[ 2014-01-19 ]

Komla Dumor

How the BBC reported Komla Dumor’s death
BBC TV presenter Komla Dumor has died suddenly at
his home in London at the age of 41, it has been
announced.

Ghana-born Dumor was a presenter for BBC World
News and its Focus on Africa programme.

One of Ghana's best-known journalists, he joined
the BBC as a radio broadcaster in 2007 after a
decade of journalism in Ghana.

Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama said on
Twitter that his country had lost one of its
finest ambassadors.

BBC Global News Director Peter Horrocks called
Dumor a leading light of African journalism who
would be deeply missed.

He was "committed to telling the story of Africa
as it really is," Mr Horrocks said in a
statement.

"Africa's energy and enthusiasm seemed to shine
through every story Komla told".

"Komla's many friends and colleagues across Africa
and the world will be as devastated as we are by
this shocking news."

The BBC understands he had suffered a heart
attack.

Komla Dumor featured in New African magazine's
November 2013 list of 100 most influential
Africans. It said he had "established himself as
one of the emerging African faces of global
broadcasting", who had "considerable influence on
how the continent is covered".

James Harding, BBC Director of News and Current
Affairs, spoke of Komla Dumor's "singular role in
transforming the coverage of Africa". "He brought
a depth of understanding, a great deal of courage,
a joyous charm and boundless charisma to his
work," Mr Harding said.





Dumor was born on 3 October 1972 in Accra, Ghana.

He graduated with a BA in Sociology and Psychology
from the University of Ghana, and a Masters in
Public Administration from Harvard University.

He won the Ghana Journalist of the Year award in
2003 and joined the BBC four years later.

From then until 2009 he hosted Network Africa for
BBC World Service radio, before joining The World
Today programme.

In 2009 Komla Dumor became the first host of
Africa Business Report on BBC World News. He was a
regular presenter of Focus on Africa and had
fronted the programme the day before he died.

He travelled across Africa, meeting the
continent's top entrepreneurs and reporting on the
latest business trends around the continent.

He interviewed a number of high-profile guests
including Bill Gates and Kofi Annan.
Last month, he covered the funeral of former South
African President, Nelson Mandela, whom he
described as "one of the greatest figures of
modern history".

He anchored live coverage of major events
including the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the
funeral of Kim Jong-il, the release of Israeli
soldier Gilad Shalit, the Norway shootings and the
wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

In his review of 2013, published last month, Dumor
said the passing of Mandela was "one of the
moments that will stay with me".

"Covering the funeral for me will always be a
special moment. I will look back on it with a
sense of sadness. But also with gratitude. I feel
lucky to have been a witness to that part of the
Mandela story."

'Never flinched'

Meeting Komla Dumor for the first time in Ghana in
2007, BBC chief international correspondent Lyse
Doucet said she had noticed how young Ghanaian
journalists looked up to him.

He never flinched from asking tough questions, but
also loved to share a laugh, she says.

She adds that Komla Dumor had many loves including
football, his faith, his family: "He always said
'I just love talking with people'."

Here is a selection of your comments.
Justice Lee Adoboe, Accra, Ghana: Komla was the
trail blazer of modern radio journalism in Ghana.
He was the icon, most of us local journalists
looked up to, for inspiration. May he rest in
peace.

Samuel Nyambu, Nairobi, Kenya: As an ardent
listener of the BBC, Dumor's voice had become a
signature for all news in Africa and my encounter
with him on TV matched the energy and enthusiasm
that came across while on radio. I will definitely
miss him and I condole with his family, his BBC
fans and the BBC family. May his soul rest in
peace.

Jimbo, Pattaya, Thailand: I loved this
enthusiastic and dedicated man. My heart goes out
to his family and friends in this tragic time.
Hard to believe I will not see his smiling face
and down to earth assessments of his home roots,
Africa, again. A tragedy and one which I trust BBC
will honour and respect to the best of their
ability. Amongst all of the BBC's many great and
famous human assets, Komla Dumor's name should
today be irrevocably established.

Emmanuel, New York City, USA: I first met Komla
while we were both students at the University of
Ghana around 2000-2001. He was working at JOY FM
while still studying at the time. He was affable,
friendly and had a good sense of humour. I have
also been in the studio with him once as the
second highest winner of a radio contest, where he
quizzed us for the grand prize a couple of years
later. We have spoken on the phone a couple of
times and chatted on Facebook once or twice and
when he was about to start BBC Focus on Africa TV
he asked me to kindly publicise the programme
banner with his photo on my profile, and I did.
The last time we met, we were both in Addis Ababa
in October 2012 at the Second Africa Trade Forum
organised by the UNECA. He was there to moderate
some of the sessions and I was covering for Ghana
Business News. He made a mark on radio journalism
in Ghana, and was a great source of inspiration
for many Ghanaian youth, especially, those who
wanted to get into radio. May his soul rest in
peace.

Vanessa Bobai, Ottawa, Canada: Komla was a great
man and very passionate about his job. He brought
out the best in everything he did. Komla rest in
peace you will be greatly missed.

Rickie Davies, Ghana: It is a sad day today, we
have lost a talented journalist. I am still in
shock. A true representation of Africa, strong, a
true gentleman, a go getter. You will be missed
Komla.

Beverley Zimba, New York, USA: Komla was like a
brother that I never met. That smiling happy face
will surely be missed. What a loss! Komla my
brother rest in peace.

Charles Okot, Kampala, Uganda: I am really shocked
and saddened by the tragic news of the death of
Komla Dumor. I watched Komla on Friday evening
full of life and humour. Komla always makes me
smile in front of the TV. This is a terrible loss
for Africa, BBC and the entire world. May his soul
rest in eternity!

Jack Wolstenholme, Kranevo, Bulgaria: I am in deep
shock, hearing of the early death of Komla Dumor.
He added a different aspect on the world's
developing stories, somehow making many, pleasant
and more understandable, even with sensitive
subjects. He will be really be missed by the
viewing audience.

Anderson Chinorumba, Gaborone, Botswana: I
remember his coverage at the World Cup 2010. The
time he took off his shirt to reveal the Ghananian
football team jersey he was putting on. He was a
light indeed to many particularly African
journalists. He will be greatly missed for his
tireless efforts in journalism.

Maximus, London: As a fellow Ghanaian I'm saddened
to hear the death of Komla Dumor. As a child
growing up in Ghana I always listened to his shows
on the local radio and when I moved to London I
was honoured to have met him in person whilst at
work at the Apple Store in White City.

Denise Sangster, San Francisco, California: Mr.
Dumor brought to the world the hope, vision,
plight, and challenges of Africa in an
understandable manner with his unique
perspectives, interviews and coverage of stories
that no other network covered. I am sorry to learn
of his passing. My thanks to his family and BBC
for sharing him with the world. My sympathies to
his family, friends, colleagues and fans.

Source - Radio XYZ

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