Press Centre will be able to get first hand information about our State. This aspect will be coordinated by our planned Centre for Research, Documentation and Educational Studies.

Finally, this evening is one to share our affections and appreciate our friends and well wishers. It is also to reward professional excellence and commend exceptional talents. The Star prize is the Millennium Award and it goes to our amiable Governor, Chief (Dr.) Godswill Akpabio, CON. We have decided to christen his administration as the “Supra Era” which has fetched Akwa Ibom State a “Feast of Uncommon Feats.” May God bless the Governor and his family. 

Another major recipient is Her Honour, the Deputy Governor, Noble Lady (Barr.) Valerie Ebe. This is a woman of immense value and sagacity, loyal and very supportive of the Governor and committed to the wellbeing and development of the State, as well as giving women the fillip to belong.

Our Chairman on the occasion, Mr. Ray Ekpu is also on our honours role. This is a quintessential journalist known worldwide. We congratulate all the recipients and wish them greater successes in future.

Once again, on behalf of the leadership and members of NUJ and the Planning Committee, I welcome you all to this Dinner/Awards Night and wish you all God’s blessings and safe return at the end.

                                        

 (Being an address by Elder Patrick Albert, the chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Akwa Ibom State Council on the occasion of the 2014 NUJ Press Week’s Dinner/Awards Night at the Civil Service Auditorium, Idongesit Nkanga Secretariat, Uyo, Tuesday, November 25, 2014)