Chukwuemeka Chukwujindu: Journalism is a Public Trust

By Ferdinand Ekechukwu

For over two decades, Chukwuemeka John Chukwujindu has been more than just a broadcaster. He has been a watchdog, a voice for the voiceless, and a bridge between the governed and those who govern. Reflecting on a career built not only on headlines but on impact, the veteran journalist and media strategist says: “Journalism, to me, has always been a public trust.”

Chukwujindu adds: “It’s not just about reporting events. It’s about giving people the power that comes from knowing the truth.”

From 2004 to 2021, Chukwujindu held the microphone at Delta Broadcasting Service (DBS) Asaba, where his reporting often transcended the news cycle. He covered high-stakes political events, produced hard-hitting reports, and anchored primetime radio and television shows that shaped public opinion across Delta State and beyond.

Whether stationed at the Governor’s Office or on the frontline of communal conflict, his lens was always trained on the real story: the human cost behind the politics.

“I’ve interviewed governors, lawmakers, and local farmers in the same week,” he recalls. “But the interviews that stay with me are the ones with mothers fleeing violence, or youths demanding better roads and schools. That’s where the real stories live.”

His investigative reporting into Fulani gunmen attacks in rural communities helped catalyze policy responses at the state level. His public interest broadcasts—on security, rural development, and human rights became rallying points for civic engagement.

“We didn’t just report the crises,” Chukwujindu says. “We asked, why are people unsafe in their own homes? And what are those in power doing about it?”

In 2017, his exposé on lignite coal deposits and their impact on Delta communities made him a rave, a moment he describes as “bittersweet validation.” “The recognition was not just mine,” he reflects. “It belonged to every villager who let me into their homes, who whispered their fears, and prayed someone would listen.”

Beyond the newsroom, Chukwujindu made waves within the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Delta State Chapter. As Chairman of the NUJ-DBS Chapel from 2013 to 2017 and later as Ex-Officio of the State Executive Council, he introduced sweeping reforms. From establishing the first-ever NUJ Secretariat at DBS to launching a Press Week and staff welfare programs, he redefined what media leadership looked like.

“Leadership, for me, was about legacy,” he says. “If young journalists can walk into a newsroom with hope because of what we built, then we did something right.”

Colleagues recall a mentor who led from the front, whether negotiating with government officials for journalists’ rights or training interns on radio production techniques. Under his watch, several young broadcasters earned promotions, and new platforms were created for professional development.

“I’ve always believed that you don’t hoard knowledge,” Chukwujindu adds. “If I know how to cut a story that moves hearts, I’ll teach someone else to do the same. That’s how we grow the industry.”

His media roles have been vast and varied and so are his technical skills. From studio operations and camera handling to conflict-sensitive reporting and civic advocacy, Chukwujindu’s versatility remains one of his greatest strengths.

Educated at Auchi Polytechnic (HND, ND in Mass Communication), and later at the National Open University of Nigeria (PGD in Journalism), he first cut his teeth in media during his National Youth Service at DBS Asaba. He credits that early exposure to state broadcasting for setting him on a lifelong path.

“I stepped into the station as a corps member and never really left,” he laughs. “DBS wasn’t just my employer. It was my crucible.”

Now in the United States, Chukwujindu continues his advocacy for press freedom, media literacy, and diaspora civic engagement, working with African media networks and local community initiatives. Though oceans away from the beat he once walked, his voice remains active on air, online, and in policy conversations.

“The mission hasn’t changed,” he says. “Whether I’m in Asaba or Maryland, I’m still asking questions, still amplifying voices that matter. Journalism is borderless.”

As the global media landscape grapples with disinformation and declining trust, Chukwujindu offers a reassuring presence, which is rooted in integrity, driven by purpose, and fueled by the belief that journalism can still be a force for good.

“At the end of the day, people don’t remember your ratings,” he reflects. “They remember whether your voice stood up for them when it mattered most.”
An avid lover of books, Chukwujindu regularly contributes book reviews and think pieces to various publications as a guest columnist or reviewer.