The Legon student I recruited ‘raw’ – Sammens narrates how he discovered Bernard Avle

Media owner and founder of Citi FM, Samuel Atta Mensah has revealed how he met and recruited 2017 GJA Journalist of the Year, Bernard Koku Avle.

MyNewsGh.com learnt from Sammens that he had driven into the Legon campus to look for any student who was available and he chanced upon Bernard Avle who said he wanted to do radio.

“Did I know Bernard before CITI, the answer is no. Did I hear of Bernard before CITI, the answer is no,” Sammens explained.

“So I just told myself let me drive to Legon to find people who are available and that’s how it started. McDamon said he was in Legon so let’s go. So we got to Legon and he said let me call some of my friends. Then Bernard pops up.” Sammens narrated.

According to Sammens, he asked Bernard if he wanted to do radio and he answered in the affirmative.

"I said you want to do Radio, he said yes. You want to do radio, he said yes. I said start on Monday," Sammens said.

He said “Aah, but I have exams to write”, I said finish the exams and come. And that’s how it started. I didn’t know jack about him.” Bernard Avle in his own remarks followed by MyNewsGh.com said, “I am proud of an interesting experience”.

He revealed how his first experience was interviewing Osafo Marfo on December 4, 2004.

“I started as a student journalist, and it wasn’t because I was hoping for an award but it was because I discovered I could make an impact in my country and society; an impact that is time-tested,” Bernard said of his award.

“It is a real privilege to be adjudged the journalist of the year by a team of judges. It is an honour and an honourable responsibility. I am happy and also humbled and encouraged to do a lot more,” he said

“Winning an award is not a day to necessarily gloat over personal excellence. It is teamwork. For people like me, it is a job to do a lot more to make the profession grow to a point where it can sustain people’s incomes, while we hold leaders accountable and supporting people from obscurity. It is a big challenge and we ask God to help us do that,” he added.

Bernard Avle, is host of Point of View on Citi TV and the Citi Breakfast show one of the most-listened-to morning shows in the capital. He was among about 36 selected journalists in the country who received various awards on the night.

“I’m happy because this is a recognition of just what I have done, but what Citi stands for. This radio station has given me the opportunity for the past 14 years to prove myself. So if being one of the leading presenters on Citi, I win this award, it’s a Citi award. So I’m grateful to Sammens and the team for the support, encouragement and guidance and for Team Citi for pushing me.”