Account of My Trip To Accra, Ghana

• Posted by Modou S. Joof on May 31, 2010 at 11:06pm
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L-R: The Author (Modou S. Joof, news editor, The Voice newspaper); Mamadou Edrisa Njie, senior reporter, News & Report Magazine; and Amie Sanneh, senior reporter, Foroyaa newspaper at the Banjul International Airport Terminal before departure.

Sharing My Experience From Ghana, Part 2: A Memorable Flight To Accra

• Posted by Modou S. Joof on May 24, 2010 at 5:47pm

Posted on May 22, 2010 by sengbehhttp://www.theinformer-lr.com/  sengbeh.wordpress.com

                                     The author, D K Sengbeh on his laptop at the HighGate Hotel in Accra

It was a day of mixed weather: the sun initially showed its sweltering prowess, making everywhere hot. Then, it became cloudy. Large droplets of rain came down, hitting the soil unfeelingly, for a while; then, the sun showed its face again, this time not as sizzling as the previous.

By 18:15, Saturday, April 17, 2010 we were already seated on board the huge Kenyan airliner, KQ 0509. The pilot ignited the engine and left it beating momentarily, warming up for a nearly two-hour flight. We, not quite 200 passengers, had waited for hours, aching to get on board for our destinations. We had expected

The two Liberian journalists, Moses Varfee Kowo and D K Sengbeh standing under their country's flag (second from right) hoisted among several other flags at the Kofi Anna Institute in Accra, Ghana

                                      The two Liberian journalists, Moses Varfee Kowo and 

                              D K Sengbeh standing under their country's flag (second from right) 

                         hoisted among several other flags at the Kofi Anna Institute in Accra, Ghana

to depart by 17:30, according to information on our tickets, but it would be a little over an hour due to flight unpunctuality and other associated matters we would never know.

Sharing My Experience From The National Arts Center In Accra, Ghana

Posted on May 6, 2010 by sengbehsengbeh.wordpress.com http://www.theinformer-lr.com/

                                             Some Ghanaian fabric at the Art Center in Accra
The sun wasn’t hot as usual, but it was hotter than a hot day in Monrovia. I did not get up as early as usual. We had been told the day before that we would visit the Art Center and the Accra Shopping Mall, the largest in West Africa, I was made to understand. I was not really impressed about going to the Art Center. I had been there before, in 2008, when Accra was jam parked, days ahead of the kickoff of the 2008 African Cup of Nations that was being hosted there.

D K Sengbeh, author of Sengbeh's Blog, holding a craft fan he bought from the center

W/African Journalists Urged To Be Cautious In Conflict Reporting

• Posted by Modou S. Joof on May 19, 2010 at 5:49pm
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April 26, 2010

 Writes D K Sengbeh in Accra, Ghana sengbeh.wordpress.com http://www.theinformer-lr.com/ 
sengbeh.wordpress.com 

                           West African Journalists from Liberia, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Nigeria,
                       Togo and Gambia at the Ghana International Press Center In Accra, Ghana

West African journalists have been admonished to be cautious in reporting on conflict situations in the sub region that has been engulfed by wars and instabilities for the past two decades.
The journalists were told that they have to practice conflict sensitive and peace reporting and avoid forms of reportage that have the propensity to fuel and escalate violence and destruction.
The reports of the media has the propensity to escalate conflict…therefore “media practitioners need to demonstrate professionalism in the use of language when reporting on conflict
situations,” Mr. Albert Sam, Public Relations Officer of the Graphic Communications Group, Publisher of the largest newspaper and publishing house in the Republic of Ghana, told the journalists.

Happy-Sad Independence Day: The Case Of S/Loene’s Femi Coker

• Posted by Modou S. Joof on May 19, 2010 at 5:38pm
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        Femi Coker pose for a photo after a training session 

at the Kofi Anan Peace Centre, Accra, Ghana

She got up overfilled with joy, sparklingly dressed and energized for the day’s activities, but these unparalleled “goodies” would not live to see the day’s end.

Her plan for a mouthwatering evening party or mini celebration was a blatant fantasy, and if she knew what ambush fate had ahead of her she would never have had any reason to be cheerful. Her face gleamed with a broad smile, indicating that everything was all right, at least, as she took her breakfast to a nearby table.

After having my breakfast, I moved over to her table to keep some conversation until she finishes for us to get set for class. “You look smart and lively today,” I pointed out. “Yes, today is a big day for me in my country,” Femi Coker replied.

I was lost. We are way in Accra, Ghana, at the HighGate Hotel, having breakfast at about 7:30 am, along with other West African journalists. I could not understand. Therefore, I was lost when Femi said she was the way she was because it was “a big day” in her country.