“Yusupha Darboe taking the exit gate at Star FM wasn’t dramatic”, Says Veteran Broadcaster Alhagie Sarjo Barrow

PHOTO: Alhagie Sarjo Barrow (Photo Credit his Facebook timeline)

By Ousman A. Marong

Gambia’s veteran broadcaster Alhagie Sarjo Barrow has said that his co-presenter in the person of Yusupha Darboe taking the exit gate at Star FM was not something dramatic. Asked about the rumors allegation that he (Sarjo Barrow) is a loyal supporter to President Adama Barrow and that his co-presenter in the person of Yusupha Darboe is also a loyal supporter to the People’s United Democratic Party (UDP) thus caused the rouse leading to Yusupha’s eschewing the presenter’s seat at the popular Star FM Radio. The veteran broadcaster answered in the affirmative saying people are entitled to their own opinions.

According to him, Star FM had its own editorial policy where reporters and presenters do pass their reports to. He added that amongst their editorial policy at Star FM the direct reading from the Newspapers was the last resort to do.

He made this pronouncement in an interview with Senn FM’s current affairs Radio program anchored by Buba Gagigo. He said it is unethical for the radio stations to be directly taking news from the Newspapers.

“One should not put the blame on the radio stations for their direct involvement in quoting news from the Newspapers”, he stated. He added the majority of the FM stations in town are not that financially strong to be able to send their reporters in the field to fetch stories, queries.

“Part of our editorial policy was that our overall aims and the objective were that we should be fetching for our own news.”

Mr. Barrow denied ever having any issue with Yusupha Darboe or him contributing towards his resignation at Star FM. He outlined that in life people’s mannerisms do speak volumes about the kind of person they are.

“Even my son is far way older than Yusupha Darboe. I have passed that stage to be head logging with my junior ones in the field of broadcasting”, he stressed. He disclosed that he is not part of the broadcasters who do cheat on broadcasting during their news presentation.

“I have been into broadcasting since the era of the first elderly statesmen Sir Dawda Jawara and I have never been engaged in castigating any head of state.” He emphasized that he has been doing justice in the way he does his news presentation. He said even during the time of ex-president Yahya Jammeh with all his authoritative ruling he (Sarjo Barrow) has been doing justice to him. He stated there is no single day in his carrier were a piece of news would be given to him to broadcast and he would feel otherwise.

He alleged that during the political deadlock former Information Minister Sheriff Bojang appeared before him (Sarjo Barrow) in the order of ex-president Jammeh ordering him to go on state TV to pronounce that ex-president Jammeh said he won’t relinquish power.

“I had no choice other than to go ahead and carry on the proposed pronouncement.” I did the pronouncement with bitterness, said Sarjo Barrow.  He recalls Sheriff Bojang dashing him with one thousand dalasis (1000) pledging his satisfaction on the pronouncement made by him (Sarjo Barrow). He confirmed Sheriff Bojang telling him that ex-president Jammeh would be happy hearing his pronouncement over the air. He further alleged that during the political impasse ex-president Jammeh ordered the then Director General at GRTS that they shouldn’t be referring to him as outgoing president Jammeh and that Adama Barrow should not also be called president-elect Barrow.