Mbaise Media Practitioners Urged to Drive Structural Transformation and Hold Leaders Accountable at NUJ Reception

Mbaise Media Practitioners Urged to Drive Structural Transformation and Hold Leaders Accountable at NUJ Reception

By Chioma Onuoha 

***

Hon. Carl Azudibia



AHIARA MBAISE — In a compelling and thought-provoking public lecture delivered on August 13, 2026, at the Chris VI Hotel, independent publisher and commentator Obizie-Carl Azudibia challenged Mbaise media practitioners to move beyond superficial celebrations and champion a rigorous agenda for regional development.

The lecture, titled "Mbaise Strategic Advancement: The Role of Journalists," formed the core of a special reception honoring Comrade Ezeh Adiukwu following his election as the Vice President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).

MOVING BEYOND "LOQUACIOUS CONSUMPTION"

Addressing a gathering of distinguished personalities, media professionals, and community leaders, Azudibia set an introspective tone by examining the fundamental definitions of Mbaise identity, strategy, advancement, and journalistic duty. While celebrating the monumental global and national achievements of Mbaise sons and daughters—ranging from legal luminaries like Supreme Court Justice Mary Odili to pioneers in commerce, governance, and academia—the guest lecturer raised a stark paradox.

"How has this individual success impacted on Mbaise society and Mbaise land?" Azudibia queried, pointing out the absence of a modern town center, a regional Catholic university, or a federal higher institution campus within Mbaise land.

He expressed deep concern over the redirection of communal energy into lavish cultural celebrations that siphon millions of Naira into "unproductive loquacious consumption" rather than structural investments. Citing examples of communities spending exorbitant sums on festivals while local schools remain dilapidated and vital cash crops like kola nuts and yams are largely imported from neighboring states, he warned that culture loses its value when it ceases to build a foundation for societal advancement.

A CALL FOR THE MBAISE INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT AGENDA (MIAD)

To reverse this trajectory, Azudibia proposed a concrete roadmap centered on the media's unique power to set public agendas:

STRENGTHENING REGIONAL INSTITUTIONS: He called for the democratization and strengthening of Ezurezu Mbaise as an effective apex body to unify all regional associations under a shared vision.

The Mbaise Integrated Agenda for Development (MIAD): He urged the creation of a dedicated committee to formulate a collective, long-term blueprint for economic and infrastructural growth.

INSTITUTIONALIZING INTELLECTUAL RIGOR: Azudibia advocated for a cultural shift where every major traditional celebration must feature a public lecture or talk shop to interrogate challenges, preserve positive traditions, and discard decayed practices.

PRIORITIZING EDUCATION AND SECURITY: Highlighting the long-overdue University of Mbaise project, he stressed that education and security must be treated as fundamental prerequisites to attract diaspora investment and pull communities out of poverty.

THE ROLE OF THE FOURTH ESTATE

Emphasizing the foundational tenets of modern journalism championed by Walter Lippmann and Eric Hodgins, Azudibia reminded media practitioners of their sacred duty to seek the truth, provide accurate context, and hold local, state, and federal leaders strictly accountable.

"We must reorientate our people to come out of their cocoon, stop being insular and laid back," Azudibia charged the journalists. "I urge you dear media practitioners to work together and ensure the emergence of the new face of the Mbaise man—confident, knowledgeable, pragmatic, result-oriented, and assertive—who is ready to take the world by storm".


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