I should be rejoicing with my colleague and friend, Kwami Sefa Kayi, who was crowned the Journalist of the Year yesterday at the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) awards ceremony, but I'm angry.
I'm very angry about the rubbish some unlearned journalists are putting out here on facebook and other media platforms about Kwami's award.
The issue today is about Kwami Sefa Kayi, but believe me, it goes beyond Kwami.
I've practised journalism for over 28 years and by God's grace, I've also been a journalism, media and communication teacher in universities for over 12 years. In all humility, I therefore know who a good journalist is.
Journalism is not only news reporting. Interviewing is a crucial ingredient of journalism because it's through interviewing that most big exclusive stories are broken by all world acclaimed journalists. If I have to pass judgement, I would say Kwami Sefa Kayi is one of the best interviewers we have in the Ghanaian media today, if not the best. His depth of knowledge on almost every issue makes him ask very probing questions many of our journalists never ask. Kwami is like the Kwaku Sakyi Addos and others we had in the past. They set standards in several aspects of journalism.
I know sometimes enviness comes in but, any journalist or journalism teacher who has followed Kwami's programme would have no problem at all with his award as the Journalist of the Year.
If our colleague journalists who are complaining don't know, radio forms part of the mainstream journalism and also, not only the practitioners who follow government officials to report on them are doing journalism, but raising topical national and global issues and problems and providing well-informed answers to them is good journalism.
Therefore what Kwami does on the Kokrokoo Programme is journalism, hence we should acknowledge his excellent work and congratulate him rather than, as usual, show our envious nature.
Let me take this opportunity to congratulate all the journalists who won awards yesterday, especially my very special girl, Hadiza Nuhhu Billa Quansah. Girl, you dey papa. I know my man Freeman Tettey is on his way to you with your big card.
My word to all of them is that Ghanaian journalism standards are fallen hence the award winners must take up the challenge and help raise the standards.
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