Encomiums as journalists name conference hall after Okowa

·         A welcome development against menace of social media, say Ochor Ochor, Izeze

It was glowing tributes to the magnanimity of Journalists on Monday, March 6^th, 2017 when they were commended for naming the conference hall of the Indigenous Newspaper/ magazine Correspondents Chapel ( INMC) of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) after Governor Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state.

Governor Okowa

The event which was part of activities marking the official commissioning of the office of the INMC of the NUJ at No. 3, Onoshe Street, off Nnebisi Road, Asaba, was attended by a cream of media friendly personalities that included the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Patrick Ukah, the Chief press secretary to the Covernor, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, Vice President of the NUJ, Zone F, South-South, Comrade Edward Akpati Ogude, Delta state NUJ Chairman, Mr. Norbert Chiazor, Mr. Itagher Ogheneruona who represented Hon. Ochor Chris Ochor, an executive director at the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), the Commissioner of Police, represented by the State Command’s public Relations officer, Barrister Bridget Anyafulu, senior special Assistant to Governor Okowa on Child rights advocacy, as well as a representative of Hon. Reuben Izeze of the Delta state House of Assembly. The lecture of the day was delivered by Mr. Assay Benjamin, a principal lecturer in the Department of mass communication, Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku.

Mr. Aniagwu commended members of the INMC of NUJ for the decision to have and office, and in particular to recognize Governor Okowa and named the Conference Hall of the Chapel after him as Senator (DR.) Ifeanyi Okowa Conference Hall.

Mr. Ukah, the commissioner pleaded with journalists in the state to give the government a chance in their write ups for “our side of the story to be heard.”

He said: “We are beginning to narrow down the programmes of the Okowa government to ward by ward in the implementation of the administration’s programmes.”

While the commissioner of Police through his force PPRO, expressed gratitude to journalists for partnering with the Command and for being fair in their reportage,  Mr. Ochor Ochor’s representative thanked the chapel for getting an office with identifiable membership as opposed to the faceless social media operators whose identities are not known, lamenting that the social media has almost taken over the role of the journalists.

Also speaking in the same vein, the representative of Hon. Reuben Izeze said knowledge of the Indigenous Newspaper Magazine Correspondents Chapel is a welcome relief to the menace of the social media.

However, Comrade Chiazor said that the false, negative and stereotyped image being held by some people about journalists is not a true reflection of the vibrant image of the trained journalist.

He urged journalists to do more of development journalism and that now is the time to be in the centre stage of development in the country. “As we celebrate people, we don’t celebrate ourselves. Let us therefore, do ceremonies that will bring together others to see what contributions we are making in society.

Comrade Ogude on his part reassure the government that journalists will continue to partner with it to ensure that the programmes of government are given adequate reportage. He urged journalists to put the state first by helping to develop the state in their reportage.

On the on-going NUJ elections, Ogude assured that those qualified to run for the various offices of the NUJ elections will run.