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Ukorebi Esien | September 19, 2025
CALABAR — The Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Cross River State Council, in collaboration with Distinguished Senator Princess Florence Ita-Giwa, OON, has concluded plans to host the 5th edition of the Late Beatrice Bassey Ita Best Investigative Journalist Award in Calabar.
The prestigious award, instituted in memory of the late prolific journalist Beatrice Bassey Ita, popularly known by her sobriquet "The Pen is Mightier than the Sword", is sustained annually by her daughter, Senator Ita-Giwa, to promote excellence in investigative reporting and celebrate media practitioners who embody courage, truth, and integrity in journalism.
According to the organizers, this year's edition will hold on Saturday, September 20, 2025, at the August Royal Hotel, State Housing Estate, Calabar, by 5:00 p.m.
The event has lined up an array of dignitaries from across the country. The Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Professor Florence Banku Obi, will serve as Chairman of the occasion, while Distinguished Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, OFR, CON, will deliver the keynote lecture.
The Governor of Cross River State, His Excellency Apostle Senator Prince Bassey Otu, will grace the ceremony as Special Guest of Honour, while the Obong of Calabar and Grand Patriarch of the Efik Kingdom, His Eminence Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu V, will be honoured as Father of the Day.
In a show of solidarity with the journalism profession, the National Presidents of the NUJ and the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) are also expected to be in attendance.
Speaking ahead of the event, Senator Ita-Giwa said the award is not just a memorial to her late mother but a platform to inspire journalists to uphold the values of investigative journalism in nation-building.
"My mother, Beatrice Ita, believed strongly in journalism as a force for accountability and social justice. Through this award, we are sustaining her legacy and encouraging young reporters to remain fearless, ethical, and committed to truth," she stated.
The Beatrice Ita Best Investigative Journalist Award has, since inception, become a benchmark of professional recognition in Nigeria's media space, honouring journalists who have made outstanding contributions to investigative reporting.
This year's edition promises to be another milestone celebration of integrity, professionalism, and the enduring power of the pen.
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