It is 7:10pm on Saturday November 12, 2022 and at the security gate of the plush Kempinski Gold Coast City Hotel, my car is being searched by the guards.

I wondered what they were looking for though. Because it was so snappy they did not notice the pen knife I kept in the gloves compartment of the vehicle.

At 7:15pm I emerged from the underground car park, hand in hand with my sweetheart to the sight of a sea of people at the rear entrance to the hotel where the Arabian-named banquet halls are. Instrumental music filled the air as patrons helped themselves to some sumptuous cocktails.

As we drew closer, I saw what seemed like a barricade with people punching on some mini computers. ‘Ei registration!’ I exclaimed. We were made to register electronically and a paper badge was issued and pasted on our chests. Excellent!, I soliloquized as I joined in the cocktail reception.

I saw a few old friends, classmates and seniors in the profession. As usual, the ‘eiis’ and ‘waows’ were in abundance. Unfortunately, my whet appetite for the savories being served was truncated by an announcement for all to get seated for the commencement of the event. Waow! Time-consciousness!

I went into the hall expecting to see the real deal- dinner. But I was disappointed. Only wine and water were served. I was later to find out that someone suggested and it was accepted that the dinner should be “decoupled” from the awards event. Well, in place of dinner, we were served cocktails and savouries. I was starved. 

Although I don’t eat after 6:00pm these days, I had prepared my stomach for the sumptuous Kempinski meals, but alas. To think that I ate only two spoons of a jollof rice prepared for me by my daughter, hm! My consolation was that sometime into the programme, I stepped out to receive a call only to chance upon part two of the cocktail session. I compensated myself well-well.

Attendance was good and music was great, but Emceeing had few glitches. I don’t know why some people think that if you are a good TV presenter, you must necessarily be good at emceeing. Jerry Adjorlolo was paired with Natalie Fort of GH One TV- Good newsreader/presenter, no doubt. But she did a very good disservice to her brand on the night, in my considered opinion.

Natalie did not only speak unnecessarily too fast, but messed up with the pronunciation of some local names. This is contrary to first lessons given to any newsreader by news producers- You check and rehearse the pronunciation of every unfamiliar word. The worst thing is that her faux pas infected Jerry a few times.

Lesson learnt- Not every broadcaster can ace an emceeing gig. Emceeing is a craft on its own. But some broadcasters are able to do it so well as well, thus look for those.

The 26^th GJA Awards- Who won what?

It feels so good to win an award, you know! I remember my experience in 2000, barely three years after graduating from GIJ. I had become a columnist with the Daily Dispatch (that was the first coming of Eric’s Diary) while working with Radio Gold.

When I saw the call for entries by the defunct National Commission for Women and Children (NCWD), I did and they found my article titled, “Talking sexuality with your adolescent child’ worthy of an award. You can imagine the excitement. I went to receive the honour with an entourage made up of family, friends and work colleagues. Needless to add, that I had just become a father, so my first born was part of the retinue.

As such, I watched with nostalgic feelings when I saw Portia Gabor climb the stage to receive her first award in the company of one of her daughters. And when she was adjudged as the P.A.V Ansah Journalist of the Year, it was the whole family, including Mr. Gabor that went to receive the honour.

That Portia deserves this accolade is a unanimous sentiment. Her exclusive-human interest stories have no competition. Anytime I saw them on TV3, I told my wife that ‘this is an award winning story’. Plus, she has made TV3 very proud by being the first journalist to have worn that enviable award in the 25-year history of ‘Adesa We’. No wonder she has been offered a 10-day fully-sponsored trip to South Africa and a two-bedroom house.

I did not miss the point made by Mr. Kojo Yankah, during the announcement of the reward package by the Board and Management live on TV, that Portia is an old student of his school- African University College of Communication (AUCC). Success has many friends, indeed.

And the dominance of the Multimedia Group in the media landscape was demonstrated on the night. Eight out of the twenty or so awards came to Faanofaa Road, Kokomlemle and we basked in the glory.

Best TV Programme in English went to Newsfile, a news analysis programme. Emmanuel Koranteng from the newsroom was awarded the Komla Dumor Most Promising Journalist of the Year. For the Business and Economics category, Daryl Kwawu of Joy Business took home the award for his story – ‘The unemployment challenge’. Another prestigious award went to Solomon Joojo Cobbinah for his documentary – ‘Hunting the witch hunters’.

Richard Kwadwo Nyarko took away the award on Agriculture Reporting and Francisca Enchill (Joy Prime/ Freelance) was recognised for her investigative piece, ‘Pay or die: Agony of pregnant women in hospitals.’ Francisca was also named the Best Female Journalist of the Year. Alfred Amoh of Adom FM was not left out.

My classmate Peggy Ama Donkor of GTV also took home an award. Our colleagues from Ghanaian Times, Daily Graphic, GH-One TV and Atinka Media Village were also rewarded for their hard work.

Now to the Special Awards. At the awards ceremony, six media houses; Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, Graphic Communications Group, Ghana News Agency, Despite Media Group, Atinka Media Village and New Times Corporation were named for special awards. Unfortunately, there was no special reason mentioned for their deserving of these awards. Unless I missed it.

As a result, the journalist in me started imagining widely; Madam Yaa Oforiwaa Asare-Peasah (Recently retired from Ghana News Agency), Mr. Vance Azu (Recently retired from Graphic Communications Group), Loretta Vanderpuiye (Ghana Broadcasting Corporation), John Vigah (New Times Corporation), Roger Quartey (Despite Media) and Edwin Arthur. Let’s take a mental note of this list as I shall return to it shortly.

