Ebri Urges Revival Of Chronicle As Cross River Reopens Printing Press

CALABAR — Former Governor of Cross River State, Chief Clement Ebri, has called on citizens to take ownership of the newly revived Nigerian Chronicle, saying the newspaper must be repositioned to meet the demands of the digital age while preserving its historic values of truth and service.

By Victoria Omini- CALABAR 

Ebri made the call on Thursday during the official commissioning of the state-of-the-art Government Printing Press and the reactivation of the Cross River State Newspaper Corporation at Barracks Road, Calabar.

He described the occasion as deeply personal, recalling that his journalism career began at the Chronicle in August 1978 after his National Youth Service. He served under pa Ray Ekpu and rose to become Features Editor and later Acting Editor in 1980 at a time when the paper had a daily print run of up to 120,000 copies and correspondents across major cities in Nigeria.

"The Nigerian Chronicle of that era was not merely a newspaper. It was an institution. The level of activity was extraordinary. The intellectual quality was high. The journalism was vibrant," Ebri said.

He said the Chronicle provided him and many others with a platform that opened doors, including a United States journalism exchange programme in 1979 and coverage of major national and ECOWAS events. He noted that the paper's motto, "Truth and Service", was more than words on a masthead but a covenant with the public.

The former governor lamented the decline of the institution over the years and the destruction caused by the 2020 EndSARS crisis, during which equipment, books, records and newspaper cuttings were lost. He described the archives as the memory of the people and urged Cross Riverians to donate old copies, photographs and documents to help rebuild the library.

Ebri commended Governor Senator Bassey Edet Otu for investing in the revitalisation and said the commissioning should mark the beginning, not the end, of the revival. He stressed that government can provide infrastructure but institutions survive only when people believe in them.

He urged the management to embrace both print and digital platforms, invest in investigative journalism, train young reporters and restore the Chronicle's editorial independence and credibility. He also suggested that the paper should consider reestablishing a strong regional presence.

"Technology should not become the undertaker of the newspaper. It should become its new vehicle. The question before us should no longer be how do we save the Nigerian Chronicle. The more important question is how do we reposition the Nigerian Chronicle to matter again," he said.

According to him, print remains important for archiving history while digital platforms extend reach, and both must work together. He added that journalism must remain fearless, responsible and credible.

"Today, we are not merely commissioning a renovated building. We are commissioning the restoration of a legacy. A legacy that shaped generations. A legacy that was battered but not destroyed. And a legacy that today has been given another opportunity to rise," Ebri stated.

He concluded with a call for the press to roll again, for the archives to be restored, and for a new generation of journalists to find their voice at the Chronicle just as he did decades ago.

The event was attended by government officials, media practitioners and stakeholders of the Cross River State Newspaper Corporation.