Sports Journalist and CEO of the Africa Women’s Sports Summit, Juliet Bawuah has revealed that she almost quit her job during the 2010 FIFA World Cup after hearing disparaging remarks about her several miles away from home.
Bawuah who has worked with some of Ghana’s most accomplished media houses refused to go into the fine details of those disparaging remarks but hinted that it had to do with nasty insinuations about her gender and wicked lies about the things she was supposedly doing to get ahead in her career.
Speaking after the successful hosting of the Maiden edition of the African Women’s Sports Summit held in Accra, a teary Bawuah said “I almost quit after the 2010 World Cup, because you get to hear stories back home and you are on the field reporting and thinking you are doing a good job. And yet others are saying Juliet is doing this and doing that and I was amazed and wondered if those accusing me are at the same tournament. So after 2010 I almost quit.”
According to Ms Bawuah, these challenges are what birthed the Africa Women’s Sports Summit which came off on Wednesday, May 15 at the Swiss Spirit Alisa Hotels.
Ms Juliet Bawah emphasized that the summit is aimed at encouraging and giving hope to up and coming female journalists that they too can succeed in the turbulent terrain of sports journalism in Ghana and beyond.
A host of some accomplished female sports journalists across the African continent also took turns to share their experiences and to also give practical steps that a modern day female sports journalist can take to leave a mark in a space largely dominated by men.
According to Ms Bawuah, who is the brainchild of the programme, the desire to empower the next generation of female sports journalist was aroused by her own struggles at the start of her career and the ordeal some of her contemporaries, both home and abroad speak about when they meet to interact occasionally.
“Most people feel that we (female journalists) do not belong in the sporting space. I have been through it and maybe I was strong and lucky to have overcome those setbacks. So I decided that we female sports journalists should have a discussion, to be real and talk about the problems facing us. It is about sharing stories and imparting knowledge to the next generation. That is why we dubbed it Take Your Place because there will be a lot of distraction but you have to focus and take the chance when you get it,” Bawuah said after the event.
She also stated her desire to see more female journalists thriving following the successful hosting of this maiden Sports summit.
’There is always something beautiful about being a woman in sports. From coming from behind the curve to taking a front row seat. I have held my own against so much doubt. The urge to see other women step up to the challenge is dear to my heart. We need more women to join us in making a difference in sports.’’
Other distinguished journalists who addressed the over 60 participants at the event venue were, SuperSport and Premier League TV host Carol Tshabalala, Ugandan Sports Journalist, Usher Komugisha, EIB’s Nana Aba Anamoah, Sports Journalist and legal practitioner, Eva Okyere, and former C.O. E of Airtel Ghana and a former member of the Normalisation Committee, Lucy Quist.
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