Udoka Agwu, Umuahia.
Alex OttI, Governor of Abia state has described the media as a curator brush that paints the public portrait, whether as a place of growth or stagnation, unity or division, hope or despair.
Governor Otti made the assertion in Umuahiia during a 2-Training workshop organized by Vision Africa Radio 2025 Media Institute, with theme: Image Makers; Shaping Culture, Inspiring Change Through Media”
The Governor who was represented by Okey Kanu, Commissioner for Information said that his administration has lent its voice to a theme that sits at the very heart of modern progress and participatory governance “Image Makers: Shaping Culture, Inspiring Change Through Media.”
Governor Otti commended Vision Africa and Sunday Ndukwo Onuoha, the president and Bishop of Methodist Church of Nigeria for sustaining this transformative initiative for twelve years.
“This institute is more than a training ground, it is a vision factory, a cradle for conscience-driven communicators, and a launchpad for those who will shape the future through storytelling.
“Today, as we gather here in Umuahia, the political, cultural, and media capital of Abia State, we must reflect on the significance of the moment. The media is no longer just the Fourth Estate of the realm. In today’s world, especially in Abia where our people are intelligent, politically aware, and digitally connected, the media has become the first responder to perception, the referee in public discourse, and the mirror through which Abians see their government, their state, and indeed, themselves.
“We live in a time where images craft identities, and narratives influence destinies. The media doesn’t just report the news, it defines the atmosphere. It doesn’t just reflect culture, it reconstructs it. And here in Abia, where we are redefining governance under the New Abia agenda, we see the media as a strategic partner in this collective journey of restoration, transformation, and renewal
“Under my administration, we are building not just infrastructure, but a culture of integrity. We are not just resurfacing roads, we are rebuilding trust. And in this critical process, we need men and women of the media who will document truth, inspire action, and elevate our people’s aspirations”said Otti.
The Abia Chief Executive noted that an image maker is a curator of perception, a custodian of context, and above all, a mediator between what is real and what is reported. “You, the media, hold the delicate brush that paints the public portrait of Abia, whether as a place of growth or stagnation, unity or division, hope or despair.
“Therefore, we urge you to wield this brush with courage, clarity, and conscience.
“In today’s Abia, where our government is setting new standards in governance, we need media practitioners who can interprete data with depth, not distortion.
In today’s Abia, where we are reviving hospitals, reforming schools, empowering youth, and transforming markets like Ariaria, we need stories that contextualize and celebrate impact.
“In today’s Abia, where security and economic recovery are top priorities, we need narratives that inspire confidence, not fear”he noted.
He further described Media practitioners as cultural architects who through their camera lenses, microphones, editorials, and tweets, frame the soul of a people. “And that soul must not be trivialized. Let it be truth-driven, development-oriented, and value-laden”he admonished.
