Iwara Iwara and I are intrinsically connected by two defining phenomena: birthplace and profession. We are Yamormor, as people from Ugep are known, and we share a deep, enduring love for the pen profession.
That is how Iwara Iwara and I are connected. We discovered our shared love for journalism sometime in the last quarter of 1999. Nigeria’s Fourth Republic was just dawning, ushering in long-anticipated freedom of speech and press democratisation after the cruellest era of General Sani Abacha’s draconian dictatorship.
It felt like a breath of fresh air. As a young man bubbling with literary energy and media entrepreneurial zeal, I shared with my wife, Tammie, a desire to establish a community newspaper in Cross River State which will serve as a standard-bearer that would amplify the voices of ordinary people in the new democratic order. We were living in Lagos, then. Part of the desire was to key into the nascent democratic dispensation in the country and complement the dynamism and visionary leadership which was unfolding in Cross River State at the time, embodied by the creative, ideas-driven 37-year-old governor, Mr Donald Duke.
We envisioned a platform for intergenerational confluence—where ideas and experiences could shape governance and leadership in the state. At the time, the voices of the critical mass were largely muffled. Apart from the state-owned Nigerian Chronicle and CRBC, both of which were not in their best form, there were no viable mass communication channels. We saw an opportunity to carve out a space.
We thought of bringing on board people who may be willing to share in making this dream a reality. Tammie immediately suggested our reaching out to Mr. Ben Arikpo and his wife, Mrs. Felicia Ofem Arikpo. Having long nurtured an interest in media entrepreneurship through television productions on CRBC TV via Akada Konsult, Uncle Ben and Aunty Ben, as we usually call them, immediately embraced the vision. Together, we established Devmedia Ltd as the parent company of the community newspaper. Uncle Ben served as Chairman, while I served as MD/CEO. We named the paper, The Mandate, and I assumed the role of Publisher/Editor-in-Chief.
I developed the editorial framework of the paper by crossbreeding The Guardian’s egalitarian depth with ThisDay’s breezy, contemporary style. The result was a distinctive editorial flavour—part magazine, part newspaper—fresh, innovative, and intellectually satisfying to readers across the state.
We had earlier assembled a formidable editorial team: Lawrence Ekwok (now Rev. Dr. and Head of the Department of Media Studies, UNICAL) as Editor; Asuquo Solomon (Absol) as Deputy Editor; and Cornel Ellah, then a sports presenter at CRBC (now Head of the Department of Mass Communication, UNICROSS), as Sports Editor. Still building our editorial team, Absol, who was also directly in charge of the news room encouraged us to hire cub-reporters whom we can train. We put an advert in a few of our editions and also reached out to a few references. One day, in walked Iwara Iwara and Bernard Inah. Absol later explained to us that he invited them. That’s how Iwara and Bernard joined the team. Absol built their reportorial capacity and they quickly adapted. Iwara established himself as a Features writer while Benard exhibited excellence in sports writing and combined brilliantly with Cornel Ellah in the Sports desk. Most of us were between 24 and 31 years old. At 31, I was among the oldest.
Our Editorial Advisory Board was equally distinguished, comprising Prof. Kalu Uka (Chairman), Prof. Okon Uya, the highly cerebral Chief Victor Ndoma-Egba, who later became the Senate Leader of the 7th Assembly (2011-2015), and SAN; distinguished women leader, Chief Mrs Minika James; and the quintessential civil servant and writer, Chief Eni Okoi. These were seasoned experts endowed with immense knowledge, wisdom, and experience. Prof. Uka, a renowned playwright and theatre artist, was famed for having “taught English to the English people” at the University of Leeds. Prof. Uya was a prodigy, becoming a full Professor of History with tenure at Howard University, USA, at 30, and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of UNICAL at about 32. Sadly, of this illustrious board, only Prof. Kalu Uka and Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba are still alive today.
We had big dreams. Our editorial philosophy was elegant and uncompromising, anchored on the belief that facts are sacred, and journalism must serve truth, justice, and fairness. The Mandate circulated across all 18 local government areas of Cross River State, extending occasionally to Akwa Ibom and neighbouring states, especially when stories of regional interest demanded wider reach.
Incidentally, among all alumni of The Mandate, only Iwara and I remain in active journalism practice through our independent digital platforms—Calitown for him and Livesonline.ng for me. Two others, Dr Lawrence Ekwok and Cornel Ellah, have become respected journalism educators, and we are immensely proud of their contributions. Asuquo Solomon (Absol) is now a well-known grassroots politician, who at some point was the Secretary of Calabar Municipality.
Iwara’s consistency over the years stands as a powerful testament to his enduring passion for creative writing.
For both Iwara and I, journalism is not merely a profession; it is an art. It is a medium of expression, the canvas upon which we paint the world with stories rooted in fact and truth. That is what binds and bonds us.
Iwara, whose active journalism practice began with The Mandate in 1999, uniquely bestrides two generations of media practice—the analog and the digital—a rare and valuable combination. He brings the disciplined conservatism of traditional journalism, with its emphasis on in-depth reporting, gatekeeping, verification, and ethical rigor, into productive tension with the speed, interactivity, multimedia integration, and audience engagement of online journalism. He once led the association of online journalists in the state, further underscoring his leadership within this evolving media landscape.
An eclectic writer, Iwara draws inspiration from everyday rhythms, hobbies, and family dynamics, transforming even abstract ideas into vivid, tangible imagery through his masterful use of language. He fluidly blends fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, a rare gift bestowed on only a few.
The pursuit of truth and justice lies at the heart of his journalistic practice. This is evident in the Pandora’s boxes he has opened in recent years—from exposing scandals of impropriety within the state civil service to uncovering financial malfeasance by public officials in Cross River State. Through his work, hidden truths have been revealed and public accountability strengthened. In recognition of these contributions, he received an Award of Excellence from Profiles & Biographies in 2017, as part of activities marking the 50th anniversary of Cross River State.
Iwara Iwara has indelibly stamped his name in the golden pages of Cross River State’s journalistic history. My wish for him is to continue this noble voyage of informing, questioning, and serving the public with his God-given talent.
Abam, biographer and celebrated Mass Communications specialist, wrote in from Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
