He is a young up coming journalist, Mr. Nfally Fadera who is perusing a degree in political science at the UTG has attracted thousands of listeners to the local FM station in Sinchu Alhagie especially those who cannot read newspapers. They depend on Mr. Fadara for the daily broadcast of both local and international news in the Mandinka Language. In this edition of art and music , Nfally talks about how the news broadcast, his experience, education, and challenges among other issues.

Foroyaa: Can you please introduce yourself to our readers?
Nfally: My name is Nfally Fadera ,I’m born and bred in Wellingara. I went to Sinchu Baliya Primary school, Banjulinding Upper Basic School and graduated at St. Augustine’s S.S.S. Now am at the University persuing my degree in Political Science.
Foroyaa: When did you start your career as a journalist?
Nfally: That was immediate after I graduate from Senior Secondary School. I and a colleague of mine Modou Lamin Joof who presents the news in Wollof wrote our application to this radio and were accepted. But before that we also approached today newspaper to be running a column similar to this one, where we would expose people who have problems in their lives. This was 2010 and that is the year I graduated from school.
Foroyaa: When you were going to a Senior Secondary school, was it part of your plans to work in a radio station as a journalist?
Nfally: Well, this was a dream I have since childhood because I was inspired by some of the journalist on GRTS TV and others on the radios and even the print newspaper as well. At junior school we wanted to establish a media club there but due to some reason that did not materalise. The same thing happened when I went to senior secondary school; establishing media club was always in my mind. So I love journalism in general since I was a child .
Foroyaa: So it will be correct to say that you are only one year old as a journalist?
Nfally: Yes as a practicing journalist. You are right.
Foroyaa: What was your dream, to work in the electronic media or print?
Nfally: well, when I started I wanted to work with the print media (newspapers) because that is most vibrant when we talk of media in the Gambia. Radio broadcasting is new even if it is not new we have seen what happens to others. My colleague here Modou Lamin Joof wrote to today newspaper and his application was considered so his target was to work with me to take care of the column.
In the process we learnt that there is a radio station that was about to be established in Sinchu Alagie and they would be broadcasting news. So we wasted no time to apply to the radio. Thank god that our application to Teranga FM was approved.
Foroyaa: when you say I was inspired who among the journalist in Gambia inspired you?
Nfally: He is a TV presenter by the name Ardy Fatty, during my schooling days; he was frequently on the TV reading news so I was inspired by him really.
Foroyaa: You seem to be a very good news reader; do you still want to develop yourself?
Nfally: Well, really I want to push further I want to develop my skills more as a journalist, I set my goals already and I really want to pursue them. I’m just starting my career. I want to go beyond this. Well, I think that the aim of everybody is to do your best to the fullest and your target should be to reach higher heights and that’s my aim as well.
Foroyaa: How is your course, political science related to journalism?
Nfally: Well, I think they are related because journalism itself is political. Because journalist always deals with politicians, journalist makes sure accountability and transparency prevails. The second thing is when I was going to the university there was nothing like journalism at the university as a field, this is why I decided to go in for political science. My plan is before I graduate from the university if the programme is introduced, I will take it as a minor course, but I think political science and journalism are very well connected.
Foroyaa: It is said that the way you translate news to Mandinka is perfect, are you born a mandinka speaker?
Nfally: Yes, both my parents are Mandinka speaking.
Foroyaa: Have you gone under any formal training in translating news from English to Mandinka?
Nfally: Actually there is nothing like formal training for me. I must say that am just determined. For the start it was very difficult to be frank but the encouragement and my determination helps me so much. Thanks to the senior staff I met here at the radio, without them it would have been so difficult for me.
Foroyaa: When you started the news programme what challenges did you face?
Nfally: Well I had all kinds of comments especially around my neighbourhood and some close friends. They kept on telling me that what I am doing is very risky. But I said to myself that i am not character assassinating anyone. What I’m doing is provide services to the nation; this was one of my constraints.
The other constraint is personal, when I started broadcasting it was not easy for me but with time i now thank God.
Foroyaa: What kind of advice did your parents give you?
Nfally: Just as any other parent would do, they would always tell me “just be careful”.
Foroyaa: Tell me the process of how you gather and broadcast the news?
Nfally: What we were doing is press review. We look at the various newspapers that are in the country and we take certain stories that we know the public will have interest in. When am reading the news, there is nothing like re-writing the news item in Mandinka. We just collect direct from the newspapers websites and we read in the local languages. But before that we do go through the pieces that we would broadcast so as to familiarise ourselves with the news item.
Foroyaa: How do people react when you are introduced to them?
Nfally: To be frank, for most people when I met them for the first time or when am introduced to them they don’t seem to believe it (laughs….). But it is normal, just as I told you without determination I will not reach where I am today.
Foroyaa: But why are people surprised when they meet you?
