PAUL ANSAH’S MEMORY INVOKE PASSIONS

Saturday, June 14, 2008
By Charles Takyi-Boadu
If there is anything that academicians, professional journalists and Ghanaians alike remembers the late Professor Paul Archibald Vienney Ansah (PAVA) for, it would obviously not only be his style and penchant for writing but also his advocacy for quality journalism standards in the country.
This call was re-echoed at the Christ the King hall in Accra on Thursday during the 15th anniversary celebration of the man who has severally been described as the ‘uncommon man’.
Speaker after speaker stressed the urgent need for an improvement in falling standards in both the theory and practice of journalism in Ghana.
The likes of Archbishop Charles Palmer-Buckle, Professor Ivan Adae-Mensah, Ebow Daniels, Dr Doris Dartey and George Woode all emphasised that if he were to be alive, PAVA would have indeed frowned at the standard of journalism in the country since he had always had cause to complain about the theory and practice of journalism in the country.
This was indeed evident in some of his numerous articles in which he launched blistering attacks on the crop and style of journalism in Ghana.
In one of such articles titled ‘the mass media, yesterday, today and tomorrow’, he remarked “the quality was uneven, presentation was poor, there was more gossip and speculation than straight reporting or analysis, the language continued to be inelegant and dramatically offensive, headlines and pictures bore no relation to the accompanying story. Sometimes one saw a categorical and affirmative statement in a headline, while there was only speculation or a guessing game. Logic was stood on its head and it looked as if the editors had declared war on journalistic ethics or decorum.”
Considering the fact that the trend have not changed for the better in modern day journalism practice, various speakers at the forum thus called on the all stakeholders, including the Accreditation Board and journalism institutions to fashion out mechanisms to make amends.
They also talked of the need for specialisation in journalism study and practice.
Present at the forum, were academicians from all walks of life who thronged the event venue to join in the celebration.
Also present was the wife of PAVA, Mrs. Stella Ansah, who by virtue of her relation with him, he preferred to describe as ‘the resident dictator’, ‘my mother in-laws daughter’ and ‘the resident Kwesi Botchwey’.
The late Paul Ansah’s last daughter, Dr Esi Ansah was also there to eulogise the one and only persons whose influence she said had a bearing on the lives of not only members of his family but those who shared his lofty thoughts in principle.
The close bond between the late former President Dr. Hilla Limann also drew his surviving wife and former first lady, Fulera Limann to the occasion.
Many of those who underwent Paul Ansah’s tutelage during his days at the School of Communication were also present to share fond memories of his hay days.
Considering his achievements in life, each and every one of the speakers stressed the need to immortalise the late Paul Ansah with something significant.
There were wide suggestions for a memorial lecture to be held in his honour annually whilst others thought of a Foundation in his stead.
In the end, ace journalist, Kwaku Sakyi-Addo saw the need to name an institution after PAVA, and with his contributions to the University of Ghana’s School of Communication suggested that the school be named after him.
Instead of merely calling it the School of Communication, he proposed that the school be called Paul Ansah School of Communication.
The current Director of the School of Communication, Dr Audrey Gadzekpo took the proposal in good faith and emphasised that she would communicate it to the Vice Chancellor and University Council for consideration, with the hope that it would be accepted.
The late Paul Ansah was born on February 20, 1938 and died on June 14, 1993 after battling with his health for a long but short time.
He became known for the brunt opinions he expressed in most of writings and articles in especially The Ghanaian Times and The Ghanaian Chronicle.
PAVA was described in various terms as a reputed scholar, communicator, journalist, critic, devout Christian, an uncompromising advocate of democracy, freedom and justice, generous, humorous, pedantic, but also defiant and choleric.
His death in 1993 created a big void in journalism and dented the writer’s crusade against oppression and dictatorship in Africa.
From 1968 when he assumed the editorial seat of the ‘Legon Observer’ until his death, the name Paul Ansah became perhaps the most revered epitome of incisive journalism in Ghana.
By June 14, 1993 when he died, PAVA, over a quarter of a century had succeeded in perfecting a paradigm in Ghana’s journalistic tradition. Write-and-be damned was its hallmark, and ‘Going-to-Town’ its colloquial shibboleth.
Avid readers of his column in the then Ghanaian Chronicle for which he wrote in his last years eventually got used to the ominous prelude of his weekly sojourns to town, the following being a typical example: “I am hereby serving notice that I am going to town. What this means is that those who have a weak heart or a weak stomach are forewarned not to read beyond this point. Notice is hereby also served that those who think they need standby dictionary should reach for it, because I shall be going to my repertoire or arsenal…
There were two things that the ‘Monday Morning Terror’ as he was popularly referred to liked passionately but vowed never to participate in and as rightly put it “I will always sing, but will never join a choir, and I will always talk and write politics but will never join a political party.”