Bye bye Mma Ollie :: Mmegi Online

I was reluctant to pay homage in writing to my former employer Clara Olsen. I had in mind that as a former journalist and editor at The Botswana Gazette there are many other former successful editors alive today who could simply outdo me in the game. But I took solace from the words of my former mentor, the great Mma Ollie herself that there are many ways to approach an issue in writing.

Her favourite example was that she religiously watched foreign news on television by different broadcasting stations and that their reporting will always be different. The facts are the same but the approach is different. Mma Ollie’s counsel in such a quandary was that each reporter should present his perspective to his audience. I remembered her wisdom when I was hesitant to write this tribute.

Mma Ollie or Mosadimogolo as the young reporters fondly called her in whispers was a mentor to generations of journalists in this country. The celebrated Outsa Mokones, Spencer Mogapis, Aubrey Lutes, Abraham Motsokonos and Galebolae Ngakanes, of this world went through her hands. Before her demise last week Thursday she had been in the game for more than three decades.

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