18 April 2018
For reasons of personal resolve, certainly not on personal eccentricity or narcissistic tendency; I've given a wide berth to some personalities and issues because I really don't have time to be having a born to pick with anyone.
Lately, I've been compelled by constraining circumstances to conjugate few words into sentences and perhaps paragraphs bothering on the caption above. Not a few individuals had taken delight in flooding my inbox with myriad questions. How I wish, some of these questions could be burked… suppress or prevent any discussion on it. Unfortunately, it isn't easy as one would wish.
Therefore, this constant enquiring sought after from me by perceived and concerned dudes are the compelling forces prompting this attempt at having my say on this issue.
Of recent, Joseph Odok , an antsy self-styled change agent have been parting Agba Jalingo, publisher of Cross River Watch with hot words over the seemingly over-controlling arm of ACROJ — interpreting to be, Association of Cross River Online Journalists. He was of the opinion that Agba Jalingo was turning ACROJ into Cross River State agency for self aggrandizement.
Well, I don't know if Jalingo is claiming ownership of the association or not. I don't know if he's using ACROJ as 9/10 spanner or not. Truly, I really don't care. I don't know if someone is using ACROJ to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds. I don't know if Cross River State government is giving sop to Cerberus.
To make it easier for my readers, the expression means to appease someone by gift or bribe; to bribe. (Cerberus was a three-headed dog supposed to guard the entrance to Hades and prevent the dead from escaping. When a person died, the Romans used to put a cake in his hand as a sop to Cerberus).
Some truly believes the assertions above.
Though, some of us were the founding fathers of ACROJ. But truth be told if you wouldn't mind, let me borrow some paraphrased sentences from Bambulu, the loquacious character who was overwhelmed by the shadow of his enlightenment in a play from West Africa, THIS IS OUR CHANCE that ACROJ is the child of Agba Jalingo's brain. It's part of his inventive genus; and the product of the materialization of some few individuals' collective ideas.
It's note mentioning that during the embryonic phase of ACROJ, there were some personalities that incubated this association. These individuals were Agba Jalingo ( Cross Riverwatch); Declan Genesis Ogar and myself were pushing pen via Paradisevoice. Iwara U. Iwara ( Calitown), Emmanuel Unah (Vanguard), Hope Obetem ( Yakurr reporters). Others were Solomon Asha of Nigerian Chronicle, Eval Asikong and Jeremiah. Declan and I were trumpeting in high pitch via the conduit of ParadiseVoice. The platform configured the name Ayade in all Cross Riverian's ears.
In a nutshell, Agba Jalingo conceived and birthed ACROJ. He has nurtured the child, housed and clothed her. She's now the mother of the man. During the registration of the association, outfits and members under ACROJ's umbrella were requested to make financial contribution. Only a handful of individuals responded.
By and large, Agba has bent his back, and ACROJ is riding on it! ACROJ is bearing fruits, Jalingo must reap. This is harvest time.
Emmanuel Oko Ogar
Is a Social Commentator