Suffice it to say that TV3, which is celebrating 25 years as the first private TV station and The Multimedia Group, whose Joy FM is 27 years old (the first private radio station in Ghana), were not on the list.

Ghana Broadcasting Corporation-Yes, Graphic Communications Group- no doubt!, Ghana News Agency- Correct!, Despite Media Group (For introducing pure Akan radio, may be), New Times Corporation- Good. Not Atinka Media Village. For what?

And ooh! I loved the theme for this year’s awards, “Walking the path towards economic recovery: The role of the Media.” Very opportune.

Unfortunately, the leader of the nation who has the mandate to lead the walk with us failed to turn up at the event. Some say he could not risk another boing experience, neither his vice could. So, the lot fell on Mrs. Oboshie Sai-Coffie, Presidential Advisor on Media relations.

Therefore, my wish to see President Akufo-Addo in flesh for the second time did not materialise. My first time was at a Head of State Awards ceremony in the Jubilee House few years ago. On that occasion, I saw for myself, the much talked about presidential height 'feeli-feeli'.

‘Di Asa’ as the Best Radio/TV programme (Akan)

I love dancing. In my heydays, I did the ‘break dance’, ‘cut the cake’, ‘mezup’, ‘backsliding’ and ‘robot dance’. That was when I was called Towek Jay.

So, I follow all dance programmes airing on TV currently- Dance Cetera, Street Dance Challenge and of course, ‘Di Asa’. I started watching this entertaining dance show from the maiden edition which was won by a lady called Love. I watch it with rapt attention, tap my feet to the beats and applaud the shaking of the voluptuous bodies by the contestants, especially during the old school music sessions. They remind me so much of my dancing days.

As such, when it was announced that ‘Di Asa’, one of my favourite programmes on TV had won an award, I flipped the pages of the beautifully designed brochure to check which of the six categories it fell under. It was under Category Four, same as Newsfile. I got alarmed. Some of the patrons who sat around my table also raised queries.

Especially because Best Radio/TV programme (Ga) had been won by a GBC TV programme named “Nigb3 Ny3sh3?” a discussion programme and a phrase that exposed Natalie Fort’s challenge with local phrases. The Ga programme is very much, in terms of concept, like the Best Radio/TV programme (English) which was grabbed by Newsfile.

What then could make ‘Di Asa’, a dance competition, aired on an Akan TV station during which the presenters and judges speak Twi, win Best Radio/TV programme (Akan)? Is it the channel on which it is aired, the fact that the presenters and judges speak Twi or what?

This was the subject of discussion among us in the office the Monday after the event. Looking through the sponsors-advert laden brochure again, I realised that the award was awarded based on the judgement of persons who are very senior to me in this profession-Madam Yaa Oforiwaa Asare-Peasah, Mr. Vance Azu, Loretta Vanderpuiye, John Vigah, Roger Quartey and Edwin Arthur. Remember these names?

Therefore, I tried to hold brief for them. I posited that it could be that no other Akan programme was entered for that category, hence the decision to give the award to ‘Di Asa’. On hindsight and having considered the issue more critically, I want to go back on my position.

I have revised my stance because I remember, Aunty Yaa, as we affectionately call her, saying during the announcement of nominees that some entries were disqualified because they did not meet the required criteria. “Some of the submitted entries did not meet the criteria for winning the GJA Awards...It is essential to note that the committee selected the best entries for the awards.” Mrs. Asare-Peasah explained.

It goes without saying then that, ‘Di Asa’ was considered vis a vis other entries for the Best Radio/TV programme (Akan) award and adjudged the best. If that is the case, then the logical question is, is ‘Di Asa’ an Akan programme? Based on their criteria, which unfortunately, I am not privy to, the answer may be yes.

However, I have worked around radio and TV programming long enough to know that when we say Akan programme, it should refer to ‘Obi Adi M’awu’, ‘AM Drive’, ‘Ghana Nie’, and ‘Bible discussion with Pastor K’ all on Atinka FM/TV, not a reality dance competition whose only relationship with Akan is the channel on which it airs and the Twi language spoken by the presenters and judges.

It’s time to go

Truth be told. This is not the first time ‘Di Asa’ has won a GJA award. At the 24^th awards ceremony in 2019, it won the best entertainment programme on television. Deservedly so. Because the concept is unique, thus out of this world. The show also has the mass appeal which has inundated it with with so many adverts.

How it became the Best Radio/TV programme (Akan) at the 26^th GJA awards ceremony is what I am struggling to understand. Could it be that under the GJA presidency of Mr. Albert Dwumfuor (Head of Corporate Affairs at Tobinco Group of Companies/Managing Director of Atinka FM), Atinka Media Village must win awards at all cost? A special award whose basis is not too clear and a reality dance competition being adjudged as Best Radio/TV programme (Akan)?

Our elders say, he who cuts the path, does not see how crooked it is. I trust that these observations of mine, will be accepted in good faith. Otherwise, if there is information that I should have had access to, which I did not, someone please let me have it.

I have alluded to all the positives that I saw in the organisation of the 26^th GJA awards. I have also taken note of the refurbishment of the Press Centre, all within this record short period (barely five months) of Mr. Dwumfuor’s assumption of the GJA presidency.

Having said that, it is my wish that these little things I observed would be avoided going forward. This is not the way to continue from Affail Monney’s presidency. Lest you get people asking, ‘did we go or did we come?’

Nägemist!- That’s goodbye in Estonian

Let God Lead! Follow Him directly, not through any human.

The writer works at Myjoyonline.com. He is also the author of two books whose contents share knowledge on how anyone desirous of writing like him can do so. Eric can be reached via email eric.mensah-ayettey@myjoyonline.com. The two books cost GHC80.00.