By Emmanuel Uffot
The curtain for the 5- day annual Press Week of the Nigerian Union of Journalists ( NUJ) Akwa Ibom State Council, will be drawn today at the newly built NUJ Auditorium at the Press Centre along Information Drive off IBB Avenue, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
The event slated for today to round off the Press Week is a Dinner/ Award Night to begin by 6pm. It will feature an award ceremony where Journalists that have distinguished themselves in the media profession and those that have served humanity through their selfless service would be honoured.
Prominent among those to be honoured today is an International award winning journalist Ray Ekpu, whose Journalism practice has spanned over five decades has edited The Nigerian Chronicle Calabar, National Concord, specifically Sunday Concord where he had a column.
He left Concord to co- found Newswatch magazine with late Dele Giwa, Dan Agbese, Yakubu Mohammed and Soji Akinrinade.
Ekpu was earlier scheduled to be honoured on Thursday December 7 in a program tagged ‘ Night With The Legend’s whereby his citation would have been read and he equally would have gone back memory lane to recount his work experiences in the course of his over 50 years career, but the program was shifted by the Press Week Planning Committee to today Friday in agreement with the NUJ Chairman Amos Etuk.
Today’s event is expected to be attended by the State Governor Pastor Umo Eno as Special Guest of Honour.
Similarly, former Speaker, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and immediate past member representing Etinan, Nsit Ubium, Nsit Ibom Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, Hon. Barrister Onofiok Luke will be the Guest of Honour.
Honourable Eseme Eyibo, a one time member representing Eket, Esit Eket and Ibeno Federal Constituency who is now the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Senate President Senator Godswill Akpabio is Chairman on the occasion.
It could be recalled that the Press Week began on Monday December 4 with a seminar on the topic ” Development Journalism: Setting the Agenda on Climate Change” presented by Profession Nsikak Benson, Dean Faculty of Computer and Applied Science in Top Faith University Abak, Akwa Ibom State.
Other personalities that were present and gave Goodwill messages included, Senator Bob, Chairman on the occasion who was represented by an ace broadcaster Edy Ekpeyong, who is General Manager of Comfort FM.
Commissioner for Information and Strategy Comrade Ini Ememobong, his Permanent Secretary, James Edet, Speaker Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly RT Hon Udeme Otong, who performed the opening ceremony through Hon. Jerry Otu, Chairman House Committee on Information who stood in for him, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on New Media Raphael Edem, Paul Bassey, Chairman of Akwa United Football Club and Utibe Ukim, MD of Excel FM among others graced the opening ceremony.
Other activities that took place during the 5- day Press Week ending today, included, medical Outreach for Journalists at the instance of the Amos Etuk led executive of Akwa Ibom Council of NUJ performed by Amex Diagnostics and Genomics Limited, Uyo.
On Wednesday December 6, which was day 3, practitioners were treated to indoor games like Draught, Ludo, Scrabble, Chess and Table Tennis competition and winners in each of the games were given medals and cash prizes.
