OUR POSITION
As a responsible news and views website, dedicated to publishing, to a large extent, news and views out of Cross River State, as our avowed contribution to the growth and development of the state, it has over the last 10 years become more than clear to us that the discharge of our news function must not only be seen to be professional, it additionally must be truthful and leave no one in doubt that we are indeed cut out for what we do.
Again, hardly have we had aspersions deliberately cast on the quality of our work because of the thoroughness of our delivery.
We are however disappointed that Rt. Hon.Orok Otu Duke, one of our friend and supportive CLIENTS, has been ill-advised to cast aspersions on the news story, www.calitown.com published on June 4, 2021.
LET US STATE THE FACTS:
1. It is incontrovertible that Rt.Hon. Chief Orok Otu Duke and Iwara U. Iwara, publisher of calitown.com have and enjoy a relationship that is beyond and above his reference to the latter as “one Iwara Iwara” in the first paragraph of the rebuttal. On more than one occasion, Duke has been Iwara’s radio guest on HIT 95.9 FM; and several studio taken pictures and back and forth conversations affirm this.
2. To insist that, “For all intents and purposes, I don’t know anything about the content of the publication…” is rather misleading. For clarity purposes, calitown.com has audio evidence that CONTRADICTS this submission.
3. To again insist too that “the write up is malicious and capable of inciting embers of hatred and rancor” is highly disappointing as it seeks to paint calitown.com in naked bad light. If we are this bad, how have we managed to maintain a decent working relationship with this respected Chief; a relationship he constantly puts to good use?
4. We are not “mischief makers” and have no need “to hide under the present imbroglio between the Canaan Table Tennis Club and Sports Commission to foment trouble.” We have rather stayed away from the pettiness of this situation and even Duke can attest to the fact that the news item he sent to us on this issue, generated a little uneasiness for a principal character that he knows.
5. We will borrow a leaf from an adage Duke himself so pleasantly uses; “a tiger does not profess to the entire village that it is a tiger.” In that vein, our work ethic and output over the years, makes it impossible for us to laboriously use fickle news delivery approaches, it will be an insult to what we do and the audience we serve. In his quiet time, when he does some introspection on this issue Rt. Hon. Orok Otu Duke, our friend and serial mentor, will know that, like all human beings normally encounter, the publication of his rebuttal was indeed a moment of indiscretion and we have put that behind us, not out of fear but for the good of posterity.
With all good intentions and purposes, WE STAND BY OUR STORY!
Iwara U. Iwara
Publisher, www.calitown.com
I uphold the integrity of calitown.com……. need I say more ?