Curating Cross River State through Who’s Who - Kammonke Abam
KAMMONKE ABAM describes himself as a storyteller and curator of history. Unlike the traditional storytellers, he plies his art through profiling personalities. He has done this through Who’s Who and biographical works. His interest is to inspire the world through reading the stories of the challenges and triumphs of outstanding persons. His works are sometimes some kind of discovery project. Abam, the CEO of Profiles & Biographies, spoke to business a.m.’s BEN EGUZOZIE about the 2019 edition of Contemporary Who’s Who in Cross River State Tell us about your Contemporary Who’s Who in Cross River State?
HE CONTEMPORARY WHO’S WHO in Cross River State is a biographical documentation of the profiles of eminent men and women of Cross River State origin who have distinguished themselves in their chosen careers and professions, and have made outstanding contributions to the development of the society.
What informed this publication?
I’ll give you a background to why we’ve been publishing this personality reference document. In the year 2000, I had the privilege of working under and being mentored by Pastor Nyaknno Osso-Abasi, who unarguably is Nigeria’s best documentarian and profilist. He was, at that time, a Special Assistant to President Olusegun Obasanjo on Research, Library and Documentation. In the course of our work, he discovered that the names of prominent Cross Riverians that made the list of Who’s Who compendia available then, including Newswatch’s Who’s Who, which he edited, were basically the same old names such as Dr Okoi Arikpo, Chief M.T. Mbu, Chief I.I. Murphy, Chief Dr. Mrs. Margaret Ekpo; Dr S.E. Imoke and a few others. He said he knows that there are many younger people from the state who are doing well, and needed to be profiled. He inspired me to think of publishing Who’s Who in Cross River State. And when I came back to Calabar later that year, I set up a project team that helped to compile the reference book. We successfully did it that year. Since then, we have been updating on a regular basis.
The book serves as a kind of encyclopaedic guide of prominent Cross Riverians from all walks of life and spectrum. You find in this reference biographical book, details of when these select personalities were born, schools they attended, their careers, and their contacts.
Each time, a new government comes in and political appointments are to be made, reference is made to our book. Also, recruitment agencies headhunting for professionals often use this book as a reference material.
The philosophy behind our specialized publications is summed up in the motto of our firm: “No one can tell the story of the struggles of a people better than the people themselves.” As a people, we can only go as far as we are willing to project ourselves. We are in a federation that is highly competitive; and our worth as a state would be appreciated by the way we are branded.
There was a time that we were branded as a people who were laidback and only fit for culinary excellence and domestic helps. Through Contemporary Who’s Who in Cross River State, we have been able to communicate the fact that the state is endowed with men and women of incredible charm, wit and intelligence.
We have also been able to accentuate the uniqueness of the state as the ultimate destination for business and leisure through the adverts and advertorials we place in the book. Cross River State is truly Nigeria’s paradise nestled in the curvy and spell-bound mountainous sights, the aquatic splendour and the never-ceasing rainforest of the state. By the way, this book [Contemporary Who’s Who in Cross River State] holds huge advertising opportunities for brands wishing to reach the prime markets in Cross River State, as the book is usually in every home, in school libraries, newspaper houses; and copies are sent to the Presidency and international development organisations.
We also believe that celebrating people brings the best out of them. The essence of this project is simply to acknowledge and recognize the achievements of our sons and daughters who have distinguished themselves in their chosen careers and professions; and those who also have contributed in a significant way to the development of their communities and the society at large.
We believe that those who have been profiled in this book on account of their efforts and achievements would receive more inspiration to work harder and achieve more in future.
What criteria qualify people to be listed in the?
The criteria for selecting are simple. Foremost consideration in determining possible listees for Contemporary Who’s Who in Cross River is the extent of an individual’s reference value. Such reference value is judged on either or both of the two factors: the first is the position of responsibility held, and the second is the level of achievement attained by the individual. Admission based on the factors of position includes: Governors, Ministers, Commissioners, Special Advisers to the Governor, Special Assistants to the Governor, Permanent Secretaries, Directors, high ranking military officers, clerics, labour leaders, local government chairmen, captains of industries, and prominent figures in all the professions. Admission based on individual achievement, on the other hand, is based on the accomplishment of an outstanding achievement; something that distinguishes him or her from the vast majority of his contemporaries.
When is this edition going public?
The book will be out this month; and it will be presented to the public in a special public presentation event almost immediately.