Long before I walked into the studios of Radio Univers as a student volunteer in 2007, I had already heard the name Alhaji Sidick Abubakari Ahmed spoken with reverence. It carried weight. It carried respect. It carried history.
Like many young people who found their way to Radio Univers, I first encountered him not as a friend, but as a standard. I was one of the student volunteers interviewed by Alhaji before joining the station. Even in that brief interaction, there was something unmistakable about him, a calm authority, a depth of thought, and a quiet confidence that reassured you that you were in the presence of a man who understood both media and mentorship.
Although he spent only a short time with my batch before travelling to South Africa, his impact lingered. I had the privilege of briefly producing his programme, Behind the Headlines. Watching him dissect national issues with clarity, wisdom, and balance was a masterclass in responsible journalism. He was sharp yet measured. Firm yet fair. Passionate yet disciplined.
Alhaji did not just manage a radio station; he built a model.
At Radio Univers, training was never superficial. Before you went on air, you wrote. You researched. You produced. You covered events. You learned discipline. You learned structure. You learned excellence. We had a term commonly used by Dr. Kwaku Botwe who was our leader then, “Before you smell the mic…”. That holistic, hands-on approach shaped generations of media professionals, and even those of us who eventually took different career paths are excelling today because the foundation was solid. Alhaji built that foundation. Alhaji and his Radio Univers system built us.
Many have described him as a mentor, a father figure, a gentle but firm leader. And it is true; he led without noise. He did not need to shout to be heard. His leadership was quiet, intellectual, and deeply intentional.
Today, looking at where his trainees or student volunteers are, I can confidently say his influence extended far beyond the studio; it reached into boardrooms, newsrooms, classrooms, and the broader democratic space of Ghana. My colleagues like Pasino, NBY, Kaledzi, Omar Farouq, Ayesua, Bartels, Priscilla, Paa Kwesi Asare, Giovani, Seth Miah, Mina, Abigail, Francis, Cleopas, Eyra, Daryl, Frankiln, Elvis, Ophelia, Yemofio, Dr. Carl and many more are shining lights everywhere.
Radio Univers was not just a station under his watch; it was a training ground for national impact.
Today, we mourn not just a former Station Manager, but a man who shaped the media landscape in immeasurable ways. A man whose fingerprints are on the careers of countless journalists and professionals across the country and beyond.
And yet, in the midst of our grief, I hold onto one comforting thought: we had the chance to celebrate him while he was with us. We were able to say thank you. We honoured the man who had given so much, the mentor, the teacher, the builder of people.
Alhaji may no longer sit behind the microphone, but his voice echoes in every confident broadcaster trained at Radio Univers. His discipline lives in every well-researched story. His legacy breathes in every professional shaped by his standard.
Alhaji built more than a station.
He built us, and through us, he will continue to live.
Thank you, Alhaji.
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This article was authored by Matthew Nti Ansah (Marketing & Communications Professional)
