By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
The governor of Cross River State, Prince Bassey Otu, yesterday approved the appointment of Channels Television correspondent in the state, Imani Odey, as Special Assistant to the governor on Electronics Media.
Odey is among the list of latest appointment by Governor Otu, as contained in a release from the state government tagged: Ref: SSG/GAO/102/VOL. VI /218, and signed by the Secretary to State Government, SSG, Prof. Anthony Owan Enoh.
The statement directed Odey, alongside other appointees to present themselves to SSG”s office for briefing and documentation.
Ms Odey, who until her recent appointment, worked with the immediate past governor, Prof. Ben Ayade as Special Adviser, SA, hails from Bekwarra Local Government Area of Cross River State, studied Theatre and Performing Arts at the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University, ABU, Zaria.
She began her journalism career during her National Youth Corp days when she was posted by authority of the NYSC for national assignment.
Odey delivered virtually all assignments assigned her at the news room, and the management of the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, noticed that she had enough potentials for the job, and thus retained tbe young corper.
The young cub reporter was thereafter deployed to NTA Calabar, where she served as the Cross River State Government House correspondent for three years before she decided to pitch her tent with Channels Television, shortly after resignation from NTA.
Her versatility in what is refered to in the media industry as “Community Reporting,” or human interest stories distinguished her from her contemporaries.
Her thoroughness in indepth reportage made her to stand tall among other reporters in the field any time any day
Ms Odey had been so privileged to cover and churned out hundreds of stories that impacted positively on the society.
Her major stories include: the exclusive report “Money Marriage,” which has to do with giving out of underage in marriage by parents in Becheve community in Obanliku Local Government Area of Cross River State, probably as a window for debt settlement.
The ‘money marriage’ story attracted several tourists and numerous people of timber and calibre to the community and indeed caught the attention of the international media.
She said, “I have had series of encounters with militants, and ‘The Bakassi Strike Force’ was my story that first exposed their activities in the peak of militancy in the various creeks of Bakassi, which later paved way for their denouncement and amnesty from the government.
“I am proud that the Bakassi IDPs can boast of decent accomodation today. It took me six years of constant reporting on their plights through thick and thin unfortunately, the housing estate got vandalized during the #EndSARS crisis.
“The Calabar-Odukpani/Biase federal highway got intervention following several “Save-our-Soul” reports I did on the highway, which was becoming a death trap.
“Infact, the stretch at Biase had caved in, and got prompt response by the then Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola.
“For me journalism is a passion. I have always loved to have the opportunity to speak the minds of people.”
