'A bird that remembers its flock never missed the way'

Only idiots can’t see the darkest point in our history!

‘A bird that remembers its flock mates never missed the way’

Chapter 05

By Gwado J. Ador

Humid as usual in Juba, but certainly, it was a lovely morning when he set his foot into the building of Radio Juba on the 04th of April 1980.

A 15 year- old, just finished with his Sudan Secondary School Certificate was bound to get a job to enable him to carry on with harsh life-style in the newly established capital Juba.

Radio Juba was situated in a concrete block standing in the middle of a wooden barbed wire fence. It was surrounded by Niem trees and had some beautiful flowers in the surrounding and the path leading towards the entrance. The radio complex was an old building just opposite to the Buluk Police Training HQs along the main road leading towards ministries’ complex at Gonyia area.

This building contains only the administration, editorial section and recording studios. The main broadcasting studio was at Nyakuron and transmission was at Gumbo area on the other side of the Nile.

Inside that fence, was there another row of offices standing beside the radio complex.

They were belonging to the English daily Nile Mirror managed by Mr Atem Yak Atem and colleagues.

At the entrance of the main building, while he was walking in, voices and laughter’s of men and women could be heard coming from a wooden partitioned section of the building on the ground floor. The door pushed wide open and a young man suddenly emerged obviously coming from that part of the building.

Excuse me please, my name is Gwado Joseph Ador, I am looking for the office of the Director.

‘Oh, it’s still too early my friend, the director will come at 08:30 AM, but still, you can wait.’ He told me.

Then he introduced himself as Gabriel Lam. A Nuer from Akobo working as a sound technician within the Arabic Department.

I told him I am a Shilluk from Malakal, I have recently arrived from Malakal, I am a secondary school leaver, just looking for a job within the radio station here!

Garbiel was so friendly. He told me to follow him to the section where he appeared some moments ago.

There, I have been introduced to a pleasant-looking middle-aged man who was so welcoming with a broad smile on his face, saying: I am Arop Bagat, the head of the Arabic department.

I was so happy and said to myself. Now, things seem to have been working out smoothly for me. I was asked to take a chair just opposite to his desk, and I sat comfortably.

He rang a bell and then a messenger appeared at the door offering something to drink:

Tea or coffee? She said,
I told her, tea…Please.
Sugar a little two or …
I said, Just black tea with a little amount of sugar.. thanks!

Bagat likes to crack jokes. He was in the middle of a conversation with some of his staff and colleagues. Obviously, editorial faults in the previous day the centre of discussion were.

It was quite a moment, and in the course of the discussion, everybody was jolting and reactive to one another in a clear Juba Arabic tune.

To my amazement, their conversation and collegial spirit with which they were engaged to be perfect, I listened and often contributed thoughts too.

In the course of interaction, I was able to come face to face with some well-known voices behind radio Juba, which was the source of attraction that took my fancy to look for a job in the first place.

I was able to meet Yusif Michael Dafallah who reads Arabic News eloquently, also I met Abubakar Ali (Kenyi)Sadiq Surur, another talented Arabic newsreader with pleasant roar tune. Rehan Abudl Nabi, another tough Arabic editor and newsreader, Tabani Joseph Petia, who reads English news with an American accent, Fozia Hesikia a local Arabic newsreader, Fozia Daniel, a classical Arabic newsreader, Samira Thomas Ladu, had perfect Juba Arabic tune with a pleasant tune, Nafisa Abdul Rahman who you can’t believe her use of Juba Arabic and word choices, Bol Wier Sie with perfect classical Arabic editing style, Suzan Alfonse, a keen Arabic editor and newsreader, Albino Okeny, English editor who doesn’t tolerate mistakes, Jacob Oraj and English editor and newsreader, Mary Maleth a keen bilingual editor, Nyankor Atem chief reporters with shrewd approaches, Shaw Mayol Dut Shaw an Arabic newsreader and editor, Victor (Abdullah) Keri Wani an English newsreader and keen editor, John Wani Simon a bilingual editor and newsreader, Malak Aywen, an Arabic editor and newsreader.

I met some whom I could identify like Moses Mojwok Akol who always uses the BBC thick tune in his reading style, and Luk Dak Kowth who breaths out clear Arabic to warn eminent political decision from the highest office, Moyiga Anderu and English keen and perfect editor and Taleb Juma Murjan who had his own unique style when reading news in Arabic. All were perfect and were chosen because of their talents and values they would add to the development of media in South Sudan.

I was informed also that the man in charge was called Jonathan Mayen Ngwen, he was the director of Radio Juba and his deputy was Pasquale Dafallah.

Of course, the staff were there a little bit earlier, because some among them were on the duty for early broadcast. They were in the studio as early as 05:30 AM and now they were back.

However, the staff were alert when Mr Ngwen arrived and entered the building. Bagat told me immediately to follow him to the third floor where the office of the Director and his deputy Mr Pasquale Dafallah who was also responsible for the Administration and Finance was.

