|
Nation Publications Limited’s (NPL) dominated the Print Journalist Award category in the newly-introduced Luso Awards presented last week. Celebrated sports journalist Garry Chirwa led the team of Mabvuto Banda and Zainah Liwanda to scoop his 14th career award. In the interview here below, Jack McBrams talks to him about his career highlights, his best moments and what drives him, among other issues.
What is the secret to your success?
I love my job naturally and I work very hard, even during my free time, I am always thinking about work, say when I am having a cold Carlsberg Green, I think about what to write, so it’s something that is in my blood. I put in as much extra effort as I possibly can. For instance, since I started working for Nation Publications over six years ago, I have only gone for holidays once and I have over 200 days in holiday arrears, that should speak volumes about my love for the job.
So you must be rich from winning all those awards?
I haven’t made any fortune from the awards though I am very thankful to the people who have appreciated my talent over the years. But I would like to take this opportunity to note that the monetary element of the awards should be scrutinised because it brings a lot of unnecessary pressure on the winners.
Why?
For instance, in my case, since the recent awards were announced, I have had over 10 people coming to my house on a daily basis wanting me to assist them in one way or the another because they think I have made a lot of money. In light of this, I would really appreciate if in future, organisers would stick to only honouring winners with stuff like mementos other than cash just like the Grammy awards. This would also ease cases where people vote for themselves because of the monetary value attached.
That aside, K80,000 is a lot of money, what did you do with it?
My mother passed away recently and she had been admitted in hospital for a while. My family is struggling to settle her huge hospital bill and that’s where a large chunk of the money went. Apart from that, I have a daughter, Takondwa, to whom I have a parental obligation to pay school fees and look after.
What inspired you to become a journalist?
You wouldn’t believe it. My daddy’s favourite journalist was the then BBC and International Express newspaper correspondent Garry Edwards who was a Briton and he claims he gave me that name because he liked him so much and every time he was in the mood in the good ol’ days, he would sing about his work. It is that which continually drove me towards this profession.
What inspired you to venture into sports journalism in particular?
As I grew up, I was inspired by the writings of local journalists like Daring ‘DC’ Chirwa, Jika ‘Jix’ Nkolokosa, late Mackson Kazombo, John Saini, late George ‘Kwinyani’ Matewere and Ken Lipenga. These people motivated me so much that every time I knocked off from school, the first thing I would do was read a newspaper.
How have you managed to attain that level of consistency over the years?
I think it’s the hunger for success, every time somebody acknowledges my work, I always want to do it better next time. And then there are people who I respect so much in this profession. Without talking about the veterans, there are journalists like Mabvuto Banda, his wife Pilirani, and Gedion Munthali,. But I also realise that there are other good journalists like Peter Kanjere, Caroline Somanje, Bright Sonani, Leonard Sharra, Zainah Liwanda, Chachacha Munthali, Idriss Nassah, Jacob Jimu and Anthony Kasunda. I feel these are some of the cream in the industry, my target is always to be on the same level with these guys.
What has been your best moment in the profession?
Being the first Malawian to win the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (Cosafa) Castle Cup best print journalist award in 2002 was the highlight of my career. I will live to cherish that moment for the rest of my life. The following year, I was also one of the three nominees for the award and the recognition from high profiled people like the former President Bakili Muluzi, current veep Cassim Chilumpha, former British High Commissioner Norman Ling and former US ambassador Steve Browning who have either visited or called me to appreciate my work in Top of the Sport and If I were columns.
What challenges do you face in your profession?
The attitude of some sources leaves a lot to be desired. There are unfortunate scenarios when news sources turn against you and deny what they actually said and there are times when they refuse to give you vital information and it becomes so frustrating.
Would you say you have reached your best?
No! There is still a long way to go. I wish if I could be talked in the same breath as guys like Mark Gleeson, then it would be something else. I am still a baby who hasn’t even started crawling.
What and who inspires you?
Good work. My daughter Takondwa, she is a great fan of mine, my daddy Timothy. And then there are guys like Zimbabwe’s leading national daily paper Herald’s sports editor Robson Sharuko, Petros Kausiyo—chief sports reporter of the same paper, my own bosses Gracian Tukula, Steve Nhlane, the Back Bencher and Edward Chitsulo. And then there is Hardy Nyirenda, Charles Simango, ‘Professor Bisankoni’, Jika, Duncan Mlanjira and Zebedee—their work is massive! And some of them have always been there behind the scenes with a helping hand, I do not take it for granted.
Awards: Cosafa Castle Cup best print journalist (2002), Carlsberg Cup best journalist (2002), Carlsberg Cup third best journalist (2001), BP Malawi Top 8 best print journalist (2002), MBC Entertainers of the Year best sports journalist (99, 2000, 01), MBC Entertainers of the Year best journalist (2002, 2003), Stanbic National Netball Trophy (2003), BDFL TNM League (2000), Bakili Muluzi Super League best journalist (2004), Luso Awards best journalist (2005).
|
