Ghana’s ultimate Sports journalist?

‘’16 years ago, the vision of Kwasi Twum at Multimedia took me to Joy fm as a raw and hungry reporter and what i learnt there helped me immensely at the BBC in London. Later i returned home to join Talal Fattal’s sports vision at Metro tvwhen Ghana made it to Germany 2006. Today,it is the exciting vision of Edward Boateng with Global Media Alliance that has informed my decision to join e.tv because ultimately, we all have a vision; but there is a time for everything. If we do not learn to whole heartedly support the great visions of others, we will never realise our own when the time comes’’ *

He once reported as a parliamentary correspondent for Joy fm in Accra, he was put on a weekend show to play country music by his boss Tommy Annan Forson, he is a script writer, editor, producer and reports live from around the world with cheeky ease on radio and television. Yet he claims to be still learning his craft? Who is Yaw Ampofo-Ankrah kidding? When i first saw Yaw being interviewed by Robin Adams on etv during the World Cup (South Africa) i was greatly impressed by his command of the English language, his delivery, wealth of knowledge and his calm confidence. I assumed he was just another good journalist from West Africa (Ghana). So as part of our coverage of the world Cup and the people reporting on the soccer showpiece from around the world, our editorial team decided to include the Ghanaian on our list of people to know. We soon discovered that this was a very interesting and seriously multi talented young man.

‘There is no secret. It is my passion for people and faith in God that has brought me this far’ At age 37 and seemingly so grounded, Yaw Ampofo-Ankrah at one time or the other, has worked in some of the most respected and influential media organisations in Ghana and beyond. From his humble early start at a small fm station called Sunshine Radio in Accra, Yaw recounts that monumental 1999 under the tutelage of KKD, to Tommy Annan Forson’s mentorship at Choice Fm, Emma Morrison’s counselling at TV3,and presenting sports next to Komla Dumor on the Super Morning Show at Joy fm.

The list goes on to include Atlantis Radio, Metro tv, most recently Etv/Yfm and with a beam on his face he says ‘and ofcourse the BBC in London where i really learnt my trade’. After further probing and digging, it is even more remarkable when one discovers that the self confessed workaholic and father of two was also the founder of Heritage Magazine UK and the television series on OBE tv. Widely credited with introducing the novelty grassroots talent project Street Soccer Africa to Ghana, he is currently the President of the Ghana Beach Sports Association (GBSA).

Yet, this man who was encouraged to ditch his English names upon advice from his earliest mentor KKD (Kwasi Kyei Darkwah) to enhance his African identity, is quick to point out that he is still WIP (work in progress)learning to become the best at what he does. Money and promotions aside, most people prefer to be stimulated at work and lack of new challenges is often cited as a key reason for leaving a job. Doing the same role, day after day for several years, can become extremely tedious and leave you feeling jaded and in need of a new focus.

Can this be true? Surely the former altar boy who attended the renowned St. Aloysius Roman Catholic College in Highgate London before passing through Wesley Grammar and Kasec in Ghana, is at the peak of his game? ‘No, no, no, he protests not yet because i believe the learning process never stops’’ So where does Yaw get his incredible energy and inspiration? It is quite clear that the BBC trained journalist is his own harshest critic ‘You see, it is easy to assume that one is a successful journalist/broadcaster simply because one writes with style, has a good voice for radio or a neat face for television but i do not see it that way’’ For me, it is all about touching lives. If what i do does not make sense or affect people in a positive way, even of it is just one person at a time, then it is pointless’’ We all have talents but if we do not use our talents to better ourselves and inspire others then it makes no sense at all’’ Yaw confesses that he had an eye for law before he considered journalism but his over-exuberant character and spirit would not have allowed him to focus on his books. He certainly would have struggled to be a pharmacist like his father or an optician like his mother. As much as he loves, respects and admires them, the passion for the medical profession simply was not there.

Ironically, before his big break as a sports journalist, the major turning point in his life was when he failed to gain admission for a BBC programme. ‘It was make or break for me in 2002 when i applied for a job with BBC Talent in London. I had just gotten married and my wife was expecting our first child. I was working as a night security officer at the Medical Research Council and reading Humanities and Media at Birkbeck University of London. Times were hard but i was focused and determined to succeed no matter the obstacles’ He recounts how devastated he was to read the letter that would change his life. Basically, i had failed to make the mark for the BBC Talent programme ‘unfortunately on this occasion your application has not progressed to the next stage..........and best of luck in the future’’

The letter was dated 22nd July 2002 and according to Yaw, it was his wife who kept him going with encouragement because ‘i felt so low but i refused to give up on my dream to work at the world’s most prestigious media organisation’. The perseverance paid off a few weeks later when Yaw was told about another job opportunity at Bush House London by yet another of his media mentors Ben Dotse Malor.

To cut a long story short, he was invited for an interview and was selected along with James Copnall who is now also an international correspondent BBC. The interesting thing was that a few weeks earlier i was reading bad news from the BBC and i did not cry but when i received my appointment letter, saying ‘’ ....we are pleased to offer you a one year guaranteed minimum hours contract as a producer....’’i cried’’

The doors were now open but the hard work was to follow as the next four years would see Yaw given several duties to play at BBC Bush House from producer to anchor presenter of the flagship sports programme Fast Track broadcast to an accumulative world audience of over 39 million listeners. In terms of my his media development and growth, Yaw acknowledges that the BBC was so instrumental but admits he would never have reached that point had it not being for the excellent teachers who guided and continue to mould him along the way ‘‘i would like to use this platform to thank everybody who encouraged me, pushed me and even criticised me to get better at what i do’’

So how does the current media landscape rate or compare to when he first started? Well i believe i have found myself at the right place with e.tvbecause of the challenges and expectations of our visionary ceo Edward Boateng. In life you only learn when you take on new challenges and everyday i am being pushed to do better’’ ‘If it was all about money, i would have run away from the profession and this country long ago but the terrain is certainly more competitive that’s for sure. The challenge now is for us to keep focused and not dare to think that we have arrived or have made it. That would be dangerous because we need to keep improving for the next generation to also learn as we did’’

Yaw is currently the Executive Producer of Sports at e.tv Ghana and Oxigen World Sports on Yfm in Accra. He is putting together a series of courses for up-coming sports journalists based on what he has learnt over the past 16 years of his broadcasting career.