Dominic Kidzu
From:Diana Okon-Effiong, Calabar
Journalists in Cross River state have condemned in strong terms a recent statement credited to the General Manager of Nigerian Chronicle, Mr Dominic Kidzu, alleging that “the Cross River state Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) is on its knees” and it has “a stooge” as Chairman.
Recall that in an interview published in an unregistered Calabar-based newspaper, The Eagle, Kidzu was quoted as insinuating that the NUJ Council was controlled by Igbo and Akwa Ibom Journalists, describing Cross Riverians as “naïve and backward people who cannot ask for their right.”
But speaking to our reporter on the said interview, Editor of Watchman magazine, Mr Lawrence Mpama, described the allegation as “laughable, inciting, unfounded, malicious and lacking in merit.”
Mpama said majority of Journalists in the state have confidence in the leadership quality of the Chairman, Comrade Ndoma Akpet and his team.
He said the statement was an open display of frustration for Kidzu not getting his preferred candidate into office, adding “NUJ is a national union and not Cross River state Union of Journalists.
The Watchman Editor said, “it is surprising that Kidzu has reduced himself to ethnic bigot, contrary to the policy of the present state administration which preaches unity, togetherness especially as a tourism destination.
“It is also a shame that the General Manager of Nigerian Chronicle should reduce his office to a theatre of tribal war, inciting indigenes against non-indigenes, saying that ‘it is only in Cross River that Ibo and Akwa Ibom people control NUJ and bring bring a nit-wit from Cross River and put him in front as if he is the Chairman of NUJ, and then begin to do all they want to do.”
According to the Akparabong /Ikom -born Editor, Ndoma Akpet has performed exceedingly well within the one year of his administration, and therefore wondered why” Kidzu should insult the sensibilities of Cross Riverinas by referring to them as ‘naïve and backward.’
“Moreover, the milestone achievements of Governor Liyel Imoke and his dogged efforts in taking Cross River to a greater height are not actions of a ‘naïve and backward’ Cross Riverian.
‘This is an insult to Cross River state people and not just indigenous Journalists whose votes of 81 to 15 brought Ndoma Akpet to power. Utterances like this are direct attack on the tourism drive of the state government by scaring away tourists who are non-indigenes.
“Kidzu should concentrate on the development of the State-owned newspaper, The Nigerian Chronicle, rather than degenerate to street banters, mudslinging and ethnic jingoism.’
Also speaking, Mr Jude Okwe of ThisDay newspaper submitted that “Ndoma Akpet is not a stooge. We saw the leadership quality in him before we elected him. He is a born again, God-fearing Christian.”
“Unlike some others, we have not found cause to doubt the management of the Council’s resources.”
The Obudu-born Okwe said Akpet was rebuilding the Union, and that “under Eniang, the Union witnessed an interlude of misadventure.”
He said, “Kidzu is not qualify to describe Ndoma Akpet as a ‘nit-wit’ because Akpet graduated before him and had a better result. Kidzu has not practiced journalism in the real sense of it.
“He (Kidzu) did his Youth Service Corps in Bauchi where he worked as an intern with The Triumph newspaper published by the Kano state government. After that, he tried to publish his own newspaper, The Globe, which performed poorly in the market because it was hackneyed pieces of Journalism.
“Kidzu, from his utterances, is not qualified to be a journalist. His faint professional background is evident in the poor management of Nigerian Chronicle. My problem with Kidzu is that each time he is given a lifeline, it gets into his head.
“He should know that many Cross Riverians like the current press secretary to the Deputy Governor, Mr Efiong Okon, and an Abuja-based Journalist, Mr Nsa Cobham, have worked in Akwa Ibom, Abuja and other parts of the country holding Executive offices in the NUJ both at state and national level.
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