…As National Network Publisher, Jerry Needam Emerges Chairman
It was all joy and excitement, Friday as the Rivers State Independent Publishers Association (RIVPA) at its successful peace and reconciliation meeting; which ended the disharmony that weakened it for the past few years, inaugurated a three-man caretaker committee to man its affairs for a period of one year.
The Committee has the Publisher of National Network Newspaper and founding member of RIVPA, Pastor Jerry Needam, as Chairman, Publisher of Niger Delta Today, Mr. Solomon Parakom as Secretary and Publisher of Independent Monitor newspaper, Ifeanyi Osi as member. The committee was charged to oversee the affairs of the association and consolidate the harmonization of the body.
In his acceptance speech, Pastor Needam expressed his appreciation to the publishers for finding him worthy of leading the august body at this auspicious time.
After paying glowing tribute to Hon. Ogbonna Nwuke, convener of the reconciliation meeting, Pastor Needam called for the support and cooperation of members to enable him achieve set goals which include to take the association to a level of greatness.
Setting up of the three-man panel came after an intervention by Hon. Ogbonna Nwuke, founding and Senior Member of the Association and Publisher of Port Harcourt Telegraph Newspaper.
Speaking at the meeting, Hon. Nwuke informed members of the importance of clear-mindedness, peaceful coexistence and true reconciliation, noting that as businessmen and members of the association, the need to create conducive atmosphere for successful competition was paramount.
High point of the meeting was the declaration of peaceful settlement and reconciliatory handshake between the former RIVPA Chairman, Dimkpa Allkor, who is also the Publisher of Treasure Base News , who was the plaintiff in the Court Case and Chief Monday Wehere, Publisher of Surveillance Newspaper, lead defendant on the other group.
In an interview after the meeting, Hon. Ogbonna Nwuke said, “what we have done today as a group is simple; to say to ourselves, we are now willing to work together in the best interest of our profession, and in the best interest of our business”.
According to him, “from now on we shall relate with other professional groups: Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Federated Correspondents Chapel and thereafter send a clear message that the Port Harcourt press is here again, a message that we are the watchdogs of the society”.
Others who spoke in solidarity were Mr. Joe Johnson, Publisher of Eastern Delta Times who said the reunion was the best thing that has happened in the recent time.
According to him, it was not a mere coincidence. It is ordained by God who brought us together, noting that with the Publisher of National Network Newspaper, Pastor Jerry Needam at the helm of affairs we are ready to go.
Speaking on the sideline, Mr. Dimkpa Alikor, publisher of the Treasure Base News expressed satisfaction over the development.
He said RIVPA in the past was riddled with various problems, but with the intervention by Hon. Nwuke, the BOT member from the state, all that had happened were things of the past as RIVPA was bouncing back on its feet.
To the Publisher of Today’s Topnews, Ngo Martyns-Yellow; it was a very good development, noting that as long as publishers remained disunited, they cannot forge any good thing as a group. “But now you can see the meeting started on a fine note and ended on a fine note. It was a brilliant development for RWPA”.
He said while the Publisher of Africa Update, Gloria Harry, a former Chairman of the association, said coming together as a group was necessary for the survival of publishers’ individual business outfits. RIVPA to her will now come back stronger.
