By Akpan Udo-Inyang
CALABAR -Cross River State governor, Senator Prince Bassey Otu on Thursday honoured the likes of veteran journalists, Ray Ekpu, Moses Ekpo, Clement Ebri with Awards of Excellence at a ceremony to reposition the Nigerian Chronicle, the state newspaper.
It was a landmark event that brought together other prominent personalities, media professionals, government officials, and other distinguished guests to the state.
Minister of Information and former President , Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), Alhaji Mohammed Malagi, former Cross River State Governor, Clement Ebri, were on hand to honour the occasion and receive their awards.
The occasion indeed was historic, celebrating leadership, service, journalism, and the enduring legacy of Cross River State
Ebri, was honoured as the Diamond Guest of Honour at the occasion, in recognition of his outstanding contributions and enduring service to the state.
While Ekpu, a pioneer senior journalist with Chronicle, co-founder of Newswatch, other distinguished dignitaries were equally recognized with the award of excellence and participation.
Ebri received special commendation for his selfless contributions toward the revival and repositioning of the Chronicle newspaper, an important institution in the media history of Cross River State.
The revival of the Chronicle under the leadership of Governor Otu was a significant step toward strengthening journalism, preserving the state’s history, promoting public information, and giving Cross Riverians a stronger voice.
In his goodwill message, Ray Ekpu, recalled his many battles as the Editor of the Nigerian Chronicle as he confronted the authorities including the Federal Government to ensure that an institution as the University of Calabar(UNICAL), received its status and not an arm of the University of Nigeria, Nsuka.
According to him, they, in Chronicle then, used it to fight poverty, gas flaring, corruption and low budgeting among others.
He, remarked that the print media is still supreme and relevant and that a change in technology does not remove its status as a forefront means of communication.
Ekpu, thanked Governor Otu for bringing them together and ensuring that the Nigerian Chronicle is revived while the Cross River State people are back to life with the repositioning of the state newspaper.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Malagi, described the initiative as the restoration of an important institution and a renewal of confidence in credible information and professional journalism.
Idris commended the governor for investing in information infrastructure, stressing that effective governance required efficient channels through which government policies could be communicated to the people and citizens could engage public authorities.