Late C-River SWAN Chairman, Andinam Buried Amid Tears, Shock
BY UBON EKANEM, CALABAR – Veteran journalist and Cross River State Chairman of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Comrade Albert Archibong Andinam (JP), who died on May 8, 2022, has been finally laid to rest in Calabar, the state capital.
His remains were committed to mother earth on Friday, June 10, 2022, at Ikot Omin, Eight (8) Miles, Calabar amid tears and shock among sympathizers.
The late Sportswriter suffered from prolonged ill-health that saw him treated at the Navy Hospital, Calabar, and later University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) where the cold hands of death eventually snatched him away in May this year.
Earlier on Friday morning, journalists were on hand to honour their deceased colleague as his body laid in state at the Ernest Etim Bassey NUJ Press Centre, State Housing Estate, Calabar
Thereafter, the funeral was held at the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria (PCN) Hope Waddell Parish, Calabar with members of NUJ, SWAN, media friends, family members, and well-wishers in attendance.
Delivering the funeral sermon, the officiating Priest and Associate Minister in charge of the Parish, Very Rev John Abah Vincent, described death as the destiny of all humans
According to him, though it is God’s plan for us to enjoy long life on earth, death is a necessary end that will come to any man when that time comes.
While noting that Adinam’s passage is a great loss to his family and the journalism profession, Rev Abah Vincent said; “This is the reality of life. Life is a journey, we are all pilgrims and tenants in this world.”
The Cleric however admonished the living to consider their relationship with God, their creator because the end (death) may come knocking at any time.
An alumnus of the Old Polytechnic, Calabar, Andinam, was until his death the State Chairman of SWAN. He was also a former Secretary of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Cross River State Council.
The late SWAN boss started his journalism career with the Cross River State Newspaper Corporation, publishers of the Nigerian Chronicle Group of Newspapers, where he rose to the position of Deputy Sports Editor before retiring late last year.
