A Step in the Right Direction, BBC

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Akadu Mensema 11 years ago

Kwame, the quotation below is the basis of my quibble or better still disputation of your suggestion! I syour suggestion based on the fact that Komla Dumor worked for the BBC instead of GBC, or what? I don't know the guy, nev ...
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Kwame, the quotation below is the basis of my quibble or better still disputation of your suggestion! I syour suggestion based on the fact that Komla Dumor worked for the BBC instead of GBC, or what? I don't know the guy, never saw him on TV, and never read about him, etc. Death is a terrible thing especially when it takes away people in their prime and at the apex of promise and great expectation. That said, what really is Dumor's achievement? What exactly did he do for Ghana and the profession of journalism in Ghana. Komla was a TV personality and hence well-known. There have been great Ghanaian jouralists who have trained a generation of journalists, written extensively, and shaped the direction of political discources and contributed to the trajectory of nation-building. No one has ever thought of naming some structures or public edifices after them, or memorializing them!Let us stop the misplaced enthusiasm that has followed Dumor's unfortunate passing!

Kwame write: "I wish that rather than knee-jerkily calling for a state burial for Mr. Dumor - not a really big deal, as most of us have come to know it - the executive membership of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) should think about something more meaningful and constructive, such as renaming the headquarters of the GJA after the late radio and television journalist. Or, to have an even more constructive reach, the GJA could also follow the laudable example of the BBC by establishing an annual award in honor of their fallen colleague.."
The Trucker 11 years ago

Good one Akadu. I agree wholeheartedly with your sentiments.It seems the TV personality cult has crept into our culture big time. People are elevated to preposterous heights just because of their ability to deliver impressive ...
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Good one Akadu. I agree wholeheartedly with your sentiments.It seems the TV personality cult has crept into our culture big time. People are elevated to preposterous heights just because of their ability to deliver impressive soundbites on TV.Ridiculous.None of the dignitaries who queied up to heap praise on Dumor was able to spell out in any detail what the late BBC employee did for Africa or Ghana. All we heard was vague generalities and the usual empty platitudes when people don't know what to say but but feel obliged to say something. You don't get popular for taking a stand opposing the majority view especially when there is mass hysteria.
KK 11 years ago

Dumor's "only" achievement is that he worked for BBC! What else can we ascribe to him? We are saying it's a "huge deal" to work for BBC. But these days, it is really not.

Indeed, there are some British journalists/writers ...
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Dumor's "only" achievement is that he worked for BBC! What else can we ascribe to him? We are saying it's a "huge deal" to work for BBC. But these days, it is really not.

Indeed, there are some British journalists/writers who will never work for BBC because of its "reputation" that they place no high score on. (Read Alan Hollinghurst's interesting and funny Booker Winner from 2004 - The Line of Beauty for what he says about working at BBC). But for a third world man like Dumor, it's really the pinnacle of his career. Dumor was lucky to have arrived at BBC at a time the corporation had relaxed its unwritten policy of putting only people with impeccable British accents on the World Service. Had he arrived in the 80s or the disco era, he would have been consigned to the African Service like Hilton Fyle.

The tragedy of Dumor's case is that he died in mid life. This is bad for anybody. We're making too much of his death only because he was working at the BBC. He was a good newscaster but not better than the rest. There are still other Africans working at the BBC. Now we are saying Dumor was the best. Is it because he is Ghanaian? Haba!

We really need to get over the man's death and stop painting him as if he was the best journalist our country ever produced only because he worked for BBC and died early.

As for Okoampa, he wrote this only to "boast" that he
KK 11 years ago

... once exchanged emails with him. You see, this makes him (Okoampa) also important. Huh!

... once exchanged emails with him. You see, this makes him (Okoampa) also important. Huh!
Cantankerous 11 years ago

Thanks.I blame the older generation of Ghana's educated elite with their near fetish worship of the BBC for encouraging this near religious devotion to the British Broadcasting Corporation , an organization long discredited ...
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Thanks.I blame the older generation of Ghana's educated elite with their near fetish worship of the BBC for encouraging this near religious devotion to the British Broadcasting Corporation , an organization long discredited in many other parts of the world because of its skewed reporting of news and current affairs. The BBC is a political and cultural tool in the arsenal of the British government. These obsequious Ghanaian elite who slavishly lap up everything the BBC dishes out rarely bother to source other media outlets .These are the people who think all things Ghanaian is bad and all things British is par excellence.
Paa Kodwo 11 years ago

REMEMBER GREAT PRESENTERS GHANA EVER HAD,THE LIKES OF JOHN HAMMOND,KWAME AMAMU, GILBERT ADDY,VIDA KORANTENG-ASANTE AND DAVID LARBIE.

