British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) presenter, Komla Dumor, who died in his home in London on January 18, has been laid to rest in Accra after a requiem mass at the forecourt of the State House, a honour reserved to important personalities.
The Ghanaian, one of the country's most revered journalists, was 41. He was a presenter on the British broadcaster's World News channel and its "Focus on Africa" programme.
Funeral ceremonies were held over three days, with the respected journalist buried at a private event at a family house in Accra on Saturday. A thanksgiving mass was set for Sunday.
In a tribute, President John Dramani Mahama said the late Dumor was a true son of Africa.
“He easily submerged his Ghanaian identity into the unifying sea of gracious and common humanity, so that millions around the world – Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians, Africans and non-Africans, black or white could claim him as one of their own,” President Mahama said.
The tribute which was read on his behalf by the minister of Information and Media Relations, Mr Mahama Ayariga, added: "indeed, Komla’s stature transcends nationality, race and continents.”
President Mahama said no single Ghanaian had risen so far and so favourably in international broadcasting as Komla, adding that, to many people, especially the youth, Komla represented a contemporary example of rewards that can follow hard work, dedication and the pursuit of excellence.
Dumor started his career on a motorbike, serving as a traffic reporter for Joy-FM Radio, before rising to the lofty heights of being one of the lead presenters of BBC TV and radio in the United Kingdom. He dropped out of medical school and later decided graduated with a degree in sociology and psychology.
President Mahama said: "Komla leaves us with some true life lessons that, even when life gives you lemons, you can still find a humble and enduring way to turn these lemons into lemonade.”
'Pigeon-holed'
“He rose from the ashes of failure and disappointment, dusted himself off and bounced back on a new road that made him a star achiever in the world of international broadcast journalism,” he added.
The director of the BBC World Service, Peter John Horrocks, said, Komla’s colleagues “were all numbed” at his death, adding that, he was a “genius” who personified the BBC's commitment to cover Africa in a balanced manner.
He said Komla “refused to be pigeon holed” and spread his wing to be on top of his game interviewing international figures and covering high profile programmes. He was even nominated to be the Face of the BBC in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Mr Horrocks said.
Mr Horrocks said the influence of Komla was so that massive that Prince Charles took time off his busy schedule to write his condolence in a book opened at the BBC. He revealed that the book and a photograph of Prince Charles signing the book of condolence have been presented to Prof Ernest Dumor, the father of Komla.
“In the best of broadcasting, personality and professional skill come together - Komla was supremely gifted in both. Komla was a radiant human being with a razor sharp journalistic mind. He was incomparable star, the world, the BBC and I will miss him deeply,” Mr Harrocks said.
No comments:
Post a Comment