HOLDING THEIR FEET TO THE FIRE: BEING THE FULL TEXT OF LECTURE DELIVERED BY THE IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT OF THENIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION, MR. OLUMIDE AKPATA
AT THE NUJMEMORIAL LECTURE IN HONOUR OF SENATOR (ELDER) ANYIM UDE, MONProtocolsDistinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
- I consider it an honour to have been called upon to deliver what I hope is the
first of many Memorial Lectures organised by the Nigerian Union of Journalists
(NUJ) in honour of Senator (Elder) Anyim Ude, MON who passed on to greater
glory on Monday 15 May 2023. - While it is certainly not in my place to read the profile of, or deliver a eulogy for,
Senator (Elder) Anyim Ude, MON at today’s event, it would be remiss of me not
to mention that Senator Anyim Ude belonged to that exclusive class of
Nigerians who lived their lives for the country and who are unfortunately going
into extinction at a rapid and alarming rate. - As we all know, Senator Anyim Ude left a solid track record of public service
spanning over five decades and served Nigeria meritoriously in different
capacities. For our present purposes, the most important of the capacities in
which Senator Anyim Ude served his fatherland was his role in the media as a
veteran journalist and a broadcaster. Senator Anyim Ude holds the exclusive
distinction of being the longest serving Chief Executive in Nigeria’s public
broadcasting industry, after serving for 16½ years as the Chief Executive of
several Broadcasting Establishments in Nigeria. Of course, he was also a
member of the NUJ. - I must therefore begin this address by commending the NUJ, especially the
NUJ leadership and the NUJ Memorial Lecture Organising Committee for doing
this honour to one of its own. I must also express my gratitude to the NUJ as
well as the family of Senator (Elder) Anyim Ude, MON for finding me worthy of
delivering this inaugural Memorial Lecture.
Download the full lecture doc. below