In his office, Bagat introduced me to Mr Jonathan Mayen Ngwen. He is a kind-looking man in the middle of 50th. Practically, he looks more professional in his appearance and approach than just a mere administrator. Though, he was more inclined to culture and tradition. You can’t mistake him for being a historian, very keen and resolute.

Yet, you could find him always involved in the day to day editorial matters. He was found of walking around various sections to make sure that everything was under control as I saw later.

I took the opportunity and introduced myself to him showing my passion and interests in looking to work as a reporter within his wonderful establishment.

Immediately, I handed him the content of the envelope to him. He looked at them with keen interest and nodded saying ok.

Mr Ngwen asked some few questions and the most remarkable was: ‘Why do you look for a job particularly in such an institution which might require some technical background?’ ‘I want to know where your talent lies.’ He asked,

‘…I think sir, I can do the job of collecting information if I am given the opportunity.’ I answered him.

Also, Bagat informed him about a vacant position in the nominal role for a reporter in the Arabic Section of which could be filled because he has shortages of reporters.

I was so pleased to hear about this and couldn’t conceal my happiness, I was smiling to myself, thank my God. I was over the moon during that moment.

Thereafter, Ngwen wrote a note addressed to the Director of Administration and Finance to take immediate action.

I found out later, it was a draft letter of my appointment as a reporter on probation against ‘grade 14 in the nominal role’, pending confirmation from the Ministry of Public Service and Manpower in the HQs.

Thus, that was my first carrier and my first engagement as an employee on the Radio Juba which was marked by progress later as a (ranker) before I could join the University of Juba as a mature student.

My assignments, however, were scheduled according to the pre-set rota for the events or anniversaries at different institutions.

I used to go every morning to the ministries hunting for news or reports, sometimes doing interviews with prominent figures as required by the chief reporter in the editorial desk.

Editors and Chief reporter must always ensure that I am accompanied by a senior reporter who would see that I am doing the right things. I must write correct names, places, quote prominence involved, dates and venues.

Everything must be perfect because editors are so busy as they don’t have time to cross-check the information collected. The more I was keen on recording correct details the less I expect a surge of explanations and bosses annoyances.

I climbed the career ladder starting from just a mere reporter, then stepped further as a full-fledged reporter, then sub-editor and managing editor… until I became one of the senior directors in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting later following the independence of South Sudan.

I am arguing this simply because, I have been brought up in South Sudan as a media practitioner. I was privileged to be one among this. unique family members whom I owe them full respect for learning the technique of going about journalism.

During my work as a journalist, since 80th, I didn’t observe anything such as segregation or ethnic bias. We were all driven only by work ethics and standards set by our carrier. We were all South Sudanese regardless of ethnic background!

I believe that most of those who were there during the 80s and 90s were well nurtured and trained as professionals. They knew very well how media works, its ethics, code of conduct and behaviour and how to deal with situations outside their scope.

Ministry of Information had great men and women from different ethnic backgrounds of South Sudan. They were properly trained and skilled in their areas of specialisation whether as directors or reporters, editors, translators, anchors and sound technicians.

Most of our directors were rankers who developed through on-job training. They understand the work requirements and what it takes to become a good journalist.

Those days, we had few graduates, they added values to the carrier. Most were perfect editors in both Arabic and English which were working languages.

All had carrier phase which each and everybody among them had to ensure they develop through systematic training throughout their journey in the field of journalism.

This ethic was maintained throughout the last decades since the establishment of the regional autonomy government of 1972 up to the days leading to the final independence of South Sudan on 09 July 2011.

The system was kept free from tribal hatred, nepotism and abuse of power at various levels of administrations.

First, we had Minister Mading de-Garang who was perfect and understanding, then followed by Othwonh Dak Padiet, later came Yohannes Yor Akol, then, Samson Kwaje, followed by Barnaba Marial Benjamin, then lastly came Gabriel Changosn Chang.

None of the abovementioned ministers had violated these principles, ethics and work conditions in the media institutions.

Media in South Sudan had a heyday, the recruitment policy would always reflect the talent of the aspirant candidates. Administrators make sure that, they draw their candidates always from all ethnic background of South Sudan.

These people were recruited in accordance with public service regulations and principles and always had copies of their contracts to bind them with the institution to ensure their rights and obligations as professionals.

But, with the independence of South Sudan, nepotism and tribalism started to pop-up. It became the order of the day, then sooner it flared up when Minister Makuei took over the rein of the administration.

Very unfortunate that you could hardly get the old gurus whom I have talked about in the ministry of Information and Postal Services; either because, they have been arbitrarily dismissed, self-exiled or left for better offers somewhere else.

Upcoming…

‘When two men quarrel, do not allow them to share the same seat on a canoe’

‘Dedicated to the honest and fearless in South Sudan’

Please, follow part six only on Media Projection Ltd