L to R: The Deputy Governor of Cross River State, RT. Hon. Peter Odey exchange souvenirs with the Director General of VON, Mallam Jibrin Baba Ndace at his temporary office in Calabar on Wednesday.
By Eme Offiong
The Government of Cross River State has been urged to intensify collaboration with Voice of Nigeria for wider dissemination of its programmes and projects in the effort to reposition the state.
The Director General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Malam Jibrin Baba Ndace made the call during a courtesy visit on the Deputy Governor of Cross River State in southern Nigeria, Mr. Peter Odey in Calabar, the capital city.
Ndace, who was accompanied on the visit by the Director, Training and other staff, said that Voice of Nigeria was well positioned to tell Nigeria and Africa’s story better than any other platform in the African continent.
Changing the narrative
He noted that since assumption as the Director General, the focus has been to publicise the role of VON as the front line story telling agency in Nigeria poised to reduce the country’s negative image by marketing its potentials.
He urged, “let us partner to tell Nigeria’s story especially in this era of social media distortions, outright lies, misinformation and disinformation. Our country is not all about negative news, we have great things happening here too. We should all join hands to tell the positives that we are known for.
“VON has a unique role with a mandate to tell not only the story of Nigeria but the story of Africa as a whole, and we do this in four Nigerian languages: Hausa, Yoruba, Igbos and Fulfulde. For the international languages, we broadcast in English, French, Arabic and Swahili.
“Telling Nigeria’s story is something that all of us should be intentional and deliberate about. This is not a time for us to do good and be quiet. We must be unapologetic in telling Nigeria’s story confidently,” he stated.
Continuing, Ndace said, “as a person, when you travel out with Nigerian passport, you are treated with disdain, unbefitting of your status. This unacceptable treatment is traceable to negative stories people have peddled about Nigeria. We may not be perfect, but we are not what is being portrayed.”
The VON boss lauded the harmonious working relationship existing between the Deputy Governor and Governor Bassey Otu, attributing the feat to their background in conflict resolution and interpersonal relationship.
He offered the Voice of Nigeria platform to the government and people for publication of the numerous developmental programmes instituted for the benefits of citizens.
Guaranteed partnership
In his response, the Cross River State Deputy Governor, Mr. Peter Odey eulogized Malam Ndace as a “true and thorough bred professional” whose wealth of experience has repositioned Voice of Nigeria globally.
Odey, who enumerated measures taken by the state government to re-establish Cross River State as the preferred tourist destination in Nigeria, pledged to collaborate with VON and support initiatives that would be for the benefit of the people.
He said, “through the office of the Commissioner for Information, the Cross River State Government will partner with Voice of Nigeria. We need VON to publicise all our activities, showcase Cross River State to the world.
“Henceforth, we need active participation of VON in the coverage of our flagship tourism festival, Carnival Calabar and other lofty programmes and projects of the Prince Otu led administration because we are investing in infrastructural development,” the Deputy Governor said.
Present at the visit were the Cross River State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Erasmus Ekpang, the General Manager of the Cross River State Broadcasting Corporation, Mr. Sam Nsor and the Director Training, Voice of Nigeria, Mrs. Funke Atohengbe amongst others.
