Andy Esiet, , Calabar
Late Chief Victor Effiom
Former Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba and others have paid glowing tributes to a veteran journalist in Cross River state and former Deputy Director,, Sports of the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), Abuja, Chief Victor Effiom as he was laid to rest.
In a night of tributes put together by the State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Cross River Council, Mr. Nsa Gill and his executives in honour of late Chief Effiom before his interment on April 22,, dignitaries and his mentees poured encomiums on him saying, he was a great leader, mentor and a motivating father who cared for the progress of everyone
Ndoma-Egba who is the longest serving Patron of the NUJ (1984 to date) described Chief Effiom, an Efik man as “a distrabalised person who had no boundaries and he embraced me as a young Atam lawyer in Calabar and made me tribeless. His ideas and believes was that we all should live for humanity and not tribe” .
He said in life, there was no best time or place for one to die and what life is all about is the best you can contribute to the growth, love and togetherness of the society and mankind and Chief Effiom in his lifetime did just that and “when death comes even if you travel to keep your engagements or appointments or trying to escape death, it will come to you anytime anywhere” .
The founder and Pioneer National President of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Dr. Brenda Akpan, said the veteran journalist “as my former boss was a selfless person, a motivator and an inspirator who was always yearning for excellence” .
Dr. Akpan who also represented Senator Florence Ita-Giwa at the thought provoking night of tributes, said Chief Effiom was one person who related well with his community and colleagues and “mentored many journalists in the state and Nigeria” .
Taking the creme de la creme of young and veteran journalists in the state down memory lane during the solemn ceremony at the Ernest Etim Bassey Press Centre, Calabar, former Commissioner of Information in the state and currently a Special Adviser to the state governor, Pastor Patrick Ogar, said Chief Effiom started his journalism career in the seventies with the Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) and later joined the NTA, had covered several beats like the then Organization of African Unity (OAU) now African Union (AU), the South Eastern government and many others.
He said, Chief Effiom who had risen through the ranks in his career was General Manager in many stations at different times and Deputy Director Sports of NTA, had in a panel of interview caused the panel to employ him in a dramatic circumstances that was embraced by the panelists. “His concern was all about mentoring” .
A Permanent Secretary in the state and a renowned broadcaster, Pastor Eme Afia in a brief exhortation drawing from the Bible, said, admonished to always be good to one another and “let people thank God because of you and we should be a blessing to someone” as Chief Effiom who eventually retired in 2008, was a blessing to many people and the society.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Mr. Emmanuel Akpong who represented the Commissioner of Information, Mr. Eric Anderson, the Head of Service, Mr. Ogbang Akwaji, former Commissioner in the state and one time State Chairman of NUJ, Ntufam Ekpo Okon, the General Manager of NTA, Calabar, Mr. Kayode Ajibola, a former Chief Press and Director of Press to five former governors in the state and former NTA staff who worked under Chief Effiom, Mr. Emmanuel Cobham poured encomiums on the departed describing him as a thorough leader, a man of great wisdom and a gentleman with the midas touch.
