NUJ offers thanksgiving for peaceful election, transition in Cross River State council
By Joseph Ephraim
Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Cross River State Council, held a thanksgiving service led by the Chairman, Comrade Nsa Gill in honour of the newly elected state council executive who came onboard on July 16, 2022.
The event held on Sunday, September 4th, 2022 at Christian Central Chapel International, Ikot Eneobong, 8 Miles, Calabar, Cross River State.
The service had in attendance, veterans and practicing Journalists from all chapels in the state who came out en masse to commit the activities of the Union to God.
In a sermon titled “God wants me to be a total man”, the Clergy and the Publicity Secretary of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Bishop Emmah Isong, cited 3rd John1:2 and stressed that no matter how rich a person is, if the person do not have commensurate health, then money means nothing.
He noted that the first man created by God was a complete man having high intellectual ability to give names to God’s creations and was spiritually sound to dictate God voice.
According to him, a complete man is a man who knows God and will make heaven, have money and be in good health.
The clergy commended the new leadership for choosing his church for the thanksgiving and advised journalist to sensitize the electorate towards 2023 general election.
On his part, the NUJ chairman said the reason for the thanksgiving was to commit the affairs of the council into God’s hands and stressed that he wants journalism in the state to be in line with the ethics of the profession and promised to introduce refreshers courses training from International Institute of Journalism (IIJ) to keep journalist abreast with the trend of the profession.
Cross River Council members filed out in their numbers and danced to the altar as union members in unison dished out soul-lifting song to appreciate God for smooth transition of leadership in the Union.
Highpoint of the service was the gifting of assorted foodstuffs to the needy.
Dignitaries at the event were; Head of Service, Cross River State, Mr Timothy Ogbang Akwaji, General Manager NTA Calabar, Engr Sam Olawude, the Bureau chief of Voice of Nigeria and chairman of the correspondents’ chapel, Mrs Eme Offiong, Initiator and founding National President of NAWOJ, Dr Mrs Brenda Akpan, Vice Chairman zone “F” NAWOJ, Mrs Uduak Ikang, Deputy Bureau Chief South-south of Guardian, Anietie Akpan, State Director of Information, Mrs Pauline Eba, State chairman NIPR, Mr Ben Okache, Snr Correspondent AIT CRS, Alhaji Rasheed Olurawaju, News Agency of Nigeria head of station, Mr. Igbangba Ehis among others.