I DO PRAY, YOU BECOME ADORED LIKE DUMOR FOR HAVING BEEN AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT NASSAU ...
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REMEMBER GREAT PRESENTERS GHANA EVER HAD,THE LIKES OF JOHN HAMMOND,KWAME AMAMU, GILBERT ADDY,VIDA KORANTENG-ASANTE AND DAVID LARBIE.

I DO PRAY, YOU BECOME ADORED LIKE DUMOR FOR HAVING BEEN AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT NASSAU COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN NEW YORK.
Akadu Mensema 11 years ago

DUMOR WAS NOBODY...I HAVE WRITTEN MORE POEMS THAN HE HAS WRITTEN ANYTHING....NONSENSE!!!

DUMOR WAS NOBODY...I HAVE WRITTEN MORE POEMS THAN HE HAS WRITTEN ANYTHING....NONSENSE!!!
Cantankerous 11 years ago

It is not so wise crow too much about one's"achievements" especially if they are more apparent than real.

It is not so wise crow too much about one's"achievements" especially if they are more apparent than real.
Akadu Mensema 11 years ago

You w I would never I say that!

You w I would never I say that!
London Whale. 11 years ago

Envious fool Akadu. You did same to Akadu.

Envious fool Akadu. You did same to Akadu.

Abeeku Mensah 11 years ago

Your selfishness and tribal animus has no end. Which great Ghanaian journalists do you have in mind who have trained a generation of journalists, written extensively, and shaped the direction of political discourse and contri ...
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Your selfishness and tribal animus has no end. Which great Ghanaian journalists do you have in mind who have trained a generation of journalists, written extensively, and shaped the direction of political discourse and contributed to the trajectory of nation-building may I ask? Are you not coyly referring to your Kyebi tribesman Kwame Okoampa-Ahoofe? Do you call what either of you have written and submitted for posting on the community board of ghanaweb as professional publications and articles that could withstand peer review in your respective profession? There are those of us who did not master in English, creative writing, sociology, family science, psychology, Criminal justice and other courses under the general liberal Arts group but took to the real core sciences to see if we could contribute to solving issues on the human plate.
The difference between what Komla Dumor is purported to have achieved in his brief life and professional career relative what you seem to cherish as achievements, Dr. Akadiu Mensemasn are as follows:
1. Earned and unearned classroom credentials are of two kinds,
(a) Worthwhile classroom earned credentials that when applied for human benefit bring value to human lives as we live them and
(b) Meaningless classroom earned credentials as you know for individual glorification with minimal or no impact of societal progress and growth.
I submit to you Dr. Akadu Mensema there is life-value added classroom earned credentials that has helped improve life expectancy of mankind, improved or helped to a improve our understanding of events and life as we know while other credentials of insignificant value to life as we know it are used to collect money in the global market work place to make the world go around. In his finest but short-life at BBC, Komla Dumor chose not to use his talents to inflame those primitive tribal nonsense people like you Dr. Akadu Mensama, Dr. Okoampa-Ahoofe, Adofo Rockson and minimal intellects of the Ghana kind living in the Diaspora and or Ghana carry in your tribally filled little heads to incite and extol Kyebi virtues. Komla Dumor was principled and polished Ghanaian relative to most Ghanaians in the Diaspora. You, Dr. Akadu Mensema continue to enjoy the fruits borne out of the struggles of so many people in America as you continue to pour your education to a less than desired contribution to the living in Ghana.
Show me anyone of Kwame Okompa-Ahoofe and or your students, dead or alive, who survived life as we know it because of your field of discipline and or professional help? As people go about their respective daily lives in Ghana in-spite of your kind of rhetorical nonsense you submit as poetry for publication on Ghanaweb for your fan base of brain dead Ghanaians there are others at work to bring to mankind the joys of life but not of the Kyebi kind.
Paa Kodwo 11 years ago

YOU DESERVE MY SINCERE THANKS FOR YOUR COMPRENSIVE ANALYSIS ON THESE EMPTY HEADS WHO ARE OF NO USE TOWARDS THE SOCIOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF GHANA.

