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| Joseph Coco-Bassey |
As the battle for the soul of Cross River draws closer with several party displaying their candidates for the plumb job, the Young Progressives Party, YPP isn't left out as it has filed in young vibrant capable hands to mount different offices in the state.
The Party whose vision is to build an egalitarian society anchored on Nigerian citizens as the prime resource, driven by mentally progressive and young innovative leaders has Mr. Joseph Coco-Bassey as her Governorship candidate in Cross River State.
Coco-Bassey, a young, dynamic and vibrant former Students/youth leader has constantly said his ambition to run the gubernatorial race is bone out of his passion to serve Cross Riverians and bring prosperity to the state.
Born on 30th May 1976 to the late Mr. Joseph William Coco-Bassey of Coco-Bassey House Afia Isong in Odukpani LGA and Madam Mary-Collette Bassey of Ekpo Abasi Family, Efut, Calabar South LGA both of Cross River State, Joseph Coco-Bassey is a confident, articulate and versatile administrator/leader and well-respected personality in his community, Local Government Area and State in general.
His incontrovertible academic attainment can best be described as a tool to amplify his inherent leadership capacities. He was educated in the best of the best academic institutions such as Aku International Nursery School, Big Qua Town in Calabar Municipality for his early basic schooling as one of the pioneer pupils of the school. He followed up with his secondary education in the Immaculate Conception Seminary, Mfamosing, Akamkpa and later moved to the famous Hope Waddell Training Institution, Calabar. Progressively in quest of further education, he attended the University of Calabar where he acquired a Certificate and Diploma in Public Administration and later Bachelors of Education in Industrial and Labour Studies all in Cross River State which led to his mandatory National Youth Service in Kaduna State. While in Kaduna, he enrolled in the Basic Information Technology Institute to study Information Technology.
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| Coco-Bassey during a party event with his deputy and other candidates of the party |
It was Woodrow Wilson who said, There can be no higher religion than human service. To work for the common good is the greatest creed. Therefore, for Joseph, being heard and making a positive difference are the reasons that propelled him into full-blown politics because, from childhood, he had developed a penchant for strong-willed tendencies. It was that same drive that he sustainably carried on into politics as a teenager while in the university. His passion for social justice, making a tangible difference in society and resolving conflicts and handling peoples problems got him closely knit with the grassroots most especially youths.
These strings of activism led him to hold vital positions just to name a few:
- President Cross River Leadership Academy (a body of all past and present student union leaders of Cross River State extraction);
- Admin, Distinct Southerners (A socio-political group of young people and past union leaders of Southern Senatorial District of Cross River State extraction);
- Leader of National Youth Council of Nigeria;
- Parliamentarian, Student Union Government UNICAL;
- President National Association of Cross River State Students, UNICAL;
- Ward Chairman All Peoples Party;
- Ward Secretary Democratic Party of Nigeria among others.
His working experience commenced with CALMBAR Nig Ltd where he served as Manager Operations during his schooling days at the University. During his National Youth Service year, he worked as a Social Service Personnel Administrator in Ikara Local Government Area of Kaduna State. Upon his return to Calabar, he gained employment with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) where he worked for 17 years where served as an Assistant Electoral Officer in Boki, Obudu, Ogoja, Odukpani and Yala Local Governments, all in Cross River State. He also had a brief stint as the Electoral Officer of Yala Local Government. He also served as Head of Electoral Management Unit, Independent National Electoral Commission in Cross River State till his recent resignation and foray into full politics to contest for the gubernatorial position in Cross River State under the platform of the Young Progressives Party (YPP). While in service, he attended several in-service specialized courses that aided his capacity to deliver on allotted tasks.
In the process of his educational attainment, career progression and all the above-outlined interactions, he developed very useful skills that have kept him at the top of his roles and political engagements. Some of these are:
- Presentation Skills: He is adept at delivering effective and engaging presentations to a broad range of audiences.
- People Skills: He thrives in situations where he can meet people, have informal conversations and offer the best possible assistance to them.
- Interactive Mechanism: He has a strong interactive mechanism and does not segregate hence the support and followership from the youths and grassroots across all political party divides and social strata.
In terms of achievements, he has not failed to bring about more than can be outlined as apart from his academic attainments leading up to being a graduate with a university degree, he operated viable welfare schemes as a student leader and while in and out of school and has set up a youth training agency to deal with skill gaps among young persons.
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| Coco-Bassey exchanging pleasantries with some House of Assembly Members |
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Coco-Bassey during a youth function recently in Calabar  |
He has won laurels and drawn awards of achievement in the process of his services some of which are:
* Diamond Award from the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Men's Organization
Archdiocese of Calabar - 2022
* National Asso. Of Odukpani Students Worldwide - 2021
* Guru Foundation - 2021
* Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) Cross River State.
* Southern Cross River State Students (SOCRISS) - 2019
* Science Education Students' Association (SESA) - 2019
* National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) Akamkpa - 2018
* Student Union Government (SUG) UNICAL - 2016
* Catholic Youth Organization of Nigeria (CYON) St. Bernard Parish. Calabar - 2015
*NACRISS World Wide - 2013
* St. Bernard Parish Choir - 2010
* NACRISS UCC - 2006
* National Association of Odukpani Students UNICAL - 2005
* NACRISS World Wide - 2003
* Southern Cross River State Students World Wide - 2003
* SUG UNICAL - 2001
* NACRISS UCC - 2001
* NACRISS World Wide - 2001
* NACRISS University of Calabar, Calabar - 2000
* Adult Education Students Association (ADESA) UNICAL - 2000 and so much more.
He is married with children. As for the aspiration to lead the State as Governor, Cross River State, it is a destined and Divine to call serve humanity and preserve a generation from decadence as amply outlined in his Blueprint
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