Chief Dr. (Sir) Chimezie Anosike Kingsley, Ebubemba Ikeduru and the publisher of News Echo newspaper and Insider Magazine has lamented the loss of respect which journalists in Nigeria and especially Imo State now suffer.
He made the statement Monday in a Zoom discussion as he delivered his year end address to the management and staff of the publications.
The Australian based academic and business man decried the situation where journalists now crawl under the table of politicians begging for crumbs pandying to their whims and caprices instead fighting for the oppressed.
In his words, “they run around politicians who are killing them scrambling for the crumbs from their table, reason they have lost all respect” According to him, journalism practice in Nigeria has been dealt a severe blow .
He recalled the glorious days of Dele Giwa and his likes who spoke truth to power and when threatened would go underground to continue their good works. He challenged journalists to stand for the people instead of the oppressors.
Said he again, “this is the reason I am in the game to restore self worth and dignity of the media. I am also trying to restore the trust in newspaper reading. He also lamented the poor reading habit caused by junk journalism.
Ebubemba Ikeduru charged his News Echo staff to remain fearless and be the voice for the people. He expressed delight with their performance in such a short while, 5 months, charged them to do more even as he commended them.
Chimezie promised the staff to brace up for the various training programs that will come their way next year stressing the need to sharpen their skills to remain relevant with the changing trends in the ever dynamic environment.
Recalling the competitive nature of papers in the state and region, he recalled that Imo alone, the home base of News Echo boasts of the highest number of publications in the nation but assured that the paper would continue to lead.
The publisher used the opportunity to celebrate the Christmas festival for the employees. Aside feasting and drinking at the meeting, each staff went home with a bag of rice, carton of tomatoes, bottle of vegetable oil, salt and cash gift of 10k. Smiles lit the faces of the News Echo family who also expressed gratitude to their boss.
Speaking on their behalf, the Ag. Editor-in-chief, Jude Owuamanam thanked the publisher for his magnanimity and commended him for the great work he is doing in standing for the voiceless.
