By Gideon Nma Scott, Jr.
The Inquirer Newspaper is celebrating 33 years today, with a renewed commitment to remain formidable and among Liberia’s leading dailies on the news stand.
Founded by Roger Seton, Slewion Togba, Gabriel Williams, Jacob Doe, and the late T-Max Teah, the Inquirer was birthed on January 15, 1991, making it the only newspaper on the news stand during the heat of the civil war in the 1990s, and today, the paper is recorded for being the only post-war newspaper in Liberia.
The Inquirer has endured several challenges, especially covering and reporting stories during the war in the 1990s, when all factions in the civil conflict targeted any and everybody without distinction.
According to the first female Managing Editor, C. Winnie Saywah-Jimmy, “This is why each time we are celebrating our anniversary, we acknowledge, with special gratitude, the bravery, fortitude, and commitment of our founding fathers and first reporters; the men and women who sacrificed their lives during the most perilous time in our nation’s history to organize and work for this institution.”
She added, “We are very grateful to them and promise to keep the torch that was lit 33 years ago burning with the same commitment and fortitude they had.”
She paid special homage to all fallen staff of the paper, especially Atty. Philip Wesseh, the paper’s second managing editor; Sarweh Doe, the Nagbe brothers, Ephriam Jones, the Wandas, Josiah Gargar, John Kollie, Emmanuel Eben, Wilmot, Tana Wokollie; Dio Vinton, George Peabody; Patrick Wrokpoh: Augustine Choloplay, and Emmanuel Nah; Sam Van Kesselly; T-Max Teah, founding Board Chair.
Also, some former staff are Williams, the first Managing Editor; Seton, Clarence Varney, Bela-Wah Freeman, Emmanuel Sarvice, Jackson Seaton, S.K Davis, Emmanuel Cooper, Josephus Gray, Sarah Camanda, Grody Dorbor, Wantue Major, Lakpor Boahndao, Victoria Jackson, Gloria Voker, James Kpargoi, Jarwinken Wiah, Addo Sankara, Joseph Kpannah, Albert Pyne, James Momoh, and Josiah Hallie. Others are D. Dweh Chea; Robert Early; Sonpon Weah; Alexander Reed; Isaac Yeah; Bill Jarkloh; Michael Sherman; Ignatius Robert; Sikidi Trawally; Simeon Reeves; Bana Sackey; Jacob Doe; Slewion Togba; Gibson Jerue; Isaiah Wesseh; Gregory Stemn; Pewee Baysah; Wesley Washington; Stanley George; Martin Benson; Melissa Annan; I. Solo Kelgbeh; C Y Kwanue; Michael Gebeh, Albert Gebeh; Francis Pelenah; Alexander Karvonzeah; Timothy Seaklon; Morrison O.G Sayon; Janjay Campbell; Naomi Saydee; Varney Sirleaf; Rose Saulwas; Massa Washington; Kemmie Weeks; James Paye; Alva Wolokollie Welma Blaye Sampson; Emmanuel Chelley; Charles Crawford; Edwin Fayiah; Paul Weah; Steve Jarvey; Joe Wanda; Emmanuel Mondaye; Helen Nah-Sammie; Webster Cassell; Charles Yates, Lovetee Waynawhere; Antoinette Sendolo; Victoria Wesseh; G. Never Lomo; Roland Mulbah; Lincoln Barcon, and Gerald Yeakulah and several others.
Others whose contributions and services the paper cannot repay but calls on God to heal them are Margaret N. Weagba; Alex Yomah; Frederick Wilson; Joseph Weah; Augustine Williams, and Andrew Johnson, as Madam C. Winnie Saywah-Jimmy carries on the torch, along with a team comprised of Solomon Gaye; Throble Suah; Jennie F. Wounuah; Bill Cooper; Siapha Mulbah; Ben Foster; Grace Bryant; Kennedy Zobah; Precious Freeman; Savereth Nyenabo; Bill Pyne; Edwin Jackson; John Whrowaye; Lewis Weah; Ignatius Sackor, and Joseph Odoh, with aid from Gideon Nma Scott, Laurina Lormia, and Linus B. Flomo.
“Despite the challenges of reporting during the peak of the war, they performed to the highest standard of journalism, ensuring that their stories were accountable, balanced, and credible, making the Inquirer an institution to trust. And today, we are gracefully standing on the bravery, the intellect, farsightedness, courage, and more, the sweat and blood of these people, to celebrate what they started long ago. We are, and will remain, thankful to them and promise to do our best not to kill their dreams,” she expressed.
She made these remarks during the paper’s thanksgiving service at the CHRIDA-House of Testimony, where she memorialized Atty Wesseh, the longest serving Managing Editor of the paper, adding that the event is one of the occasions he would love to be at, as he was a man of great faith.
According to Madam Jimmy, “This one of the days that we will miss our boss, because it was a day that he looked forward to celebrating with his staff and their families. It is hard for us to celebrate today in his absence, we are happy because, like I said, we have not, and will not, let him or the Liberian people down.”
Meanwhile, the senior pastor of the CHRIDA House of Testimony, Rev. Zobon Zolu, encouraged the Inquirer Newspaper family to contain their credibility of being one of Liberia’s trusted newspapers.
He told the Inquirer newspaper staff that working as a journalist at the time of the formation of the paper should be the foundation for them to maintain the credibility and respect the Inquirer has gained.
“It is my ardent prayer that you remain committed to institution, a legacy of Mr. Wesseh, who spent his entire life to put the institution to where it is. We are following you religiously; if you do otherwise, we will not hesitate to remind you that this not the Inquirer we know,” he warned.
The Inquirer represents a different style of journalism of persistence and a true definition of journalism in Liberia.
Delivering the sermon for the Inquirer’s thanksgiving service, Rev. Thomas Garty remembered Atty. Wesseh as a committed, respected, and a pure journalist in Liberia, noting, “Posterity will blame you when you allow greed and self-interest to take over the paper. Mr. Wesseh never put this paper in his belly, but worked in the interest of the Liberian people.”
Rev. Garty drew his sermon from Is. 43:18-19, with the theme ‘Moving at a new level’, admonishing Inquirer staff to strive to move the institution to a new level, urging the employees not to be complacent because complacency keeps people at one level, adding that some want to be in competition with God, but you cannot be at a new level if you want to be in competition with God.
He called on the staff to do what is best, to be true to their calling, and work as a team to push the paper to another level, because The Inquirer is PNW’s legacy.
