by crossriverwatch admin
www.CrossRiverWatch.com, a strictly Cross River State specific content news portal which commenced publishing in 2012 has grown over the months to become the biggest online news platform in the state.
Since, August 27, 2012 when the portal debuted, the sometimes controversial platform has consistently strived to maintain a great deal of independence and has attracted readership across a huge section of Cross Riverians both at home and in diaspora.
In less than two years, the portal has garnered over 3million visits, 13,633 followers on Facebook and 326 followers on Twitter making it the largest online news platform in the state.
According to the Initiator of the platform, Mr. Agba Jalingo, “It’s very exciting how we have razed through the maze of contradictions in our State to come this far. This is particularly because the vision was quite clear from the onset and we were lucky to have a team that was very passionate, courageous and hungry to key into the vision. In other words, they did not put money first. All these have combined to give us this landmark.
“This is just the beginning. For me, as much as I feel good, I still feel that the journey is only beginning. The interesting thing is that we have come to a point where we can no longer turn back. If you see SaharaReporters where I have worked for with over 650,000 followers on facebook though not a state specific platform, you really want to tell yourself that the journey is just incubating.
“But God the Almighty must be praised for helping us to maintain focus despite the limitations. Then of course, the team members; they are the best team I have ever seen. At the right time, we will expose them and Cross River will celebrate them.
“What continue to fuel us is the enormous possibilities for growth that lay ahead. The fact that the future of journalism is online, the fact that we can re-cultivate a free and courageous press in our Cross River State, the fact that the press in the future will again be able to set the agenda in our state, these are the scenes that tickle our energies and we have by our commitment inspired several other Cross Riverians who have started similar online platforms and are making quite a lot of impact and opening up our state.
“We are very hopeful about the future of what we are doing and the bigger picture is very large and will amaze you.”
While reacting to the question of how the journey has been, Mr. Jalingo says: “We have had our own fair share of tribulations but that is very normal. It is the badge of effectiveness. If you have not got any then you are not effective yet. Our reporters have arrested and detained, our reporters have suffered different forms of brutality and humiliation by security agents and hoodlums, we have lost gadgets and sustained injuries in the course of our work, intimation and threats including those of death and very common, most of which are empty and a host of others, but we see them as medals that indicate that we are on course. They will not deter us. That is the only path to the zenith. We will not falter. We will not renege. We will not falter.” He concluded.
follow us on twitter @crossriverwatch
Leave feedback about this