Raleigh Conference Diary Part One!Something strange occurred during the Gambian conference held in the Triangle over the weekend. Guess what? A key member of the organizers of the conference Mr. Alkali Conteh rudely interrupted a Freedom Radio interview we had with Ousainanou Darboe, the leader of Gambia’s main opposition group—the United Democratic Party (UDP). Mr. Conteh emerged from the conference main hall at the start of the interview to ask Mr. Darboe to discontinue the interview without allowing the Freedom Editor to finish his interview with Mr. Darboe. Mr. Darboe was at the hallway at the time speaking with Freedom Radio’s Pa Nderry M’Bai during their short break. Mr. Darboe’s brother Yaya Darboe, and a handful of conference delegates witnessed the fracas. Mr. Conteh confronted Mr. Darboe by telling him “Ngataa” in Mandingka—meaning lets go. He persistently asked Lawyer Darboe to discontinue the interview.
It is our fervent belief that Mr. Conteh’s behavior was totally uncalled for and reprehensible to say the least. How can Mr. Conteh, of all people treat a journalist with contempt and utter disrespect? This is not how we conduct business in the United States. The press is an important pillar in any democratic dispensation.
We expect Mr. Conteh to at least show some degree of respect to Ousainanou Darboe, but Conteh was behaving as if he owns the conference. He escorted Mr. Darboe back to the conference hall—leaving delegates to wonder what type of creature is this guy, who invited delegates from Africa, Europe, and America for unity meeting to shape the future of the Gambia.
I must say that Mr. Conteh has lost my respect due to his comportment on the day in question. He should have at least allow the interview to proceed without resorting to prematurely terminating it.
This was not the end of the story. Mr. Conteh also verbally reprimanded me on the phone, when I ran a piece about the first day opening of the conference, in which Ousainanou Darboe and Hamat Bah had a heated argument during the session. Mr. Conteh phoned me and started accusing me of trying to sabotage the meeting. He claimed that the Freedom Newspaper reportage did not truly reflect what was said at the meeting. He even went as far as saying that I should have heeded to appeals launched by some delegates, including some members of the media not to expose some of the proceedings of the meeting in the public domain, in which some of them believed might have undermined the purpose of the conference if reported, or aired on radio.
Alkali got it all wrong when he tried to lecture me about responsible journalism. Since we failed to meet his expectations, he thinks that we have failed his own definition of responsible journalism. Mr. Conteh, our job is bigger than an individual interest. Public interest supersedes personal, or organizational interest.
My buddy Lamin Tunkara too phoned to register his displeasure about the Freedom reportage. Mr. Tunkara was of the view that the Freedom reportage was irrelevant. That we should have reported the story differently than focusing on an argument Hamat Bah had with Ousainanou Darboe. I was having a company when they called. I couldn’t speak to them because of the people around at the time.
Both Alkali Conteh and Lamin Tunkara should understand that they have no right to dictate, or interfere with the work of the media. If they are aggrieved with our reportage, they are free to send in a rejoinder. We will gladly accord them with the right to reply to our reportage. We must say that we appreciate their feedbacks, but blaming a journalist for honestly, and accurately reporting about what transpired at a given conference is hypocritical to say the least.
Honestly speaking, I was shocked when some of my own colleagues in the media business tried to prevail on me not to report about some of the things that were said at the meeting by some delegates. The media should remain impartial no matter what. We should be able to draw a fine line between the work of an independent journalist, political activist, and a party supporter. The purpose of the conference would be defeated if the media is afraid to accurately relate what was said in an open forum.
After all, it is not the business of the media to protect the interest of the opposition. The opposition should safeguard its own interest. A journalist who sought to promote the agenda of one political grouping and antagonizes the other side of the political spectrum risk losing his, or her credibility in the eyes of the public. I do not need to lecture anyone about fair and balanced journalism. We should be able to freely and honestly report issues without taking sides. That’s what honest journalism is all about.
I have been called names for merely discharging my duty as a journalist. I have no regrets for giving the Raleigh conference the coverage it deserved. We are not here to serve any group’s interest. We are here for the public interest. Alkali Conteh should get that. Thanks for your attention.
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