L-R: Assistant Secretary, Winifred Duke, Chairman of the Guild, Lady Ambassador Beatrice Akunjom; NUJ Chairman, Comrade Archibong Bassey; Secretary, Hon. Onah Sunday Owoche, Treasurer,Roseline Kelechi and a member of the Guild.
By Ita Williams, Calabar
The newly elected Executive Council (EXCO) of the Guild of Actors, Cross River State chapter, paid a courtesy visit to the State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Archibong Bassey, pledging collaboration to boost the state’s entertainment industry.
The courtesy call took place on Wednesday at the Ernest Etim Bassey Press Centre, State Housing, Calabar.
Leading the delegation, the newly elected Chairman of the Guild, Ambassador Lady Beatrice Akunjom, described the visit as both symbolic and deeply personal.
She recalled how NUJ chairman Bassey had endorsed her nomination form when she contested for the position, saying that singular act gave her courage to pursue and eventually win the office.
“I am here to say thank you to my chairman,” Akunjom said. “When I was contesting for this noble position, I insisted that only this wonderful lady would endorse my form. I believed in her, not for any other reason, but because she fought and became the first female NUJ chairman. I wanted to tap from that grace. Today, I have returned to say, I went, I saw, I conquered. But behind my victory is this woman who believed in me.”
Akunjom emphasized that journalism and acting share a common foundation, storytelling, She said adding that the Guild of Actors cannot thrive in isolation without the support of the NUJ.
“All we do in acting is still journalism,” she explained. “We tell stories dramatically and entertainingly, but it is still journalism. That is why NUJ remains our first critical stakeholder.
We want to partner with you to move Cross River State to the next level in the entertainment industry.”
She lamented that the state had not been visible in Nigeria’s film industry compared to hubs like Asaba, Enugu, and Owerri. Akunjom called on the NUJ to support efforts in repositioning Cross River as a centre of creativity.
“We want Cross River State to go to the next level,” she said. “We have a rich cultural heritage that deserves to be showcased. NUJ, please believe in us, bring jobs, and we will not let you down. Together, we can project the unique cultural identity of this state.”
In her response, NUJ State Chairman, Comrade Archibong Bassey, congratulated Akunjom and her team for emerging victorious at the polls, acknowledging the challenges that often accompany leadership contests.
“I know the things that happen during elections, no matter how we think the election might be,” Bassey said. “So, for emerging victorious, I congratulate you and your team. I am glad you came back to say thank you. It shows humility and respect.”
Bassey also encouraged the Guild’s leadership to rely on God for guidance, quoting scripture to emphasize the importance of divine direction in leadership.
“There is nothing I do that I do not commit to God,” she noted. “Every program, every idea, I ask Him to glorify Himself. The Bible says in Proverbs 3:5, ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart.’ Lady Beatrice, I am tasking you this afternoon to trust in the Lord with all your heart, and you will see the Guild of Actors in Cross River move to another level.”
The highlight of the visit was the presentation of the Guild of Actors’ Medal to Comrade Bassey, a gesture the NUJ chairman described as an honour.
Other members of the Guild’s executive who attended the courtesy call included Hon. Onah Sunday Owoche, Secretary; Winifred Duke, Assistant Secretary; and Roseline Kelechi, Treasurer.
The meeting ended on a note of mutual commitment, with both organizations pledging to work together in promoting culture, entertainment, and journalism as vehicles for social development in Cross River State.
