The immediate past Chairman of the Environment Media Correspondents Association of Nigeria (EMCAN), Mr. Chuks Oyema, has charged the newly elected Executive Committee of the association to consolidate its achievements, promote unity and position the body to take advantage of opportunities in the environment sector.
Oyema, who is the founding chairman, gave the charge in a message titled “From Moses to Joshua: A Message to the New EMCAN EXCO,” congratulated the new executive on its emergence and urged its members to lead with humility, transparency, fairness and a strong spirit of service.
He said the new leadership had inherited an association built through the sacrifices and commitment of its pioneer executives, stressing that preserving and strengthening that foundation should be a major priority.
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Oyema particularly acknowledged the contributions of Madam Helen of Blueprint, Chief Godson of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Ms. Chika of Leadership, Ms. Ngozi of Pilot and Alhaji Abdulsalam of PR Nigeria, as well as others who contributed to the establishment and growth of EMCAN.
According to him, the pioneer team, following its election at Radio House, invested considerable time, energy and resources in nurturing the association into the organisation it is today.
“Without their dedication and perseverance, EMCAN would not have attained the level of recognition it enjoys today,” he said.
Oyema urged the new EXCO to critically examine the challenges encountered by the previous leadership and draw lessons from them in order to strengthen the association and promote greater cohesion among members.
He identified unity and mutual support as critical areas requiring sustained attention, saying the original vision was to create an association where members genuinely celebrated one another’s personal and professional achievements.
He noted that EMCAN had yet to fully realise that aspiration, but expressed optimism that the new leadership could deepen the culture of fellowship and mutual support within the association.
Oyema said professional achievements, appointments, acquisition of property, birthdays, marriages, house warmings and other milestones involving members should be treated as occasions for collective celebration rather than sources of misunderstanding.
“I have always believed that when one member succeeds, the entire association should rejoice,” he said.
He urged members to reject envy and embrace encouragement, noting that the success of one member could serve as motivation for others to pursue greater achievements.
“My response has always been simple: whatever God does for one person, He is able to do for others,” Oyema stated.
Beyond internal cohesion, the former chairman said EMCAN must recognise the growing importance of environmental issues to Nigeria’s development and strategically position its members to benefit from the opportunities emerging within the sector.
He described the environment sector as “vast, technical, and increasingly important to national development,” with significant opportunities for professional growth, partnerships, influence and meaningful contributions to society.
Oyema therefore challenged the new EXCO to build on existing achievements while correcting shortcomings and ensuring that the association remains focused on the interests of its members and the wider national interest.
“The future of EMCAN depends on your ability to unite members around a common vision and sustain the values upon which the association was founded,” he said.
As he handed over leadership, Oyema expressed gratitude to God and appreciation to members and others who supported the association during his tenure, expressing confidence that EMCAN had greater prospects ahead.
He prayed for wisdom, unity and success for the new executive in its stewardship of the association.
