In the last few days Ethiopians were subjected to the tragic loss of two very popular and beloved media icons. They are Asfaw Meshesha, TV show producer and presenter and Genene Mekuria ‘Libro’, Sports Journalist and Author. Both have been popular for decades serving in the journalism sector. Asfaw Meshesha was mainly a TV icon producing and presenting several informative and entertaining programs on EBS Television channel. His career in fact begins with radio journalism when he used to work for the radio station FM Addis 97.1. He used to produce and present entertaining musical program at 2 pm every day in a production called ‘Irie’ in tandem with his colleague Daniel Gizaw. It was a kind of trailblazer in the sector as it became very popular particularly among youths listeners with very popular songs. The tandem went on for years establishing a new kind of production for FM radio audience and became a trade mark.
Then Asfaw traveled to the US and began presenting a TV program called ‘Life in America’ on EBS with Ethiopians living in the States. For years it was a very popular TV show and Asfaw gained the love and admiration of Ethiopians both at home as well as in the US. He investigated and presented the life of Ethiopians in the US and the highs and lows of life in America. The program gave an insight into how Ethiopians in dispora struggled to make ends meet in the US. It gave a good understanding of what to expect when one moves to the US and adopt the new country as their home. This program cleared many vague things about the US because there are so many misrepresentations about life in the US especially for immigrants. It was a very popular program because it gave the opportunity for Ethiopians in the US to have their say in the show. Asfaw Meshesha presented this program for years without being boring and the audience always waited for the program relentlessly.
Then Asfaw came back home and continued to work with the EBS entertainment pool presenting every week the show called ‘Sunday with EBS’. This was also an extremely popular show where Asfaw was accompanied by very talented and popular TV presenters. This show was very popular because it had all kinds of life conditions presented on TV. It had family angles where children as well took part in various kinds of entertaining circumstances. There were games with prizes for those taking part in them.
Asfaw Meshesha was known for his warm presentation as much as for his being very compassionate and emotional whenever there were sad stories presented on the show. He was seen many times exploding in tears on air and this was contagious to every spectator.
Asfaw was known for his sensibility and empathy for others in disadvantageous conditions of life. That was why he was so loved and appreciated by his audience. When it was discovered that he had suffered a stroke and was subjected to special treatment some months ago, people were shocked and more so when he traveled to the US in search of better treatment as it was discovered that he was suffering from a tumor on his brain. He fought against this deadly ailment along with his son and others for a few months before he had to pass away.
The announcement of his death shocked every one because many had hoped that he would win the battle against his malady with the help of the most sophisticated medical support but it was not to be. His fate was sealed and all his warmth and passion for his job, his warm smile followed him to his cemetery. He departed survived by his mother and son. He was only fifty seven. The way people particularly his friends and colleagues expressed their sadness was impressive testifying how much love they cherished for him.
EBS Television suspended all its regular programs to mourn him and transmit his funerals live showing how important he was for the station as well as for the audience. Some people said he was given ‘a head of state treatment’ and behind all that could be seen how popular and loved he was among the public. May he rest in peace!
The other poplar journalist that we lost a few days ago is the famous and veteran sports journalist Genene Mekuria ‘Libro’ who was in fact a versatile TV and radio personality nicknamed the ‘mobile library’ as he appeared to know every story around Ethiopia’s sports events and the personalities behind them as well as the arts particularly musical personalities. Genene would talk for hours about every football match, player and musician as he made his own research and gathered the necessary information on them. He had an impressive capacity to recall things and narrate them to his audience both on the radio or TV as if they happened yesterday and would indulge in the minutest of details including names, places, events and how the stories materialized without showing any uncertainties and keeping the flow of the story in a very harmonious and fascinating manner. The way he delved into the details of every story he told was simply unbelievable because it showed what sort of memory he had. He was entertaining when he told the stories he was familiar with and underlined on the most crucial facts presenting to the audience in a very attractive manner.
Genene Mekuria Libro was also a full-fledged writer having presented up to his death eight books dealing with Ethiopia’s major sporting events as related to the political and historical background of the times in a very interesting manner. His books are full of very interesting and amazing stories about footballers, coaches, administrators and referees as well. In a country where documentation and preservation of information is rare, Genene could be considered a trailblazer in the sector.
Genene was among the first sports journalists of the country beginning the last years of the Derg Military years. He began by contributing articles and news to the already established newspapers such as ‘Merha Sport’ and ‘Champion’ and also the major national newspapers for the sports column but when he realized that he did not get enough space to express his ideas and feelings he decided to found his own newspaper. Given his background also as a footballer and versatile sports person he knew a lot about the trade and writing about it was his comfort zone.
Genene followed well international football and informed himself about coaching and the rules of the games with a lot of focus on Latin American football and in fact his accounts of stories around the Brazilian footballers was very famous and eagerly awaited by his readers on ‘Libro’ the title of his newspaper which was also his nickname and became a part of his full name following the role he had in his team as a player in the central defensive zone.
When he first began his own newspaper Genene did not have the start up capital and had to rely on the generosity of the Bole Printing Press owner Ato Asfaw who allowed him to print the newspaper on credit. Genene then paid hid debt immediately after the first issue and was able to print the successive issues on his own. From 1985 up to 1998 Eth Calendar Genene continued to print his newspaper Libro and it was very popular. There were very few newspapers in those days and there was not the kind of digital communication we have now when stories are immediately shared all over the world. There was scarcity of communication tools but Genene followed the events from radio stations and some foreign magazines and presented not only the news but also the analysis of the events including digging deep in the stories behind the facts and events.
Readers were always fascinated by the detailed reports Genene presented especially regarding the personality of the protagonists, how they came to be who they were, their family background etc. He was specially endowed with the talent of exploring curious stories and bring them to light to his readers.
His investigative capacity was admirable because he had such a passion about story telling as well. He found out the challenges players went through before coming to prominence and success and with his talent of narrating them he also added his personal experience with his contacts. In all radio and TV programs he took part Genene Mekuria ‘Libro’ has always impressed his audience with the detailed and impeccable narrations he made about stories that he knew personally or was informed by the personalities themselves. He recalled every detail and that was why he was nicknamed ‘the moving library’. What was particularly impressive about Genene was his accuracy and meticulousness with which he recalled and narrated every item of history of Ethiopian football, cycling, boxing, athletics and other political and artistic stories linked to them. He knew the stories behind many of Ethiopian songs and the singers and he narrated all those stories. Genene was capable of keeping his audience glued to his program given how he presented them with warmth and colour underlining the major motives behind the stories. When he recalled all those stories he never showed any doubts about the facts, the figures, the names of the people behind each story, the places where they took place and the sequence of the stories he told which impressed all his listeners. He told the stories with full comfort without any uncertainties or blank spaces as some people might say. He recalled brilliantly and his memory must be absolutely extraordinary. In fact Genene Mekuria Libro’s quality to narrate stories has characterized his writing skills as well and that has helped him prepare eight books that are a good contribution to the archives of Ethiopian sports and arts story.
Unfortunately Genene was suffering from diabetes and few had known how critically he was sick before we heard about his death. Genene was only fifty nine and he could have written many other interesting books given his talent, passion and preparation, his discipline in working in the trade. It is tragic that his dreams have been stifled by his untimely death and his audience will certainly miss him. Genene is survived by his wife and two children. May his soul rest in peace! He will remain an inspiration for the present generation of writers and journalists.
BY FITSUM GETACHEW
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 1 FEBRUARY 2024
