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Mrs Eme Offiong made history as first Cross River correspondents’ chairman
By Akpan David, Calabar
The South-South Bureau Chief of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mrs Eme Offiong has been elected chairman of Correspondents’ Chapel in Cross River State.
Members of the chapel disclosed that it is the first time first a female journalist in the state achieved such a feat in the chapel which has only two female members, the other being Augustina Todo of the Guardian newspaper.
The election was concluded at the NUJ Press Centre in Calabar when the former exco led by Judex Okoro of the SUN newspaper completed a two term tenure of six years.
Offiong who was the treasurer of the chapel was the most favourite, according to Alhaji Rasheed Olanrewaju of the AIT when she garnered overwhelming votes.
In her acceptance speech, Offiong appealed for cooperation and supports from her colleagues, assuring that she would consolidate on the feats made by her predecessor.
“We’re willing and ready to serve you all but I strongly solicit for your supports at all times and cooperation. I accept that at certain time we can disagree; we have to do so in the spirit of love and agree. We need to work in unity in order to collectively move ourselves and chapel forward.”
Earlier, Okoro reeled out his achievements and thanked God for the heights He has taken the chapel.
He said he ensured that the chapel did not owe anyone, and that his exco ensured that members who were in need benefited from credit facility.
He reiterated the need to extend the supports he enjoyed to his successor, charging her to surpass his feats.
Chairman of the Credentials Committee was Mr Benson Ezugwu of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN. Others were Michael Akpang of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and Friday Nwagbara of the Tide newspaper.
Ezugwu said, “We followed the constitution of the NUJ strictly and ensured that only qualified, recognised and practising journalists were cleared to stand the election and to vote.”
Representing the state chairman of the council, Comrade Victor Dan Udu, the council Secretary, Comrade Oka Ibor commended the credentials committee, conduct of the election and swore the new exco in.
Other officials are Mr Joseph Kingston of the Blueprint newspaper, vice chairman, Richard Ndoma of Leadership newspaper, as secretary, George Odok of NAN, treasurer and Ikechukwu Uche of Vanguard as financial secretary.