CREATIVITY IN KNOWLEDGE DEFINES ACADEMIC TITLE HOLDERS.

WISH THEM LUCK F ...
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YOU DESERVE MY SINCERE THANKS FOR YOUR COMPRENSIVE ANALYSIS ON THESE EMPTY HEADS WHO ARE OF NO USE TOWARDS THE SOCIOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF GHANA.

CREATIVITY IN KNOWLEDGE DEFINES ACADEMIC TITLE HOLDERS.

WISH THEM LUCK FOR BEING LUCKY TO COME AND ENJOY THE FRUITS OF THE SWEAT, TOIL AND HARDWORK OF THEIR CITIZENS:
Nyansasem 11 years ago

I have no doubt you will argue with God in heaven and I believe the devil will not accept you in Hell. What a man. Haba. Kwame.

Please, this 'tribute' is enough. Don't write about your so called "fights' with him here. Man ...
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I have no doubt you will argue with God in heaven and I believe the devil will not accept you in Hell. What a man. Haba. Kwame.

Please, this 'tribute' is enough. Don't write about your so called "fights' with him here. Many will not understand you. Just leave it.
LONTO-BOY 11 years ago

Nyansasem, I strongly believe Kwame could even start a fight with himself in an empty room. Lordy Lord!

Yes, Mr Komla Dumor's death is sad and shocking. Yes, as Ghanaian he should be admired and respected for his personal ...
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Nyansasem, I strongly believe Kwame could even start a fight with himself in an empty room. Lordy Lord!

Yes, Mr Komla Dumor's death is sad and shocking. Yes, as Ghanaian he should be admired and respected for his personal achievements. Yes, it's inspiring and source of national pride seeing a Ghanaian broadcaster/presenter on the BBC News Screens. However, Mr Komla Dumor didn't break the thickest of glass ceilings at the BBC. Reading and listening to some of the 'fawning' tributes and 'vacuous' platitudes is one too many. My thoughts are with Mr Komla Dumor's family.
kweku 11 years ago

Please Kwame Ahoofe, you are the lowest among human beings on this planet and do you put your head on a pillow when you sleep? Once again please let real human beings mourn this beloved son of Africa.

Please Kwame Ahoofe, you are the lowest among human beings on this planet and do you put your head on a pillow when you sleep? Once again please let real human beings mourn this beloved son of Africa.
Akadu Mensema 11 years ago

...THAT ALL OTHER ARTICLES GET MORE COMMENTS THAN YOURS...PEOPLE REALLY ARE SICK OF YOU AND YOUR ARTICLES...HMMM...IT'S TOO BAD...

...THAT ALL OTHER ARTICLES GET MORE COMMENTS THAN YOURS...PEOPLE REALLY ARE SICK OF YOU AND YOUR ARTICLES...HMMM...IT'S TOO BAD...
Akadu Mensema 11 years ago

Only the webmaster can explain that. I have two computers at home and can't use Akadu on both so how come someone elsewhere is able to use my my name?

Only the webmaster can explain that. I have two computers at home and can't use Akadu on both so how come someone elsewhere is able to use my my name?
Danjumah 11 years ago

Hahahaha! the bigots are on it this time again! You have written more useless poem than Komla amd so what! You have foolishly shown your dirty tribal sentiments against the Ewes than Komla, and so what? You will die and dogs ...
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Hahahaha! the bigots are on it this time again! You have written more useless poem than Komla amd so what! You have foolishly shown your dirty tribal sentiments against the Ewes than Komla, and so what? You will die and dogs will make meal of you mother fucker tribal bigots. Curse forver on all of your family members. You are too dirty to know the late Komla! Nonsnse!
VAQ 11 years ago

AHOOFE, LET US WAIT FOR THE NEXT ARTICLE BEFORE WE MAKE ANY COMMENT.HMMMMMM, AHOOFE CAN NOT BE TRUSTED IN ANY WAY.

AHOOFE, LET US WAIT FOR THE NEXT ARTICLE BEFORE WE MAKE ANY COMMENT.HMMMMMM, AHOOFE CAN NOT BE TRUSTED IN ANY WAY.

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A Step in the Right Direction, BBC

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