Tribute to a journalist - "Adios Samuel Ennin".

It is with such dismay that I write in remembrance of a classmate at journalism school in Accra, a memory recognizing the great contributions of this genuine friend –Samuel Ennin, former regional chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association in Ashanti, Ghana.

A journalist par excellence, Ennin was the first to be noticed at the lecture hall when I first set foot on campus, and with Akwasi Ampratwum-Mensah, John Cudjoe Kamassah, Naa Ayeele Ardayfio, and Ato Sam , the friendship that followed impacted enormously the workings of the Student’s Representative Council (SRC) of the Ghana Institute of Journalism on Abdul Nasser Road in Accra.

Foremost, I thought Ennin was a lecturer due to his eloquence. Later, he jokingly said he was a "student-lecturer".

Samuel Ennin was a “people-centered student”, well known by lecturers and students, but he was also a student who carved a good name for himself through the dissemination of political thoughts at the famous “Café”.

Ennin tailored friendship to the needs of his friends.

When I co-edited the Institute’s mouthpiece with Ebenezer Ato Sam (now Baby Ansabah), Ennin served as the editorial adviser, the architect of most of the editorials written. This was not without controversy.

As journalists put it : “he has good nose for news and headlines”.

Subsequently, when I introduced a weekly column - “Dictionary of Politics”, Samuel Ennin once again , became the co-provider of diverse ideas for most of the articles written.

Ennin was appointed an executive member of the Pan African Students Union (PANAFU) of which I was the President in 1991.

Thereafter, I was sufficiently criticized for Ennin's involvement in the Union- "Beware, when dealing with student journalists".

But I firmly defended his credential as a "humanely vociferous " individual dedicated to our objectives, and a union of all-African students.

Through PANAFU, Ennin’s political leanings showed as a critic of socialist ideas and violent students' activism.

He would be remembered for his "verboseness".

At one of our meetings , he told us,: “ I believe in liberal central-right democracy”, a political ideology which he did not explain to our movement known as the “Croo” – crafted from the word - “cronies”.

Samuel Ennin was outspoken, well-dressed journalist, a caring individual who would share his last "pesewa" with friends. He appreciates quality friendship.

In the charged tradition of journalism school politics, Ennin played active role to suppress class/status groupings, and infused into our liberal students’ movement a new sense of direction, intelligently, but covertly run to appeal to all sensibilities.

He was a master strategist, a contributor to our just cause , and was not afraid to express an opinion.

Kojo Yankah, then director of the journalism school had great respect for Ennin, so was our movement.

Ennin was utterly fearless.

He was well rounded, a friend of all, an excellent “mixer” who also generated countless debates from "engineering through philosophy to political economy".

It is, therefore, an understatement to suggest that "Croo"- our movement , and Ennin - who was an active member, operated without controversy.

Ennin , and the movement, kept people off track sometimes, but as a body we were not shaken by both subjective and constructive criticisms .

Rather, we humbly concluded: “that is what sustains our operations, and defines what Ennin represents”.

Ennin was our "Jama chief", and I could recall when we visited Nigeria as exchange students, he introduced series of songs that made a journey from Lagos to the University of Ibadan a memorable one.

They call it "Samanbo" in popular Ghanaian parlance- (a free-for all singing which also serves as a commentary on the dynamics of civil society). Ennin was the lead singer.

In the midst of all these, he prompted us to "think and seek" higher academic standards in the future, and was always proud to introduce himself as a journalist of the highest standard.

That was a statement of fact.

Ennin even became a full-fledged journalist before he graduated from journalism school, such was his confidence and writing skills that made it impossible to differentiate (as he rightly explained) "a cow from a calf".

Ennin's death poses many questions, one of which is - "who's next?".

It could be another journalist who also cares, and is committed to serving his country through the use of a pen or the electronic media.

But it is true, that those who killed Samuel Ennin, my friend, classmate, and a friend to many journalists, are indeed, more than cowards.

And his death would not serve as an obstacle to free speech, or the rights of any journalist to inform, entertain, and educate through a profession that still thrives on reputation and risk.

Samuel Ennin still lives; as a monument waits to be erected in his honor.

Damirifa Due, “Croo”.