[ 2014-01-23 ]

Komla Dumor conquered the world-Prof. Ken Attaffuah
Legal practitioner Professor Kenneth Agyemang
Attafuah has paid glowing tribute to the late
iconic broadcaster Komla Dumor, saying he
conquered the world in his field of journalism
before his untimely death.

He described the demise of the 41-year-old former
Joy FM and BBC superstar, as a big blow to the
entire world. Komla died suddenly at his London
home on Saturday January 18, 2014 of "cardiac
arrest".

Tributes have been pouring in from across the
world, eulogising the broadcaster's exceptional
humanity and unparalled intelligence.

Professor Ken Attafuah paid his tribute Wednesday
on Adom FM's "Burning Issues" Program which is
broadcast live on Asempa FM.

According to him, the outpouring of tributes from
all over the world testified to the fact that
Komla did his best when he joined the BBC as the
presenter on BBC World News and its Focus on
Africa programmes.

"The News of the sudden death of Komla Dumor hit
me like a thunderbolt! This is how I knew the man,
the Boss Player. I first met Komla Dumor in
February 1998 when he was hosting Joy FM's Super
Morning Show in Accra.

"I had just returned from Canada after a 14-year
sojourn and joined Ghana's Commission on Human
Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) as
Director of Operations and Chief Investigator.
Komla interviewed me umpteen times, and he always
found a way to bring out the best in me...whether
it was a topic on human rights, governance,
anti-corruption, criminal justice, gender equality
or what have you -- issues which readily arouse my
passion, and which deeply engaged his utmost
attention," Prof. Attafuah recalled.

The Criminologist revealed that Komla gave him the
most challenging interviews of his professional
career and sometimes he felt he was unfairly
ambushed, but he understood that the "Boss Player"
was only doing his job by then.

"I encouraged and supported Komla Dumor to attend
Harvard University. I was at his wedding to
Kwansema, who was my friend and senior at the
Ghana School of Law, Accra. My wife Joyce and I
sent a bouquet of flowers to Komla and Kwansema
when we couldn't attend his graduation at Harvard"
Prof. Attafuah stated in his tribute to Komla.

"Below is the recommendation letter I wrote in
support of Komla's application for financial
support from the Joint Japan World Bank Graduate
Scholarship Program to attend Harvard University.
That was in April 2002.

I think the letter speaks for itself, and I cannot
pay a greater tribute to the Boss Player, the
Journalist of the Year (2003) who covered the May
9th Accra Sports Stadium Disaster with amazing
sensitivity, and who filed a complaint against not
only the rich and famous in Ghanaian society but
also the most powerful, including Mrs. Nana Konadu
Agyemang Rawlings, and the Social Security and
National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), on the
anti-corruption front:

"Joint Japan World Bank Graduate Scholarship
Program 1818 H Street, NW Washington DC 20433 USA

April 7, 2002

Dear Sir/Madam: Re: Mr. Komla Dumor

I write in support of the application of Mr. Komla
Dumor, a renowned Ghanaian broadcaster, for the
Joint Japan World Bank Graduate Scholarship
Program (JJ/WBSP).

In my capacity as a professional criminologist and
the Director of Promotion and Anti-Corruption at
Ghana’s Commission on Human Rights and
Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), I have had
numerous professional contact over the past 4
years with Mr. Dumor, whose popular Super Morning
Show on Joy 99.7 FM has become the leading source
of news making and a platform for serious dialogue
and mass education on the most challenging issues
in contemporary Ghana.

An obviously bright, young man, Mr. Dumour is a
sensitive and conscientious broadcaster. Through
the medium of his program, which is often informed
by solid investigative journalism, he has actively
engaged civil society and the political leadership
of the country in the discourse on such compelling
issues as crime and justice, human rights and
administrative justice, corruption control,
lawfulness and transparency, and democracy and
good governance. He has also contributed to
raising the profile of various social issues and
propelling them to the forefront of national
concerns, in a quest to generate practical
solutions. Among these are issues of poverty
alleviation, ethnicity, tradition and modernity,
education, science, politics, healthcare, and
environmental protection.

One of Mr. Dumor’s most outstanding
contributions to national development came in
October 2000 when he filed a complaint with the
CHRAJ alleging several instances of corruption and
mismanagement of public funds by the Social
Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), the
nation’s sole pension fund. He ably assisted the
CHRAJ in its vigorous investigations, which
spanned a period of 15 months and entailed several
public hearings at which he testified on oath and
was subjected to intense cross-examination. The
CHRAJ found the majority of the substantive
complaints justified, and commended Mr. Dumor for
his exemplary and uncommon level of patriotism and
commitment in the fight against corruption in
Ghana.

I believe Mr. Dumor represents the new breed of
leadership in the Ghanaian broadcasting and media
landscape in general. His convictions –
reflected in his statements and commentaries –
often mirror public opinion, and sometimes
contribute significantly to shaping public
opinion. It is in this regard that Mr. Dumor’s
scholarly appreciation of his personal power and
the power of radio deserve enhancement. I am
convinced that the opportunities for critical
scholarly analysis and evaluation, available
through the Mason’s Fellows Master’s in Public
Administration at the esteemed Kennedy School of
Government, will significantly enhance Mr.
Dumor’s analytical skills and general capacity
to better serve Ghana in an even more balanced and
progressive manner.

Based on the foregoing, I gladly endorse Mr.
Dumor’s application for the JJ/WBSP. I recommend
him for the scholarship program without
hesitation.

Yours truly,

Kenneth Agyemang Attafuah, Ph.D. Director,
Promotion & Anti-Corruption"

"That was then," the private legal practitioner
said in a mail; "We have both moved on. Life is
not fair. Fair thee well, my dear friend! I will
miss your deep, baritone and assuring voice!. You
were my constant connection to Africa and Ghana
whenever I travelled outside Ghana. I will miss
you always, Boss Player!

"The tragedy is that you cannot cover your own
passing, my friend. The tears are flowing. I must
stop now.

"Adieu Komla!

"Your friend,

"Kenneth Agyemang Attafuah."

Source - Kenneth Agyemang Attafuah

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