Jeff Koinange, CNN’s Africa correspondent was fired by CNN on May 29. Many people have said that it was because it was found that he fabricated a large part of the story on MEND in Nigeria. I am still wondering what he fabricated. Was the display of the hostages also ‘fabircated’? I think that CNN owes us the duty of explaining if this story was actually fabricated, and if so to what extent. I didn’t particular like the story when I saw it because it was a characteristic Jeff Koinange story – lacking in depth and melodramatic, giving one the impression that the journalist, Jeff, is doing it just for the fame. But then, equally lacking in depth was the Frank Nweke rebuttal. I saw that too, and it got me really disgusted. The truth is that there is no way one can defend the mess in the Niger-Delta region, just like we rarely need a fame-seeking, I-won’t-look-beneath-the-surface journalist to tell us about the mess in the region; every right-thinking Nigerian, at least, knows that. And for the rest of the world, we know the ‘they’ll watch the footage while eating dinner, feel bad that people can be treating each other this bad, and then go on to finish the dinner’ line. If this is really the reason he was fired, CNN, we need more information, not just the dismissal of a journalist.
I first got to know first about his dismissal from the NVS. That story itself is a poster for what can go wrong when we let purported patriotism blind us to reason. Anyway, after I saw the story, I looked closer at the Koinange issue and found that a lot had been going on that I had not known about. For one, Koinange has been caught in a date rape mess, involving a kenyan who wrote a book about a murdered Kenyan politician. The woman sent an email to Jim Watson, President of CNN-Worldwide, making a formal complaint against Jeff. The text of the mail can be read here. The woman also went on to create a blog, posting correspondences between the two of them. Really steamy, those emails. You can check them here. I wonder how much this particular part of the story influenced the decision to have him fired.
Just realised that some people have not seen the Niger-Delta story. You can click here for the story, and this is a link to Nweke’s rebuttal.
serioulsy jeff koinage was fired…what a shame!i liked the guy
serioulsy jeff koinage was fired…what a shame!i liked the guy
wowo!just read the stories on the link u provided…cant believe jeffkoinage was like t hat….he seemed like such a ppretty decent man…i thot he was good at his job…anywyaz sa na only God take know the truth o
wowo!just read the stories on the link u provided…cant believe jeffkoinage was like t hat….he seemed like such a ppretty decent man…i thot he was good at his job…anywyaz sa na only God take know the truth o
Funny, was I not only just thinking about this now?
What to say?
First, I have a problem with how Africa is presented in Western Media. … its not like I buy into those Conspiracy Theories and all… But then if we look properly, there is almost a formula to it. It’s as if news about Africa has to be a certain way, to fit their already existing conceptions… anyway what am I say?
As for CNN and Koinange, at this point it s a clear case of mud and muddlement.
I don’t put it beyond them to have paid for the interviews… And I mean CNN.
As I learnt from the links on your post, Jeff already had issues. It was only wise to let the man go.
Did I already say that I do not like him one bit?????
But, Minus all that one, what the hell was Nweke saying?? Someone tell me… what the hell was he saying???
I ‘m about to have a fit!
Funny, was I not only just thinking about this now?What to say?First, I have a problem with how Africa is presented in Western Media. … its not like I buy into those Conspiracy Theories and all… But then if we look properly, there is almost a formula to it. It’s as if news about Africa has to be a certain way, to fit their already existing conceptions… anyway what am I say?As for CNN and Koinange, at this point it s a clear case of mud and muddlement.I don’t put it beyond them to have paid for the interviews… And I mean CNN.As I learnt from the links on your post, Jeff already had issues. It was only wise to let the man go. Did I already say that I do not like him one bit?????But, Minus all that one, what the hell was Nweke saying?? Someone tell me… what the hell was he saying???I ‘m about to have a fit!
@Jaja
I understand your anger at the way Africa is often presented in the Western Media. But then, if you want to see really horrible stories about Nigeria you don’t even need to check the Western Media. Pick up any copy of Tell or The News and you’ll find dirtier details than you would ever find on CNN. The simply reason for this is that bad news sells the most.
The horrible thing about the representation in the Western Media is that those Westerners who have never been to Africa think these are the only things there are in Africa. I remember someone asking me once if we have roads in Africa. Nice chap, the guy, but he couldn’t believe that the countries where kids have flies around there noses, where there is perpetual war, famine, poverty, where HIV has taken over the health-care system, could have motorable roads.
I have updated the post with links to the stories in CNN.
@JajaI understand your anger at the way Africa is often presented in the Western Media. But then, if you want to see really horrible stories about Nigeria you don’t even need to check the Western Media. Pick up any copy of Tell or The News and you’ll find dirtier details than you would ever find on CNN. The simply reason for this is that bad news sells the most. The horrible thing about the representation in the Western Media is that those Westerners who have never been to Africa think these are the only things there are in Africa. I remember someone asking me once if we have roads in Africa. Nice chap, the guy, but he couldn’t believe that the countries where kids have flies around there noses, where there is perpetual war, famine, poverty, where HIV has taken over the health-care system, could have motorable roads. I have updated the post with links to the stories in CNN.
excellent write up. i think the guy must have been a victim of his own ignorance.
btw: ill be staying in blogsville for much longer going by the general consensus although am heading to naija in a week. I just cannot keep away from you guys. I love you all. God bless.
excellent write up. i think the guy must have been a victim of his own ignorance. btw: ill be staying in blogsville for much longer going by the general consensus although am heading to naija in a week. I just cannot keep away from you guys. I love you all. God bless.
