Former Cross River State Governor, Clement Ebri, and veteran journalist, Ray Ekpu, have called for the repositioning of the Nigerian Chronicle to enable the newspaper remain relevant in the changing media landscape.
While Ebri urged the newspaper to strengthen its presence on digital platforms, Ekpu said the rise of digital journalism had not diminished the relevance of print media.
The duo spoke during the reactivation of the Nigerian Chronicle and commissioning of the State Printing Board in Cross River State.
Ebri, who worked with the Chronicle from 1978 and later served as its acting editor, said the revival of the newspaper should go beyond renovating its facilities.
He said the newspaper must adapt to the changing ways through which people receive, consume and share information.
According to him, the Chronicle should establish a strong digital presence while retaining its print edition to expand its reach and remain relevant to contemporary audiences.
“The question before us should therefore no longer be how do we save the Nigerian Chronicle? The most important question is how do we reposition the Nigerian Chronicle to matter again?” Ebri said.
The former governor said digital and print journalism should not be regarded as competing platforms, stressing that both had important roles to play in modern journalism.
“Digital is immediate. Print is archival. We should therefore not treat print and digital as enemies,” he said.
Ebri said the Chronicle should tell stories through its print edition, online platforms and social media, adding that technology should provide a new vehicle for the newspaper rather than undermine its existence.
He said the newspaper had historically served as a platform through which Cross River communicated with Nigeria and the wider world, adding that it also provided a training ground for journalists.
Ebri, however, said the decline of the newspaper over the years made it necessary for the current revival to be accompanied by professionalism, investment and innovation.
He said the Chronicle should not simply be restored to what it was in the past but should be repositioned to meet the demands of the future.
“We must not simply restore the Chronicle of yesterday. We must build a Chronicle of tomorrow,” he said.
On his part, Ekpu, a former editor of the Chronicle, described the revival as a homecoming, recalling that he spent six years working in the building, rising from features writer to editor before leaving the organisation in 1998.
The veteran journalist said technological advancement had changed the media industry but had not rendered print journalism obsolete.
“Even though there has been a change in technology, advancement in technology, the print media is still supreme,” Ekpu said.
He expressed happiness over the government’s efforts to revive the Chronicle, recalling the role the newspaper played in public advocacy and the development of Cross River State.
Ekpu cited the newspaper’s involvement in the campaign for the establishment of the University of Calabar, saying the institution was initially a campus of the University of Nigeria.
“The University of Calabar was not a university then when I started here. It was a campus of the University of Nigeria. And U.J. Esuene said to us, fight! We want to turn it into a university. And we used the newspaper and fought. And that’s how you have the University of Calabar,” he said.
Ekpu said the experience demonstrated the capacity of newspapers to influence public discourse and contribute to institutional development.
He also lamented the destruction of the Chronicle’s library during the 2020 EndSARS crisis, saying valuable books, records and other materials were lost.
He urged stakeholders to work towards restoring the newspaper’s archives, while calling on Cross Riverians who have old copies of the Chronicle, photographs and other historical materials to make them available for preservation.
Ebri similarly described the Chronicle’s archives as part of the collective memory of Cross River, warning that the loss of historical records could leave future generations vulnerable to distortion and forgetfulness.
He urged Cross Riverians to support the revived newspaper by reading it, advertising in it, writing for it and holding it to high professional standards.
“Government can provide the infrastructure, government can provide the buildings, government can build the environment,” Ebri said.
“But that will require courage. It will require professionalism. It will require investment. It will require innovation.”
The former governor also cautioned that the pursuit of speed and visibility in the digital environment must not undermine the core values of journalism.
“Speed, however, must never replace accuracy. Visibility must never replace credibility,” he said.
Ekpu, who said the Chronicle had provided journalists with opportunities to develop professionally, expressed optimism that the newspaper could regain its position as an important media institution in Cross River.
He said the revival should preserve the values that had historically guided the newspaper while taking advantage of technological developments.
Ebri said the Chronicle’s motto, “Truth and Service,” should remain central to its operations as it begins a new chapter.
He said the newspaper should aspire not merely to report events in Cross River but to help shape conversations about the state’s future.
The calls by the two former Chronicle journalists came against the backdrop of the state government’s efforts to revive the newspaper and strengthen its printing capacity through the State Printing Board.
The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Pastor Ekpenyong Ene Cobham, said the printing facility would reduce the state’s dependence on third-party vendors, improve efficiency and strengthen the security of sensitive government documents.
The facility, he added, would also create employment opportunities and generate revenue through commercial printing.
For Ebri and Ekpu, however, the long-term success of the Chronicle’s revival will depend on combining the newspaper’s rich professional heritage with technological innovation while preserving the credibility and archival value of print journalism.
