….As Isiguzo, others get awards

By Steve Oko

Gov. Alex Otti; the Deputy Speaker House of Representative, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu; the 2023 deputy governorship candidate of the Young Peoples Party, YPP, and other stakeholders have urged media practitioners to always hold leaders accountable for the people.

The stakeholders who spoke at the 2024 Abia Media Day held Saturday at Rapha Hotels Umuahia, described media as very crucial institution in deepening democracy.

They urged newsmen to leverage on the  agenda -setting role of the media to help in shaping society and checkmating the excesses of those in power.

Otti who was represented by the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, commended the media for helping to project his efforts to transform the state.

” This administration has enjoyed robust relationship with the media”, Otti said, adding that he is not engaging in media propaganda but giving facts about his works.

The Governor who said his administration had done so much to change the narrative in Abia, scored the media over 95 per cent in objective reportage of his activities.

He acknowledged the various challenges facing the media industry, and commended media practitioners in Abia for thriving despite the challenges.

Speaking also, the Deputy Speaker who was represented by the federal Commissioner, National Population Commission, Mr Trumps Eke, charged media practitioners to guard against fake news.

He advised them to always fact-check their information before going to the press.

Earlier in a lecturer, a Public Analyst, Dr  Maduka Okoro, highlighted some of the challenges confronting media practitioners, and advocate intervention of Government and society to encourage the practitioners.

In his welcome remarks, the Chairman of the Organizing Committee, Mr Emenike Iroegbu, said the event was meant to reflect on the challenges and prospects of media practice in the state.

One of the panelists, Steve Oko who is the Vice Chairman of Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, and the Abia State Correspondent of Vanguard Newspapers, blamed the prevalence of fake news on the invasion of the media industry by quacks.

He noted that “not everyone who can write good English is a journalist”, adding that “the mad rush by  untrained media practitioners to break the news make them fail to balance their reports”.

Mr Oko who regretted that journalists are not appreciated but unjustifiably hated by those who feel hurt or exposed by their reports, called for a change of attitude towards media practitioners.

Other panelists including former Commissioner for Documentary, Ugochukwu Emezue; FLO FM Manager, Sampson Eze; Chinwe Ugele of News  Central TV; and Emenike Iroegbu of All Facts News, enumerated the various challenges of the media and opportunities in the industry.

The event featured recognition and  presentation of awards to some media investors and veterans in the state including the immediate -past National President of NUJ,  Chief Chris Isiguzo; retired ace broadcasters, Frank Fyne Okoro; and Inyang Okorie.