AN ADDRESS PRESENTED BY IFREKE NSEOWO, CHANCELLOR, COALITION OF ONLINE PUBLISHERS IN AKWA IBOM (COOPA) ON THE OCCASSION OF A COURTESY CALL ON THE CHAIRMAN OF NIGERIA UNION OF JOURNALISTS (NUJ), AKWA IBOM STATE COUNCIL ON MONDAY 18TH JANUARY, 2016 AT THE NUJ PRESS CENTRE, INFORMATION DRIVE, UYO.
Protocol,
Let me first of all, on behalf of members of COOPA thank you for making out time from your busy schedule to receive us on this courtesy call.
We appreciate you for all the laudable achievements you have recorded since you mounted the saddle as the Chairman of the NUJ. Sir, your achievements speak volume and we are proud to be associated with you. You have given the union’s secretariat a massive facelift, while you have also given members a sense of belonging by carrying all of them along in your administration.
The importance of social media in today’s world cannot be overemphasized. The social media has indeed turned the world into a global village. In journalism, the social media has redefined the practice of news dissemination and journalism as a whole. News is just fed to the whole world with just a click. Sir, you will bear me witness that now a days, even the traditional media relies on the social media for news and photographs. Isn’t this mind-blowing?
I dare say that the social media is here to stay, and for the right reasons too. It is on the premise that young social media users in Akwa Ibom who own various information dissemination platforms such as blogs and website came together to form a coalition known as COOPA.
Ours is a coalition of talented, passionate and patriotic personnel. It became pertinent on us to come up with the coalition following the scope of a digital generation where everything depends on internet gadgets.
The Coalition consists of trained communicators, a doctor, lawyer, and others in various professions who have proficiency in the deployment of information communication technology to media.
We have over 50 top bloggers and website editors in the coalition and we hope this roundtable will facilitate a good working relationship between the NUJ and online publishers in the state.
Mr. Chairman, just as the NUJ is facing ethical challenges among members, COOPA as the umbrella housing online publishers in the state is facing same. But I want to assure you that as a well trained professional journalist leading this body, the issue of ethical malpractices will soon be a thing of the past. We have been preaching self-censorship amongst our members.
As a coalition, we want to assure you that we will not break the society by breaking false news, instead, we will remain objective in our reportage.
Our amiable chairman, we need your support for us to succeed. Please, use your good office and incorporate us into the activities of the union. We want you to carry us along in your administration.
Sir, we have few challenges and we solicit that you use your good office to help us have an office accommodation and a bus to enhance the day-to-day running of the group.
Also, we will soon be conducting election for executive members of the group. We need your support to conduct a credible election into various executive positions of the group. We want you to be fully involved and help us with guidelines for conduct of the election.
We pledge to continue to support you and your administration, work with you to have the Akwa Ibom of our dreams. May God continue to give you wisdom and direction to lead the NUJ. Thank you for your warm reception and God bless.
#AkwaIbom
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