70 years behind the headlines: The journalistic journey of Cameron Duodu

In my first article on Cameron Duodu, he highlighted curiosity as one of the key qualities that define good journalism. However, he explained that he does not enjoy discussing abstract concepts, especially the topic I had initially intended to interview him on. Instead, he prefers practical discussions about journalism and proceeded to give me several examples to explain what he meant.

He explained that while concepts such as accuracy may be accepted in theory, they are better understood through practical experience. “When I tell you to cherish accuracy, for instance, you may accept that as a concept and try to put it into practice. But a real-life example of the importance of accuracy in reporting does the job better. It dramatises the idea and makes it stick in your mind like glue. That is why we old journalists insist that good journalism cannot really be taught but is rather absorbed into our system like the air we breathe!” he said.

According to him, good journalism is not merely taught but absorbed through experience. To illustrate his point, he shared an experience from his early days at the Ghana Broadcasting System (now Ghana Broadcasting Corporation) around 1958, shortly after independence.

He recalled how, as young journalists, they moved about in chauffeur-driven Vanguard cars branded Radio Ghana, reflecting the prestige of the new national broadcaster. One evening, shortly after the 6 o’clock news had been broadcast, the newsroom received a direct telephone call reserved only for news staff and a few top government officials.

The call was promptly answered by the editor on duty (Mr BLS): “News Broadcasting!”
CALLER: “ŹXZXZZZ…”

BLS calmly asked the caller to repeat the message and spell the name clearly. He carefully wrote it down and read it back for confirmation to ensure accuracy.

The call turned out to be a correction about a place name used in the bulletin. The caller insisted that the correct name was Akosombo, not the version that had been broadcast.

The editor on duty calmly thanked him, verified the spelling, and assured the caller that the correction would be made in the next bulletin.

Before ending the call, he politely remarked that he did not believe he was speaking to the Prime Minister. The caller laughed and replied that whether he was believed or not, what mattered was ensuring accuracy in reporting.

Duodu said the incident left a lasting impression on the newsroom, reinforcing the importance of verifying information before broadcasting it.

Beyond accuracy, Duodu emphasised the importance of proper perception and understanding of the issues one reports on or comments about. To explain this, he shared another experience from his time at Radio Ghana.

He recalled that he was heading the shift in the Radio Ghana newsroom one Sunday morning when a French lady working with the newly established Monitoring Service walked in. As the shift leader, he smiled, took the sheet of paper she handed over, and thanked her.

A quick glance at the news item made his blood “heat up at an alarming rate.” It read: “Radio Léopoldville announced in its 1000 GMT news bulletin today that the Government of the Republic of the Congo has broken off diplomatic relations with the Republic of Ghana. The Ambassador of Ghana has been given 48 hours to leave the Congo.”

This was explosive news. Ghana had sent troops to the Congo to help restore order after the mutiny of the country’s army, the Force Publique, shortly after independence on 30 June 1960. There were also thousands of Ghanaian civilians in the country working as engineers and artisans following the departure of the Belgians.

He said he immediately realised the sensitivity of the report and the panic it could cause among families of Ghanaian troops and civilians. He quickly decided it could not be broadcast immediately. Instead, the President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, had to be informed.

It was a Sunday, and normal official channels were not readily active. He placed the report in an envelope, wrote Dr Nkrumah’s name on it, and added his own name and telephone number on the reverse side. He then sent it to Flagstaff House.

About an hour later, he received a call from GBC Reception informing him that someone had come from Flagstaff House to pick him up. He was driven there without any formal explanation.

He was taken into a room and asked to sit. As someone trained to observe carefully, he soon noticed a device that allowed whoever was behind it to watch without being seen. He remained calm and gave no sign of nervousness.

He was later joined by Mr K.A., who had been brought into the newsroom as Nkrumah’s liaison to monitor sensitive broadcasts. President Nkrumah spoke to him in Nzema through Mr K.A. and showed him letters written by Ghana’s Ambassador to the Congo, Mr N.A. Welbeck.

When Nkrumah asked why he had sent the report directly, Duodu replied that it was to ensure the President had all the information needed to safeguard the lives of Ghanaians in the Congo.

Nkrumah then advised him: “Next time, don’t send such news here. This is not a news agency.”

Duodu said he almost laughed at the remark. “News agency?” he recalled thinking.

A few days later, international news agencies reported that Congolese troops had besieged the Ghana Embassy and that Ambassador Welbeck had narrowly escaped death by being locked in a freezer before being escorted to safety by the Ghana Army Commander, General H.T. Alexander.

Duodu also reflected on the wider Congo crisis, which he traced back to the historic 1958 in Accra, chaired by Dr Kwame Nkrumah. He linked these events to White Malice by Susan Williams, which he recommended as essential reading on the geopolitical struggles surrounding Congo’s independence and the assassination of Patrice Lumumba.

According to him, the book shows how Cold War interests, propaganda, and covert operations shaped the tragic early years of the Congo.

Duodu’s journalism career began at GBC in 1957, where he rose rapidly through the ranks due to his strong writing skills and discipline, becoming editor in 1960.

He later joined DRUM magazine, where he served as editor of the Ghana edition until 1965. His years at DRUM were formative, sharpening his reporting, editing, and feature-writing skills while exposing him to politics, culture, and social issues across Africa.

In 1970, he was appointed editor of the Daily Graphic. There, he applied his experience from broadcasting and magazine journalism to strengthen editorial standards, improve newsroom discipline, and enhance storytelling.

He also mentored younger journalists, encouraging accuracy, creativity, and a strong sense of public-interest reporting.

Now 89 years old (as of May 2026), Cameron Duodu remains remarkably sharp, with a vivid memory of events spanning decades. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to learn from him and to sit at the feet of such a legend. It was truly a privilege and a remarkable learning experience.

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