By Umar Mohammed Tijjani,
Immediate Past General Manager of BRTV and Retired Permanent Secretary, Borno State Civil Service
Rahimahullah.
Kachallah Kolo was my editor in the Radio section of BRTV. Although officially from the Current Affairs Unit, his passion for news and his role as Head of the Kanuri Language Translation Desk made him deeply involved in daily news production. He was not just a colleague, he was an Elder in every sense of the word.
Throughout his lifetime at BRTV, Elder Kachallah Kolo earned the respect of both senior management and we, the “foot soldiers” in the newsroom. We fondly called him Elder. He was a man of faith and principle. Whenever it was time for prayers, news production paused immediately until prayers were completed, at his directive, before work resumed.
I recall one cool evening around 4:45 pm in 1999. We were busy rewriting stories when Elder Kachallah walked into the newsroom. Smiling, he addressed me by the nickname BRTV had given me, June 12. He remarked, “You, the June 12, are too many in BRTV. You should seek admission to further your education.” I agreed with his wise counsel. He reminded me that as young journalists, we were the future leaders of BRTV, and acquiring additional knowledge was essential in the media industry.
When I was later elected Secretary of the Borno State Council of the NUJ, Elder Kachallah suggested the introduction of the International Institute of Journalism (IIJ) programmes in the state. I acted on his advice, and over 200 journalists benefited from diploma programmes as a result.
Late Elder Kachallah Kolo was a man of simplicity, elegance, and wisdom. His story is best told by those of us who worked closely with him. His contributions to the media industry are immeasurable. Those who shared the newsroom with him, including Mohammed Alfa, Yusuf Buba, Lawan Kur Gazabure, Ali Mamman Shuwa, Dr. Nancy Brain, and many others, can attest to his professionalism and humanity.
May Allah, in His infinite mercy, grant Elder Kachallah Kolo Jannatul Firdaus.
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