Nfally: Well I think the way I speak and translate the news in Mandinka, most people think I should be older than this; they think I should be in the 40’s or 50’s. So when they see me this young less than 20 years they are very surprised to be frank (He laughs…).
Foroyaa: Have you ever been arrested or threatened?
Nfally: For me personally no, I have never been arrested or threatened by anybody.
Foroyaa: It was rumoured that you were once arrested and detained?
Nfally: No, that is just a rumour. I don’t even know where the NIA headquarters is. I have never been arrested.
Foroyaa: As a student at the University, I have a feeling that your work as a journalist will sometimes affect your lectures.
Nfally: Yes you are right. Sometimes, they affect each other. My normal timetable was a bit flexible for the last semester there was no day that my lectures coincide with the news. Well sometimes when I know that my afternoon lectures would affect the news I go to the radio in the morning and record the news. When lectures were very serious most of the news you hear at the radio which were broadcast by me were not live.
Foroyaa: How is your relationship with your friends at school considering the fact that you are a practicing journalist?
Nfally: To be frank with you not many of my friends at school knew that i am the one who broadcast the news in the local language. I like it that way because I don’t like much publicity. Very few people at school know that am the Nfally Fadera who read the news on air.
Foroyaa: what do you do at the radio apart from broadcasting the news in Mandinka?
Nfally: I sometimes work as a reporter. I collect news for the radio as well.
Foroyaa: How will you rate the audience of your programme?
Nfally: Well, I received calls almost all over the country. We received calls from Kiang, Foni, Cassamance and even around the border who say they follow the news. I think the news in the local languages is well listened to.
Foroyaa: Why did your radio decide to come up with the idea of broadcasting news in the local languages?
Nfally: If we were doing the news in the English language we will not attract the number of listeners we have now. Most people who can read and write do have access to newspapers. So our target is for those who cannot read and write but have the right to know what is going on in and out of their country.
Foroyaa: Do you have editors who will tell you what news to broadcast and what not to?
Nfally: Here we work independently. But we do consult our programme manager, Abdoulie Mendy who will advice us sometimes to drop certain news items. Apart from that I work independently.
Foroyaa: Will I be correct to say that you collect your news items from ALL the newspapers in the country?
Nfally: Yes, from all the papers.
Foroyaa: Since you are studying politics,will you be a practicing politician or continue your journalism career?
Nfally: You are still carried away by my programme at the UTG (political science) but what am studying has nothing to do with parties and politics. My plan is to have my masters in International Relations. That does not have much to do with parties and politics. Along the way if I have the opportunity I will pursue journalism as well.
Foroyaa: Should there be more journalist training schools in the Gambia?
Nfally: Definitely, if you look at me I did not follow the route that a journalist should. Just from senior secondary school I went straight into practicing journalist. Had it been there are facilities for journalists to excel, then this would not have been the case. I think there should be facilities that should improve journalism and make it attractive and conducive.
Foroyaa: How will you rate the democratic situation in the Gambia?
Nfally: Hmmm….. what the democratic situation?
Foroyaa: Yes
Nfally: Well I think democracy is a process and I think the Gambia is slowly getting there, they also want to be a fully fledge democratic state. We are on the process to be a democratic state.
Foroyaa: Do you think we have enough radio stations and TV in the Gambia?
Nfally: I will not call it “enough” but we have some radio stations in the Gambia. For the TV we all know that we have only one and I think we should have at least another one. I think television is very important in any nation because it is a source of employment and when many people are employed the country develops. To be frank we should have more television stations.
Foroyaa: Your listeners say that there is a slight change in the way you broadcast the news, is this so?
Nfally: Yes, that is true because we were doing the legal matters (court news) but recently we stopped that. Well that is above me, it is a managerial order that we have to stop that. I will tell you that even the newspapers we were reviewing we were asked to stop till further notice. We broadcast news strictly from only Teranga FM and we don’t have court correspondents yet that’s why the legal matters are not coming in the news, but very soon we will start broadcasting legal matters.
Foroyaa: Is that a promise to your listeners?
Nfally: Yes.
Foroyaa: Apart from going to school and working at the radio, what do you do at your leisure?
Nfally: nothing.
Foroyaa: You don’t play football?
Nfally: (He laughs) yes sometimes. But to be frank with you, the combination of the job and school, hardly do I have time for any other thing.
Foroyaa: What kind of advice will you give to your co- journalist?
Nfally: I will advice them to be determined; that whatever you are doing there might be huddles but just follow your set goals. With determination failure can never be successful. Let us push on, surely we will be there.
Foroyaa: What is your relationship status?
Nfally: Am single.
Foroyaa: Are you sure?
Nfally: Yes, I am (he laughs…)
Foroyaa: How can you be contacted?
Nfally: Well, if you come to Teranga Fm I’m always here. I can be reached on 3900256 or 6196950.
Foroyaa: Thanks so much for your time.
Nfally: Thank you too. You are always welcome.

August 26, 2011 by Kebba Camara (Foroyaa)

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Source: www.foroyaa.gm/modules/news/article.php?storyid=7696&keywords=interview (Accessed: 28.08.2011)