As a young man, I was made to believe that the pen is mightier than the sword but in the not-too-distant past event, the just ended Ghana Journalist Association’s (GJA) awards, is making me realize that it is rather the reverse.

I will join one of my most respected virtual friends, Kwame Gyan, to say that he does not want to take away the professionalism and work rate of our virtual friend, Mabel Aku Baneseh, but as he has witnessed over a period, he cannot fathom why the courageous, nation-saving, cost-saving and magnificent work done by Manasseh Azure Awuni could be surpassed by any other work.

Desmond Tutu once remarked that, “If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse, and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.” I surely believe that you, my reader, are getting the drift of my argument before I venture in to the real issues.

I know for a fact that storytellers are a real threat. They threaten all champions of control; they even frighten usurpers of the right-to-freedom of the human spirit -- in state, in church or mosque, in party congress, in the university or wherever. That is one remarkable thing about this brilliant young man God has blessed the nation with. I am talking about no other person than Manasseh Azuri Awuni, one of the brave and refined champions of journalism the country has ever produced.

He dares go where people fear to go. Manasseh won the Journalist of the year award in 2011 while practising as a freelancer. He subsequently joined the Multimedia Group. Through his investigative work, Manasseh has been able to expose massive rot and corruption at the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA) and the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA).

Many in this country were thrilled by his exploits in uncovering the rots in the country that saved our country millions of Ghana Cedis that were leaking into the pockets of some unpatriotic indigenes of our land.

Like Chinua Achebe in Anthills of the Savannah, writers don’t give prescriptions. They give headaches. I am pretty sure that these exploits by the ‘Bongo boy’ has given some people serious headaches and vowed to ignore his feats. But don’t you worry, young man, do not despair. I know you will not despair. You have a manly and a proud heart and I know your proud heart can survive this injustice that has been done to you and the entire nation. 

I can’t help but quote Kwame Gyan again that “The poor middle class nation of Ghana was saved millions of dollars and the people who robbed us off these monies in broad day light were exposed through the work of this man. How were we ever going to know that some people had long received monies for work they hadn't done and will never do? How were we ever going to know that we paid companies 200 cedis for cleaners and they only got 40 cedis? How were we going to know that we paid people monies to cut down trees and plant new trees?”
Kwame continues that “If the GJA cannot recognize the threats to his life when he was doing these stories, his patriotism in turning down huge bribes and car gifts at the time he rode a bicycle, his unquestionable desire for truth and zeal to do what’s right for his nation and his profession, then I wonder whether the GJA is a group worthy of associating with”.

I am not by this article pontificating that Mabel Aku Banessah is not a hardworking journalist. Sure, she is but I also believe that any journalist who is crowned the coveted prize of the best journalist of the year should have chalked extraordinary achievements that surpass all others. You are the best judge! 

I dare say that Manasseh is the people's journalist of the year. Kwame Gyan puts it aptly that “It is too easy to read between the lines here. I hope other journalists will stand up to these shambolic dealings within the GJA. I daresay winning an award from the GJA is one of the easiest tasks anyone can do. The difficulty appears only when the recipient bites really hard, and duly so, at the people who have the power to use the power to show you where that power lies”.

I am wondering why we, journalists, who pride ourselves as the watchdogs of the society can’t simply do things right! Why has it become an annual ritual that after every GJA awards, controversies should arise? Why should a simple organization of awarding outstanding journalists in the country be shrouded in controversies? Why is there always a problem? Why should the ‘sword’ somewhere appear mightier than the ‘pen’ when it is supposed to be the reverse?

As Chinua Achebe again writes in his classical ‘Things Fall Apart’ novel, “When the moon light is shining, the cripple becomes hungry for a walk”, some of us are really tempted to question the integrity of the organization that is supposed to correct the ills of the society.

For many, the GJA is fast becoming unattractive for many a journalist in the country. An association where application of members  can take forever to go through; an association where ID cards for members can take forever to be printed; an association that its members  hears of it only during organization of  awards. My mouth has fallen!

 

 

Richard Kwadwo Nyarko 

Email: quajo2009@gmail.com