By Kabs Kanu
Let us get this point clear. Nobody is doubting the brilliance of BBC reporter Umaru Fofana. As a matter of fact , he is one of the most accomplished journalists. His abundant knowledge, fascinating diction , body language with the mike and brilliant style of presenting the news is admirable. For somebody who has spent his life in Sierra Leone , his intonation is excellent.
We who criticize him do not want him and his supporters and fans to think that we doubt his journalistic skills and nous. We know that he is good . But this is the problem we have with him. I admire brilliant, young people and I will be the last man to cast aspersion on any . However, we want the following from Umaru Fofana.
- FAIRNESS TO THE APC
As an independent journalist working for a public institution like the BBC, which is set up to cater for the welfare of all , Umaru Fofana must uphold fairness and impartiality to every party. He is not a spokesman of a political party. He is not a political journalist . At least, that is what we think of him. Therefore, he must give the APC the same positive level of coverage he gives the SLPP. But everybody who wants to be honest will admit that Fofana is biased towards Tolongbo. When the APC were in power, Umaru’s coverage of events in Sierra Leone was not only constant; he dwelt on negative news . Umaru mainly highlighted the mistakes of President Ernest Koroma, ministers and officials. Umaru pandered to the Western stereotypical image of Africa. Stories about alleged corruption, abuse of power , human rights abuses and misgovernance featured prominently in Umaru Fofana’s BBC reports about the APC . If he was trying the give the world a panorama of bad governance in Sierra Leone, we expected him to maintain same standard when power changed hands, but once the Palm Tree came to power, Umaru went missing in action. His excuse that it was because he had resigned from the BBC does not hold water. He was shielding the SLPP well before that. Umaru resorted to selective reporting once APC left State House.
- STOP COVER- UPS OF SLPP’S AND MAADA BIO’S MISRULE, CORRUPTION , MEGALOMANIA AND BLOODSHED
While Umaru Fofana was fully employed by the BBC, President Maada Bio and his government committed horrendous atrocities. Peaceful demonstrators were shot or bayoneted to death; Lahai Leema and others went to Pademba Road Prisons and massacred over one hundred prisoners and correction officers ; corruption rose to frightening heights while the President wasted money on useless travels . But unlike what would have happened if those atrocities were committed by the APC, Umaru Fofana went totally silent and engaged in cover-ups for the SLPP. None of these depravities appeared in his BBC reports.
So, you see, the issue is not about Umaru Fofana’s journalistic abilities. Nor is it about his credibility in so far as credibility is a term I hate to harp on because it is SUBJECTIVE. It is not written in stone. It depends on where the user of the term belongs. If he is APC, he is disinclined to consider any APC- supporting journalist as shorn of credibility. SLPP supporters will always consider their journalists credible.
We want Umaru Fofana to note that he is not working for the government, a political entity or partisan societal institution where he is free to choose what perspective or personalities he supports. He is working for the BBC, an international media bastion. The BBC is mandated by its Royal Charter to be non-partisan and impartial, serving as a public service broadcaster. The BBC has no partisan or ideological leaning.
The BBC is set up not to promote personal and specific agendas. The BBC must report all perspectives , points of view and news and must not pick- and- choose about what they report about political parties and governments. As a public service broadcaster, the BBC must comply with its Charter to remain objective. Umaru Fofana’s performance ran counter with the objectives of the BBC and this is our gripe with him.
