…As Ikwerre Council Boss, NUJ Mend Fences
The Executive Chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Area, Engr. Samuel Nwanosike has appealed to the Rivers State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) to see the recent misunderstanding between the council and NUJ as a phenomenon that is common in human relationships.
He affirmed that to err is human but to forgive is divine, stressing that what transpired between KELGA Council and NUJ was in his words, an avoidable mistake on the part of the council and not intended to malign the NUJ.
Nwanosike, a chieftain of the Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI), former Publicity Secretary of the PDP in Rivers State as well as one-time KELGA Caretaker Committee Chairman, said it is natural for people to make mistakes and hurt each other, adding that after making mistakes, efforts should be made to ameliorate the situation.
The KELGA Council boss who was speaking during a reconciliatory meeting with members of the NUJ at the Ernest Ikoli Press Centre, Moscow Road, Port Harcourt on Thursday, said he owed much gratitude to the media on whose ladder he had ridden to prominence and pinnacle of his career in politics.
He said he had come to apologize on behalf of the council, particularly his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Chris Omodu who recently issued an uncomplimentary press statement, alleging that the NUJ was harbouring those he described as criminal elements in its platform.
He explained that Mr. Omodu is not a media professional but however vouched for his integrity and sincerity. He said the controversial press statement emanated from a speech he gave during the inauguration of Ikwerre/Etche community policing where he was quoted out of context.
“We had a complaint but we didn’t follow the appropriate channel. If we had consulted the NUJ for better guidance, I’m sure this whole mistake would have been avoided”, he said while tendering the unreserved apology.
“Truly, I will be a fool to allow myself to cross path with members of the NUJ. In life, mistakes are allowed to be made.
“Even our lord Jesus Christ told us the story of the woman who was about to be hurled with stones for committing adultery. Jesus had said if you knew anyone without sin, cast the first stone but her accusers walked away one after the other because there is no one without sin or mistakes”, he said.
He applauded the State Chairman of the NUJ, Mr. Stanley Job Stanley for taking the organization to what he described as enviable height and urged him to keep up the tempo. The ng
Responding, the State NUJ Chairman, Stanley Job Stanley commended Engr. Nwanosike for his humble disposition and described him as an exemplary politician.
Mr. Stanley tasked the KELGA Chairman as well as other Local Government Chairmen, on the need to engage media professionals, especially journalists with the requisite trainings as Chief Press Secretaries.
While assuring that the meeting has birthed a stronger tie between the NUJ and the KELGA Council, Mr. Stanley promised that the project tour invitation extended to the NUJ would be honoured.
The meeting with the Ikwerre Council Chairman was attended by members of the State Executive Council of the NUJ made up of Chairmen and Secretaries of the respective chapels.
