The Inquirer Newspaper will on tomorrow, Saturday, January 15, celebrate 31 years of existence as Liberia’s first post war and only surviving media institution.
In observance of this celebration which is reflective of the year 2021, it was a year marred with sadness and grieve therefore, the institution will be celebrating in thanksgiving not just for the many years of its persistence but for giving its Managing Editor another chance in the midst of the departure of some long serving employees by deaths.
In observance of its anniversary celebration, the paper will not be worshipping in a church edifice instead; on Saturday, the staffers will converge at the home of the Managing Editor, Philip N. Wesseh’s residence where prayers will be offered in thanksgiving for his health.
It is no secret that the original staffs of The INQUIRER were brave men who operated the paper in the heat of that civil crisis though with the presence of the ECOMOG peacekeepers.
The three decades and one score existence of The Inquirer was not all glowing as there were many challenges ranging from risking reporters to dangerous assignments, deaths as well as critically poor health.
It can be recalled that the newspaper was heavily hit during the April 6, 1996 civil conflict among the former warring factions thereby destroying the office and damaging its properties.
Again, several of this paper’s editors were arrested and taken to the Executive Mansion for a story about a missing man who was allegedly abducted by people loyal to then President Charles Taylor.
With all the challenges, what has remained this papers’ internal most memorable event happened exactly three years ago when some individuals in the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) orchestrated a plan that almost took the newspaper off the market.
But “God being God, this diabolical and wicked plan did not materialize,” Managing Editor, Philip N. Wesseh would say; but some former employees quickly returned thereby rescuing the paper and today, the paper is still on the newsstand and vibrant than ever.
Another sad note is that the paper lost some long serving employees like Josiah Gargar, Wilmot Cooper and Edwin Wandah, one of the soldier who was recalled to help the institution after the mass departure of some employees while Joseph Weah and Andrew Johnson are serving ailments thereby slowly rendering them incapable of continuing the job.
As an internal memorable event for the institution is the poor health condition of its second Managing Editor, Philip N. Wesseh on whose legacy the paper treads.
PNW or the GINA as others know him to be has survived being critically ill to now gradually retiring from active journalism; though he is at his Duport Road residence, he continues to be in high spirit as he congratulates the staff on the institution’s 31st anniversary.
Mr. Wesseh said he is upbeat that the Inquirer is capable of remaining afloat even in his absence.
He then assured that the paper will continue to provide services to the Liberian society and the world noting, “We renew our pledge to remain dedicated, committed and ethical as we discharge our professional duties.”
Meanwhile, as the paper marks three decades and one tomorrow, one thing that has kept the institution in the hall of fame as being people-centered is understanding how the media operates through a vacation program.
Please follow the entire history of the Inquirer Newspaper by reading the article on pages (6-9) entitled: “Celebrating 31 Years Of God’s Faithfulness With Expressed Gratitude For A ‘Second Chance.’
Meanwhile, the Inquirer Newspaper came into existence on January 15, 1991 under the supervision of Gabriel I. H. Williams, J. Grody Dorbor, Roger Seton and Philip N. Wesseh with some of its original staff comprising of the late San Van Kesselly, Stanley George Gregory Stemn, Bana Sackey and D. Ignatius Roberts, just to name a few.
Today, it remains Liberia’s first independent post war and only surviving media institution with memorable traditional practices among which is the gathering of its staff for worship as a mark of thanksgiving.