Calabar, Nigeria – Mr Paul Eshiemomoh, National President of the University of Calabar (UNICAL) Alumni Association, has disclosed that it takes a journalist to shine the light and dispel darkness in any society.
Eshiemomoh made the remark on Friday during a courtesy visit to the Earnest Bassey Press Centre of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Cross River Council in Calabar.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the alumni also used the opportunity to honour Archibong Bassey, the Chairperson of the Cross River Council of the NUJ and the first female Chairperson in the South-South region.
The president who came to seek synergy between the NUJ and UNICAL Alumni to promote the UNICAL brand said it was fool-hardy for any society to work in isolation of the press; it simply meant that such an organisation had chosen darkness over light.
Reacting to the 50th anniversary of UNICAL in 2025, he said the institution was like a golden hen that produced golden eggs which in turn provided many of the golden chicks enjoyed in the society.
“We are about to set up a diaspora group of UNICAL alumni and we already got a list of 25 alumni in three continents of the world in two days.
“This is to tell you that UNICAL may be small in Calabar, but its name, as evidenced in the certificates of different people in different parts of the world, is a global brand.
“NUJ has a very important role to play in projecting the UNICAL brand because we do not want to remain in darkness; we want to celebrate our alma mater at 50, and we cannot do it without the world knowing,” he said.
Responding, Bassey thanked the alumni for honouring her while noting that as a graduate of UNICAL herself, she was shaped into a thoroughbred professional and had always been passionate about hmaterlma mata.
She said the visit was a call to service adding that the union would continue to partner with with the association to continue to promote the UNICAL brand.
She, however, appealed to the association to carry the union along with its programmes to enable it effectively plan towards playing its role.
