…Donates N1m as Journalists Honour Late Anietie Akpan
Former Deputy Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Orok Otu Duke, has pledged N1 million towards the funeral expenses of late veteran journalist, Anietie Akpan. Duke announced the donation on Tuesday in Calabar during a tribute organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
The event was heavy with emotion as Duke recounted the sacrifices made by Akpan and his colleagues at the Correspondence Chapel to protect activists and sustain democracy during the military era. He noted that the survival of many politicians, including himself, was directly tied to the bravery of journalists at the time.
Duke recalled the chilling events of 1993 when he was declared wanted by the Abacha regime for two weeks. According to him, it was Akpan and other journalists who escorted him to the Brigade Commander’s residence at MCC to submit himself, a move that ultimately saved him from being secretly executed. “All the journalists led by Anietie were there, and that is what saved me. Anietie helped to save my life,” he said.
The former deputy speaker also highlighted Akpan’s pivotal role in establishing Cross River Television and the state’s NAFEST gold gong victory in 1994. However, he lamented that despite the critical role journalists played in birthing the current democratic dispensation, many of them, including Akpan, never benefited from the democracy they fought for.
Duke disclosed that the deceased battled illness without adequate financial support, noting that fellow journalists tried their best but were limited by their own economic realities. He added that Akpan remained dedicated to the pen profession until his death, even when his foray into politics did not yield the desired results.
“I made a little pledge. When the letter came from NUJ, my first thought was that maybe my N1 million pledge should go to the family. But I rushed down to make sure publicly that here in this gathering, I will make available the N1 million for the funeral obsequies of Anietie Akpan,” Duke declared.
He used the occasion to call for collective support for the bereaved family, reminding the gathering of the fleeting nature of life and the ultimate importance of family. He concluded with a solemn farewell to the deceased: “Anietie Akpan, wherever you may be, rest in peace.”
