By SouthernVoicenews
The pioneer chairman of the Indigenous Correspondents Chapel (ICC), Asaba, of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Delta State Council, Comrade Spence Friday Idighri, has dedicated his life Chairman award given to him to his mentor, HRM, Monday Whiskey, Udurhie 1, Ovie of Idjerhe Kingdom.
Speaking during the presentation of the award at the NUJ secretariat at Maryam Babangida Way Asaba.
Chairman ICC, Comrade Kenneth Orusi, while giving rational for the award of Life Chairman to Spence at a well attended Congress of the Chapel said;
“The award of Life Chairman being presented today to the pioneer Chairman of ICC, Comrade Emeritus Spence Friday Idighri was essentially because of his enormous contribution to the growth and stability of the Chapel”.
He stated that “what we are witnessing today is our own little way of encouraging hardwork, dedication, sacrifice and selfless service to mankind and humanity”.
On his part, the former Chairman of NUJ, Delta State Council, Comrade Ben Ogbogo who presented the award said, ‘the pioneer Chairman of the Chapel deserve the award as he had known him for a long time especially during his tenure as the Assistant Secretary of the Council where he distinguished himself as a Unionist per excellence’.
The Awardee, Comrade Idighri soon after receiving the award, thanked the current leadership of the Chapel for deeming it necessary to reward and recognized those who gave and still rendering unblemished service to the Chapel.
The recipient who was elated over the recognition, dedicated the Award of Honour to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Omamuzo Erebe Esq., for his wise counsel and fatherly role which he said contributed in no small measure to this immeasurable recognition.
He also thanked Comrade Shedrack Onitsha, his Editor both at Urhobo Times Newspaper then, and now Publisher, Advocate Newspaper for the professional guidance.
He also gave worthy credits to Comrades Salvation Ogono, Akpati Ogude, Norbert Chiazor, December Gboru, Chief David Omoru and Stella Macaulay for their immense contribution which he said made him to cut his teeth early in NUJ unionism.
Idighri who is generally regarded as a silent achiever especially in the NUJ fold said, it will be a grave injustice if he fail to recognized his Royal Majesty, Ovie Monday Whiskey, Udurhie 1 Ovie of Idjerhe Kingdom whom he said made it possible for him to work as Correspondent of a National Daily.
It could be recalled that recently, the executives of the Indigenous Correspondents Chapel Asaba, led by Comrade Kenneth Orusi honored some deserving members of the union in the chapel with different awards of which the pioneer chairman of the Chapel bagged the life chairman award.