Condolences: Pius Njawe, Publisher, Le Messager
Folu
journalist and freedom crusader, Pius Njawe, who apparently died in an
automobile accident in Virginia yesterday - see report below. Njawe
suffered long for the cause of press freedom and the uplifting of the
professional standards of journalism in his native Cameroon and
elsewhere in Africa. He was once imprisoned for two years in Cameroon
for reporting in his paper that President Paul Biya suffered a heart
attack. His numerous arrests, detentions, judicial fines, and
imprisonments are legendary. Perhaps a few of our colleagues who know
him best, including Tracce member, Prof. Mitch Land, will have more to
say about this pioneering soul of African journalism. May his soul
rest in peace. God grant him mercy.
- Folu Ogundimu
New Item follows:
Reports are just coming in of the death of the celebrated Cameroonian
journalist, human Rights activist and publisher of Le Messager, Pius
Njawe, as a result of the accident reported below. Read Pius Njawe in
his own words on www.dibussi.com <http://www.dibussi.com/> . Stay
tuned. This is a developing story...
By Kristin Davis
Lauren Roth
The Virginian-Pilot
© July 12, 2010
CHESAPEAKE
One person was killed and two were injured, one critically, when a
tractor-trailer rear-ended a disabled Lexus on I-664 South near the
Bowers Hill interchange just before 3 p.m. today.
State police had to shut down the interstate at Military Highway and
divert traffic onto exit 13A, according to the Virginia Department of
Transportation. Drivers had to make a U-turn onto Highway 58 East in
order to access I-664.
The accident was reported at 2:55 p.m., said Capt. Mike Thibeault,
Chesapeake Fire Department spokesman. The first rescue crews arrived
at 3:03 p.m.
The four-door, cream-colored 1994 Lexus sedan had become disabled in
the left-center lane of the four-lane highway, said Sgt. R.W. Walker
with the Virginia State Police. The car was stopped just over the
crest of a hill before the exits for I-264 East and I-64 West, he
said.
The tractor-trailer, a 2000 Mack truck owned by J.W. Canaday Trucking
Inc. of Providence Forge, struck the rear end of the Lexus and pushed
it several hundred feet, Walker said. The front-seat passenger in the
Lexus was declared dead at the scene.
State police have identified the victim, but because he is not a U.S.
citizen, it may take extra time to notify next of kin, Walker said.
The driver of the Lexus, which was registered in Washington, D.C., was
taken to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital with critical injuries. The
driver of the truck also was taken to Norfolk General with injuries
not considered life-threatening, Walker said.
The investigation is ongoing. I-664 was reopened about 6:37 p.m.
--
www.Joyceash.com
Land, Mitch
My heart is broken that my dear brother, friend, colleague, Pius Njawe, has been killed in the United States. I met this hero of press freedom in April 1994 when I led a workshop for publishers from French Africa. I returned to spend quality time with him the next year. Six years later, Pius spent the spring of 2001 as my visiting professor on the campus of the University of North Texas. I served as his interpreter. After countless speeches to schools, departments, community events, town halls, banquets and group meetings, I became a revived convert to the importance of Good Journalism to building Democracy. He was my mentor. My wife, my children, our faculty, students and others love him so much, and we will always cherish his memory.
I joined my brother and people from all over the world in Douala, Cameroon in November 2009 at the 30th anniversary of his newspaper group: Le Messager. He gave tribute to God for having blessed him all these years. He never spent the night in the same place each day, keeping an overnight bag and a change of clothes in the trunk of his car. He had one of his assistants drive behind his car at all times so that should a government agent or surrogate choose to harm him, he would have someone to report the assault. Irony of ironies; he was killed in a mundane crash on a highway in Virginia. He was only 15 minutes away from rejoining his precious youngest child and daughter, Justice, who is going to school in Virginia. He was to have joined us here in Texas the next week. His son, Florin, has completed his degree in Texas and was looking forward to seeing his father again.
Thank you for joining all of us in prayer that God grant grace and healing to his suffering family, friends, and to the people of Cameroon who have lost an advocate for the continuing injustices under an autocratic government.
Your humble servant,
Mitch Land, PhD
Interim Dean
Frank W. and Sue Mayborn School of Journalism
Director
Frank W. Mayborn Graduate Institute of Journalism
University of North Texas
1155 Union Circle #311460
Denton, Tx. 76203-5017
940.565.2205; 940.565-4564
Fax: 940.369.8959
Mayborn Conference 2010:
http://www.themayborn.unt.edu/MaybornConference.htm
-----Original Message-----
From: tracce-...@googlegroups.com [mailto:tracce-...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Folu
Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2010 11:52 AM
To: TRACCE Listserv
Subject: Condolences: Pius Njawe, Publisher, Le Messager
Our heartfelt condolences go to the family of the great Cameroonian journalist and freedom crusader, Pius Njawe, who apparently died in an automobile accident in Virginia yesterday - see report below. Njawe suffered long for the cause of press freedom and the uplifting of the professional standards of journalism in his native Cameroon and elsewhere in Africa. He was once imprisoned for two years in Cameroon for reporting in his paper that President Paul Biya suffered a heart attack. His numerous arrests, detentions, judicial fines, and imprisonments are legendary. Perhaps a few of our colleagues who know him best, including Tracce member, Prof. Mitch Land, will have more to say about this pioneering soul of African journalism. May his soul rest in peace. God grant him mercy.
- Folu Ogundimu
New Item follows:
Reports are just coming in of the death of the celebrated Cameroonian journalist, human Rights activist and publisher of Le Messager, Pius Njawe, as a result of the accident reported below. Read Pius Njawe in his own words on www.dibussi.com <http://www.dibussi.com/> . Stay tuned. This is a developing story...
By Kristin Davis
Lauren Roth
The Virginian-Pilot
(c) July 12, 2010
CHESAPEAKE
One person was killed and two were injured, one critically, when a tractor-trailer rear-ended a disabled Lexus on I-664 South near the Bowers Hill interchange just before 3 p.m. today.
State police had to shut down the interstate at Military Highway and divert traffic onto exit 13A, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation. Drivers had to make a U-turn onto Highway 58 East in order to access I-664.
The accident was reported at 2:55 p.m., said Capt. Mike Thibeault, Chesapeake Fire Department spokesman. The first rescue crews arrived at 3:03 p.m.
The four-door, cream-colored 1994 Lexus sedan had become disabled in the left-center lane of the four-lane highway, said Sgt. R.W. Walker with the Virginia State Police. The car was stopped just over the crest of a hill before the exits for I-264 East and I-64 West, he said.
The tractor-trailer, a 2000 Mack truck owned by J.W. Canaday Trucking Inc. of Providence Forge, struck the rear end of the Lexus and pushed it several hundred feet, Walker said. The front-seat passenger in the Lexus was declared dead at the scene.
State police have identified the victim, but because he is not a U.S.
citizen, it may take extra time to notify next of kin, Walker said.
The driver of the Lexus, which was registered in Washington, D.C., was taken to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital with critical injuries. The driver of the truck also was taken to Norfolk General with injuries not considered life-threatening, Walker said.
The investigation is ongoing. I-664 was reopened about 6:37 p.m.
--
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