Award-winning broadcast journalist and current Bank of Ghana staff member, Paa Kwesi Asare, has paid glowing tribute to the late former Station Manager of Radio Univers, Dr. Abubakari Sidick Ahmed, popularly known as Alhaji, describing him as a pillar of professionalism and a significant contributor to Ghana’s media landscape.
Alhaji passed away on Monday, February 16, 2026, at 10:15am at the University of Ghana Medical Center (UGMC) after a short illness.
His passing has since drawn tributes from colleagues, mentees, and members of the University community.
Speaking on Campus Exclusive on Radio Univers, Asare, a Radio Univers alumnus, recounted his admiration for Alhaji long before joining the station.
He revealed that he was an avid listener of Behind the Headlines, a popular current affairs programme hosted by Alhaji alongside Kwaku Baako.
“I was quite interested in news and current affairs, and I used to listen to Behind the Headlines a lot,” he said.
Asare added that his admiration for Alhaji was nurtured at home, noting that his mother greatly respected the veteran broadcaster.
“My mother loved Alhaji to bits, and it was actually she who introduced me to his professionalism and dedication,” he recalled.
Although he later met Alhaji after completing school, Asare expressed regret that he never had the opportunity to work directly under him.
“He was quite a warm person, but my greatest regret is that I really never worked under him to know the kind of person he was,” he noted.
Describing his passing as a huge loss, Asare said Alhaji’s impact extended beyond the Radio Univers community to the entire nation.
“He contributed enormously to the media landscape and to our democracy, and he’ll be sorely missed,” Asare added.
Alhaji’s association with Radio Univers spanned more than 30 years. He joined the University of Ghana’s campus-based, non-commercial radio station as a student journalist and later rose through the ranks to become Station Manager, a role he held after years of service. He remains the longest-serving staff member in the station’s history.
In addition to managing the station’s day-to-day operations, he played a role in training and supervising student broadcasters. Several of those who passed through the station during his tenure have subsequently built careers in media organisations within Ghana and internationally.
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Story by Martin Awaitey Odjidja | univers.ug.edu.gh
Edited by Erica Odeenyin Odoom