Hey Pseudo, good to know you are still going to be around!
Hey Pseudo, good to know you are still going to be around!
“characteristic Jeff Koinange story – lacking in depth and melodramatic, giving one the impression that the journalist, Jeff, is doing it just for the fame”…….
I feel you jere….I get annoyed sometimes when he reports on some stories….very vexing…..
I mean, I guess he can’t hide the truth, but the way its reported is very vexing…..
“characteristic Jeff Koinange story – lacking in depth and melodramatic, giving one the impression that the journalist, Jeff, is doing it just for the fame”…….I feel you jere….I get annoyed sometimes when he reports on some stories….very vexing…..I mean, I guess he can’t hide the truth, but the way its reported is very vexing…..
I am pretty much selective when it comes to accepting reports by the BBC, CNN, The Guardian etc, esp. when these reportings deal with sensitive issues as say our Niger-Delta area, the Middle East and stuff…their bias just gets to me.
That said, whatever it was with Jeff and them I’d say has so much untold…
thanks for stopping by my joint.
I am pretty much selective when it comes to accepting reports by the BBC, CNN, The Guardian etc, esp. when these reportings deal with sensitive issues as say our Niger-Delta area, the Middle East and stuff…their bias just gets to me.That said, whatever it was with Jeff and them I’d say has so much untold…thanks for stopping by my joint.
The guy looks familiar but I can’t remember really listening to anything he was saying…as for how us Africans are portrayed in America, if one has lived in America from day one to present and based one’s conception of Africa to what CNN provides, you’d talk of Africa as some diseased, misery-cursed place where people kill themselves and fight over insignificant things. Of course, Nigerians are thieves!
The CNN we get from within America is so different from the one I remember getting in Nigeria. Here, all their news is on what happening in America…maybe a 1 minute slot to update us that people are still dying in Sudan followed my another Celebrity sex tape scandal. Of course at night they do a whole segment on “online predators” ie 419’ers starring mostly a Nigerian cast. Back home I remember programs like “Inside Africa” that lasted an hour maybe two.
The guy looks familiar but I can’t remember really listening to anything he was saying…as for how us Africans are portrayed in America, if one has lived in America from day one to present and based one’s conception of Africa to what CNN provides, you’d talk of Africa as some diseased, misery-cursed place where people kill themselves and fight over insignificant things. Of course, Nigerians are thieves!The CNN we get from within America is so different from the one I remember getting in Nigeria. Here, all their news is on what happening in America…maybe a 1 minute slot to update us that people are still dying in Sudan followed my another Celebrity sex tape scandal. Of course at night they do a whole segment on “online predators” ie 419’ers starring mostly a Nigerian cast. Back home I remember programs like “Inside Africa” that lasted an hour maybe two.
Thank you Loomnie for your comment. I dont have any profil page. Something about me… well, I am MA student at the University of Oslo. Finishing my fieldwork in 2 weeks and really dont know what to do with all the 5 months Ive been here… Thanks for a link to my site. Its difficult with electricity and internett access right now here so I have to wait with reading more of you until I am back in Europe. Good luck with everything. P.S. Good to know that somebody else is spending his best years reading Latour :):):)
Thank you Loomnie for your comment. I dont have any profil page. Something about me… well, I am MA student at the University of Oslo. Finishing my fieldwork in 2 weeks and really dont know what to do with all the 5 months Ive been here… Thanks for a link to my site. Its difficult with electricity and internett access right now here so I have to wait with reading more of you until I am back in Europe. Good luck with everything. P.S. Good to know that somebody else is spending his best years reading Latour :):):)
this is my first time on your blog and i’m liking your blog. I never knew about the CNN correspondent thing. Has the real reason wh y he was fired been known now?? I think they fired him due to what happenned between him and that woman
this is my first time on your blog and i’m liking your blog. I never knew about the CNN correspondent thing. Has the real reason wh y he was fired been known now?? I think they fired him due to what happenned between him and that woman
hey jaja i feel u! i no like d guy too and loomnie you are right cos he seeemed like a phony. but i’m sad for him anyway. bad enough that he’s fired worse that is image is been tanished right along with it. but he’s lucky he lives in america where the undesirable becomes the desirable and outlaws are kings.
i’ll advise him to make a big publicity show of himself on as many talkshows as possible or maybe make a album or own a record studio like akon. that’s if he has anyother talent apart from being a very good phony.
hey jaja i feel u! i no like d guy too and loomnie you are right cos he seeemed like a phony. but i’m sad for him anyway. bad enough that he’s fired worse that is image is been tanished right along with it. but he’s lucky he lives in america where the undesirable becomes the desirable and outlaws are kings.i’ll advise him to make a big publicity show of himself on as many talkshows as possible or maybe make a album or own a record studio like akon. that’s if he has anyother talent apart from being a very good phony.
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I didn’t realise Jeff had been fired. Thanks for this. Will check it up
I didn’t realise Jeff had been fired. Thanks for this. Will check it up