By Angela Atabo

Retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Chris Ezike, has advised Nigerian journalists to follow the principles of hard work, resilience, sincerity and consistency in their professional duties.

Ezike, who is the Chief of Staff to Sir Emeka Offor Foundation (SEOF), made the call when a journalist, Ismail Omipidan presented 100 copies of his book “Persona Non Grata” to Sir Emeka Offor in Abuja.

He praised the author’s commitment to truth and his ability to work with diverse principles, noting that consistency and sincerity are keys to success in journalism.

Ezike emphasised that journalism is about stating the truth, adding that the principle is essential for building trust and credibility with audiences.

“The writer of this book is a seasoned journalist who in the course of his growth and tutelage has been able to put together his challenges, his positive outcomes to not just journalists, but to other members of the public.

“Journalism is about stating the truth. You can choose the flip side and that is telling lies. But he wanted best practice journalism and that is why he has put it together.

“You need to be resilient, you need to be hard working, you need to be sincere and you need to be consistent as a journalist.

“If you have these four qualities, you will be able to make it just like Omipidan has made it,” he said.

Ezike said that the foundation would distribute the book “Persona Non Grata” to universities and colleges of education across Nigeria under the SEOF national book distribution initiative.

He added that SEOF had consistently promoted reading culture across Nigeria and Africa through massive book donations in partnership with a body, Books for Africa.

He noted that Persona Non Grata would now join the pool of educational resources to be made available to students.

“One book can train a generation because books represent the bank of knowledge.

“Our founder believes in the power of books and this is why Persona Non Grata will be part of our national distribution to universities and colleges of education,” Ezike said.

Responding, Omipidan commended the foundation for receiving him and accepting his books.

He described Offor’s donation and support to him as “a powerful endorsement of the effort to tell Nigeria’s story of courage, resilience and consistency through the lens of a journalist.”

He explained that the memoir, Persona Non Grata, chronicles his remarkable journey through journalism and politics, offering readers rare insights into the inner workings of Nigeria’s corridors of power.

Omipidan said that the book explored defining moments such as the 2022 Osun governorship election and the birth and death of the six-year single term proposal under Goodluck Jonathan.

He further said that the book equally chronicled the emergence of the 8th Senate’s leadership and the contest for political power in Borno between 2003 and 2011 among others. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng).

Edited by Francis Onyeukwu