To the passing soul of bismark bebli

From: Stephen A.Quaye, Toronto-Canada.

A tear is made of one percent water and ninety-nine percent feelings that is why I am shedding tears right now.

Who am I shedding tears for you may ask. I am shedding tears for a former colleague reporter at The Chronicle who gave up the ghost last week.

Oh my gosh, how can that happened to a young enterprising Ghanaian at a point where we needed him, a political journalist to report events to educate, inform and entertain people I ask myself.

But just like Jean De La Fortaine said in his pictures quotes .com, “every journalist owes tribute to the evil one”, so I kept “mum” after reading the sad news on the internet.

I have known Bismarck Bebli at the Chronicle as a young colleague news reporter when I got hired by Mr. A.C.Ohene then former Eastern Regional editor of the Chronicle and former Acting editor of the paper respectfully.

Bismark Bebli, so humble, respectful, honest, incorruptible, news hungry all the time will be seen scouting for news to make the headlines of the chronicle newspaper.

Whenever he is in short of news, he will not hesitate to pick up the phone and give me a call to find out what was happening at the political front in Eastern Region and if investigating a story will partner with me to successfully conduct investigations as he chases party executives in Accra for their comments.

Whiles I will be in the woods for the sources, he will be running from party head office to another in Accra for more information or comments after which we will put our reports together, file for our editor’s consideration and publication which saw many of our stories making the headlines.

So when the NDC national delegates’ congress in 2006 was held in Koforidua Eredec Hotel, I had no difficulty covering the event with my former colleague Catherine Avorseh as Bismarck Bebli came all the way from Accra to partner with us to do a good job and the chronicle was full of our stories.

Easy to understand anybody, Bismark Bebli agreed to cover the events from the main hall with Catherine Avorseh and another colleague who happened to be the cameraman whiles I covered events from the outside where NDC hooligans and thugs were attacking other NDC members described as saboteurs.

As tension was high at that time that the founder and leader of the NDC J.J.Rawlings was set to leave the party because of Dr. Obed Asamoah, I captured interesting scenes when he was making his way into the hall same as the former and the subsequent beating of Madam Frances Essiam which we reported very well in the chronicle.

The memory of Bismarck Bebli, won’t go away especially recounting how he sympathized with me after news got to him that some NDC hooligans had beaten me outside the hotel for taking notes of fleet of government vehicles that transported party members from far and wide to the congress in Koforidua.

Here Bismark Bebli reminded me of Jean De La Fortaine’s quote that “Every journalist owes tribute to the evil one” that made me put it behind me.

By Bismark Bebli, Stephen Quaye & Catherine Avorseh

Madam Frances Essiam, the outspoken former women's organizer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was yesterday set upon by charged thugs loyal to ex-President Rawlings and beaten black and blue, for daring to talk back at the President who had cursed her by saying publicly that he would pray for her soul and that of Dr. Obed Asamoah.

It was the high point of the NDC's sixth delegate congress, which was marked by violence right from the beginning, when supporters of the two factions loyal to Obed and Rawlings' preferred candidate Dr. Kwabena Adjei bared their muscles and instruments of violence in full view of the Police and law enforcement agencies.

It is sad that I lost my buddy but it is sadder that the inky fraternity has lost a media gem who might have been a role model for the upcoming potential journalists.

To the bereaved family I say sorry for the lost. To the Ghana Journalist Association GJA I say sorry for the lost. May the good lord keep your soul in Abraham’s bosom till we meet again in heaven and share jokes of how sometimes we were chased by hooligans for doing our work.

By Stephen Quaye

Koforidua — The Eastern Regional Police Commander, ACP Reynolds Emmanuel Kwakye has confirmed incidence of theft, buglary and thuggery at the last national delegates congress of the NDC, held at the EREDEC Hotel in Koforidua in a cross verification interview with The Chronicle. Apart from the heckles and physical attacks suffered by Dr. Obed Yao Asamoah and Madam Frances Essiam, other party gurus had their personal documents and money stolen from their vehicles.

Some members complained of having their mobile phones and money picked by thieves, who mixed up with party supporters as the charged thugs tried to beat the two NDC seniors.

Rest in peace Bismarck Bebli.