Clinton Thompson (CT)
does not need any introduction to most practitioners still circulating in the Mass Media industry in Nigeria, particularly in the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN).
A thorough-bred journalist and communication professional, Clinton Thompson was General Manager of Bayelsa Radio, Yenagoa, until two years ago when he retired from service. He  turns 62 on Wednesday.
CT who spent his most active years in service at the Radio Rivers and Rivers SWAN is knowledgeable in all the genres of journalism but made sport writing which gave him national limelight his forte.
He was founding member of Rivers SWAN, Vice Chairman of National SWAN for two terms. He also created the CAIRA (Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Imo, Rivers and Abia) amalgamation of SWAN and was honoured by the government of Col Dauda Musa Komo of Rivers State as the best influence in sports commentary education.
As Rivers SWAN Chairman, Clinton Thompson ensured that sports journalists were regularly trained and updated through seminars, workshops and symposia.
He created a Sports Hall of Fame in Rivers State, the first of its kind in Nigeria and superintended two inductions into the Hall of Fame.
A stalwart at the national SWAN level and a beneficiary of numerous professional travels and education at home and abroad, Clinton Thompson remains till today, an active participant in and resource person to various journalistic bodies.
This has indeed made him a well-known and valuable professional.
In a clime where the challenges of survival-health education, utilities and security had limited life expectancy to an average of  45 years, attaining the age of 62 deserves celebration.  The home  boy from  Amasoma in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State returned to base to mark the epoch.
Speaking to selected sports journalists in Port Harcourt, Saturday as part of his 62nd birthday, CT reflected on the state of sports writing in Rivers State, his achievements, the near-absence of SWAN-sponsored competitions, the lack of synergy between Rivers SWAN and its patrons and supportive corporate bodies and the death of the SWAN Hall of Fame.
His  verdict was a return to the drawing board for SWAN leadership in Rivers State.
Speaking on what he called the falling standard of sports writing CT said:”I read bad grammar in reporting.  We don’t know who is a reporter or not. The place of training is not seen anymore”.
To compound matters, he said, many sports writers still dress shabbily to assignments, a trend, which he noted demeans the image of SWAN.
“I was at a sports stakeholders’ conference in Abuja recently and a man who called himself a sportswriter came in, dressed in bathroom slippers and T-Shirt. He was prompt walked out”, CT said.
He challenged sportswriters and media practitioners to take advantage of the satellite campuses of the various tertiary institutions to improve themselves.  “While not recommending a dress code, sportswriters should also dress decently”, he said.
According to him, sports reporting is now sophisticated with the number of sports rising from 17 to about 40. “It requires practitioners with requisite knowledge and language to write and inform the sporting audience”, he said.
The veteran sports writer and commentator challenged employers and Rivers SWAN leadership to organize workshops that would equip sportswriters with the technical language to report the various sports.
“Sportswriters must shun what has become known now as Entrepreneurial  journalism or  cheque book journalism as it is called in some developed countries, practice sports writing as a calling and with interest,” CT admonished. On the Agenda-setting role of sports journalists, the former National Vice Chairman of SWAN said the leadership in Rivers SWAN must put on its thinking cap. “We have no business with politics; we must engage government on matters of the moment.  For instance, the National Sports Festival is coming up soon in Calabar.
“What is the plan for Team Rivers, what is the budget, what trials have been lined up for the state’s contingent?”, he queried.
He called on the SWAN leadership to be pro-active in playing its agenda-setting role and not consign SWAN to the role of praise-singers.
Clinton Thompson also identified the absence of synergy between Rivers SWAN and its Patrons and friendly corporate organizations as reasons for the current under-performance of the body in Rivers State. “Where are the Patrons who made things happen during my tenure.  Where are Chief O.K Isokariari, Chief Lawrence Ayo, Chief Lawrence  Omohuyi Izzi, Mrs Gina Yeseibo, Nze Tony Nwanya, Bob Ihekona and Jimmy Coker among others?”, he queried.
According to Thompson, the patrons and such multinational firms as Shell, Elf, Agip and Chevron among others threw their weight behind his leadership “and that was why I did not go cap in hands begging for money”.
He said that Rivers SWAN is lucky to have the headquarters of all the oil firms in Port Harcourt which is now the hub of the nation’s oil and gas sector.  “SWAN should explore available opportunities to fund its various programmes”.
The former Radio Bayelsa General Manager also advised Rivers SWAN leadership to explore the possibility of writing the biography of sports stars in Rivers State as a revenue-generation project.
He recalled that during his tenure at the national SWAN, the leadership published a book “Football : Goals for the Future” to raise money for its activities.
Answering a question, the veteran sports writer and administrator expressed sadness over the death of various programmes he initiated in Rivers SWAN during his tenure.
“Where is the Omosule Cup Competition for media men, where is the SWAN Annual Award, Where is the Welfare Package and the Hall of Fame Project?”
He said it was imperative for the leadership to re-unite SWAN as a family in the state.
CT also spoke of the need for the present and future leaders of SWAN in Rivers State to preserve the history of both the national and Rivers SWAN, honour past leaders and carry them along to protect and project SWAN’s rich and noble tradition.
“How many sportswriters can tell the history of Rivers SWAN and its founding fathers which include Fidelis Iyebote, Victor Inengisa Somiarii, Clinton Thompson and Donald Mike-Jaja?” he queried.
These men should be remembered and honoured for their distinguished contributions to the growth of sports and sports writing in the state and nation, he said.
Now a media consultant, CT at 62 said he is retired but not tired.  He expressed gratitude to the patrons and multinational firms, whom he said, gave him wonderful support during his period at the helm of affairs in Rivers SWAN.  “Rivers State is a sweet place to live and I do not regret my stay here”, he concluded.

Mr Clinton Thompson

Donald Mike-Jaja