GJA is 75 and what a journey it has been. Let me acknowledge up entrance that I’m not a educated journalist– simply an admirer of the inky fraternity and its capability to form the world.
It was unhappy to study that Godwin Avernogbo, a quiet pillar of the career simply died. Together with condolences to the household, one can’t overlook those that paid the final word value for journalism– Kugblenu, Tommy Thompson and others– in addition to those that suffered exile and imprisonment, together with Kweku Baako and Haruna Atta.
For the reason that formation of the GJA in 1949, its journey has been tumultuous– with bans and unbanning.
Journalism has been on the core of our nationwide journey since Charles Bannerman first based the ACCRA HERALD in 1858.
Certainly, to presage the unquenchable penchant of politicians to dabble in our politics, the primary newspaper in Gold Coast, THE ROYAL GOLD COAST GAZETTE, was based by Governor Sir Charles MacCarthy in 1822.
Since then, Danquah, Nkrumah, NADAA and lots of different politicians have owned or edited media retailers. Looking back, possibly I ought to have accepted the provide to be Editor of “The Statesman” in 2009. As for the troopers, they only managed the state media with weapons. And most within the media fortunately went alongside.
As Ambassador Kabral put it in one of many anniversary speeches, “Earlier than I turned President in 1993, the federal government had utterly hijacked the GJA’s “Greatest Journalist Award Scheme” Ah, Ambassador, solely the award? Did you see Kwame Gyewu Kyem and Archeampong do their factor? I shall return to this however to be trustworthy, whereas there have been sufficient dishonour to soil journalism for the ages, there have been nice women and men in addition to establishments who would make it right into a GJA HALL OF FAME.
Amongst these are John and Nancy Tsiboe and their ASHANTI PIONEER which set an ordinary in journalism that may be the envy of many a Pulitzer prize winner within the US. Additionally on this Corridor of fame can be Cameron Duodu, Adwoa Yeboah Afari, Elizabeth Ohene, Kojo Yankah, Kwesi Pratt, Kweku Baako, Haruna Atta, Ken Bediako, Joe Aggrey and some others. And there have been seminal moments.
Elizabeth Ohene’s editorial on letting the blood move, Yankah’s prose, Palmer Buckle’s bravery, Kweku Sakyi Addo on CNN and Ben Ephson’s affinity for knowledge which is used truthfully can illuminate.
As a younger man, I at all times frightened about army dictatorships “shit-bombing” newspaper workplaces or taking on radio stations with drive which undermines freedom of the press. How naive.
With expertise, I’ve come to understand that there are different forces–together with ideology, ethnicity and cash which are extra sinister than bullets and bayonets. As one good friend mentioned soberly, if Watergate occurred in Ghana Woodward and Bernstein would get homes at Trasalco or Regimanuel estates and Nixon would end his time period.
Within the 4th Republic, journalists usually are not bombed–they’re purchased or given appointments. My pals, within the inky fraternity, there’s hope. We could be inspired by the nice work of Pleasure FM’s Newsfile and AM Information with Blunt Ideas by Anyenini and Akakpo, Bernard Avle of Metropolis, Manasseh Azure Awuni, Afia Pokua, Steve Mallory’s exposes in AFRICA WATCH and others. And we are able to reply late Kugblenu’s query to Mike Adjei earlier than Kugblenu’s dying with braveness and patriotism.
He requested, “Mike, do you suppose it’s price dying for this nation?”. If we gained’t, who would? If we are able to’t, who can? Could God bless GJA and Could God bless Ghana.