By Ifeanyichukwu Ibe
It was a great day that exuded radiance and splendor as Imo State-born media consultant and 4TH Estate Reporters Publisher, Chief Macdonald Njoku, on Wednesday, August 14, 2024, added another feather in his cap with the prestigious “Special Recognition Status” he received from media practitioners during the maiden South East Media Summit which held in Owerri, the Imo State capital, drawing in attendance dignitaries from different walks of life
The special honour swelled his overflowing gallery of awards, having been honoured at different times and places by local and international reputable Institutions and gatherings as well as placed him in the Hall of Fame with other eminent ‘Special Recognition Status’ recipients during the event like the Imo State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Mrs. Rubby Emele, Prof Vitalis Ajumbe and Prof Nnamdi Obiaraeri of the Imo State University, Owerri.
Among his past Awards included: “Media Personality of the Year” (Arise Africa Magazine); “International Business Leader Award” (Jamie Pajoel International, Rwanda, and “2023 Outstanding Reporter of the Moment” (Heaven Link Believers International Network In Grand Partnership With Agri Crowdy, South Africa) among others trailing the media consultant who transverses the African Continent in the cause of his media practice.
Fielding questions from newsmen, the newspaper columnist noted: “I feel elated given the fact that my efforts over the years and my commitment in redefining news reportage in the new media are being appreciated not only by the Imo State Journalists, but from the entire southeast region through the convergence of the media practitioners who came to Owerri, the Imo State capital for the maiden South East Media Summit. So, I feel honoured.”
Describing the summit as timely and impactful, the PR expert added: “One of the critical takeaways from the summit is the need to raise the bar for social awareness in journalism practice in the southeast, given the fact that in Nigeria, a good number of people pay more attention to the southwest media practitioners. But, with the summit, a new awareness had been created.
It also challenges us to take a prime position in journalism practice and for the leaders to play strategic roles towards ensuring that journalism practice is given the necessary support it requires because when you compare media practice in the southeast and that of Lagos, you discover from the look of things that the practitioners over there have an edge over us down here.
So far so good, the media practice in the southeast is impressive given the number of newspaper brands and practitioners, but when it comes to support, we have challenges because the state governments and most of the leaders are not supportive either to the independent publishers or to the news reporters. It is obvious that there are no welfare pakeges of support system for them, and we need to change these attitudes.”
He, therefore, called on the southeast governments and well to do individuals in the region to support media development in the geopolitical zone by providing necessary tools like computer village among sponsoring the practitioners on training and retraining exercises, as he encouraged them to also invest in media enterprise.
He commended the Publisher of Horn Newspapers, High Chief Bright Chimezie Njoku for the wonderful outing as well as to all the southeast media practitioners for celebrating him. He used the opportunity and counseled southeast media practitioners to ensure that they always portray the region in good light in order to promote peace and development.
He equally pleaded with them to avoid destroying the southeast with negative reportage. According to him, while the media exercise the responsibility of informing the public, however, it should always apply the social responsibility theory in order to keep the society safe and progressive.
“As much as we use the media to report crime news and inform people, we should also use it to project ourselves positively so that we can encourage people to come and invest in the southeast against instilling fear and pushing investors away,” he observed, while promising to leverage the honour done to him to redouble his efforts in promoting craft and enhanced media activities that would benefit the society and practitioners.
The event featured Omen-ni-Imo cultural troupe amid inspired discussions on the way forward for southeast media practice. A lecture themed: “The Media, Ethical Responsibility and Democracy: South East in Perspective,” was delivered by the guest lecturer and a former governor of Imo State, Sir Ikedi Ohakim, ably represented by Barrister Austin Otuokere.
