By Ori Martins
Adolf Hitler was a journalist. He was brilliant and articulate in his duty post. It is believed that his super performance which included excellent news report and beautiful feature articles must have aided his ascension to the pinnacle of German leadership. The late Rowland Reagan enshrined his name in gold as a journalist before history, circumstance and hard work catapulted him to the White House as America’s president. Yes. The great Zik was a journalist. And in recent memory, Ayogu Eze is a journalist. Smart Adeyemi is a journalist. Bollaji Abdulahi is a journalist. Sunday Dare is a journalist
And now, Comrade Henry Ekpe, former editor of the ever refreshing Announcer newspaper, erstwhile chief press secretary to ex governor, Ikedi Ohakim and co publisher of the high flying Trumpeta, is the latest journalist on the horizon. Ekpe possesses the five Ds that make a man successful in any endeavour. He is professionally disciplined, diligent, determined, dutiful, and dedicated. The hard working and enterprising entrepreneur has been announced as the deputy national financial secretary of the PDP. This is cheering news in its entirety.
I have been a keen follower of Ekpe and his journalism crusade. Though he has clout, contact and connection he does his job with the best of intentions and in line with global standard practices. He criticizes objectively and praises positively. He takes a stand and stands by it. As a matter of fact, his weekly Friday column in Trumpeta’s backpage is a must read for all who yearn for knowledge on what Imo State politics, social, cultural and religious bends are all about. His articles are normally nourished with rich historical and flawless statical strings. Indeed, among the journalists here, he is the encyclopaedia of Imo State social as well political heritage. This is so because besides his UNICAL university days, Ekpe has lived all his life in Owerri, Ngor Okpala, in Imo.
As an editor and publisher, he has trained and inspired a generation of Imo journalists who today, bear eloquent testimony to Ekpe’s journalism revolution. My good friend and colleague, Steve Uzoechi, bureau chief, south east, Telegraph newspapers and chairman, Correspondents Chapel, Imo State Chapter, is among those Ekpe tutored and mentored.
I have no doubts that Ekpe will carry the same devotion that hugely distinguished and stood him out of the crowd to his new delightful duty beat. Though the former port of call and the present anchor are two different prisms, Ekpe will certainly apply the same article of faith that made him the poster boy of Imo journalism on his newly gotten job.
I must not fail to advise Ekpe not to let us – journalists, those who recommended for the job, PDP and Ndi Imo – down. In whatever he does, he must be guided by honesty, patriotism and rule of law. Let public good be his watchword and good conscience his moral bearer. If he succeeds, it will pave way for more of us either here or elsewhere.
Above all, Ekpe must remember that Imo people are watching. Ngor Okpala people are also taking note – because no minister, no deputy governor, no governor or senator has emerged from Ngor Okpala, a land with ingenuous personalities. That is.
Once more, congratulations!
