In a rather bizarre turn of events, a call by the Managing Editor of the Nightwatch Newspaper seeking clarification or justification of names of expected attendees who have either accepted, confirmed to send representatives or declined to attend the Third Africa High-Level Forum on South-South and Triangular Cooperation for Sustainable Development (HLFSSTrC) to be held in Freetown from 7th May to 9th May 2025 on the theme: “The Role of the Global South in Reshaping the New International Order” turned into a barrage of insults from Amara Kallon, the Minister of Public Administration and Political Affairs.
In a bid to ascertain information that has been relayed to nightwatch by sources in the Ministry of Public Admininistration and Political Affairs, the Managing Editor, Emmanuel Christian Thorli placed a direct call to Minister Amara Kallon.
Answering his phone the Minister was asked how many Presidents or Head of States and other invited guests have confirmed their arrival and presence at the high level forum in Freetown, the Minister responded that only two Presidents will be in attendance and that they include the Presidents of Ghana and Sierra Leone.
“I clarified that since the President of Sierra Leone is the host there will only be one other President, the President of Ghana. I asked if there will be other African leaders to which Minister Kallon responded that the chair and vice chair of the APRM would be in attendance,” the Nightwatch Managing Editor narrated.
But according to the Managing Editor, Minister Kallon like a record player will flip, suddenly went into a tirade, questiononing if he is being interviewed and why has the Managing Editor not contacted his Communication Team in the Ministry. Prior to this, the Journalist has introduced himself and the Minister had already responded to certain clarifications. Why his temper flared cannot be ascertained.
“I am a Minister. Don’t you have respect for authority? Do you think I am your equal or do you think I am as stupid as you,” Minister Amara Kallon’s tirade continued.
When the Nightwatch Managing Editor confirmed to the arrant Minister that he has already given the information he was seeking, the Minister;s adrenalin apparently soared, and with utter disregard of his public service position just went into a trance of unprintable invectives against somebody who was merely seeking information to be disseminated for public consumption.
This time in the popular Krio parlance, Minister Amara Kallon’s polemic rendition went as follows: “U nor sabi me eh? You think say ar stupid lek you? Or ar stupid en reckless lek you? You dae ask a whole Minister question as if I am your rank. You don’t have the courtesy to say ‘Mr. Minister, hello! How are you? I want to know about your conference. That’s how journalists ask questions not like: ‘eh Mr. Minister why Presidents come and Ministers are not coming. Is that journalism? Then you threaten my brother. I want you to take them and put then on paper. Una feel say me na dem reckless Minister dem?”
Because the Managing Editor is human just like Minister Amara Kallon who by his verbal outburst exhibited pure immaturity and indecency at the highest level considering his position as a Minister of State, he was responded to thus: “Na you stupid. You nor sabi journalism. You nor respect u sef as Minister”
Minister Kallon having classed himself so low responded: “You dae misrepresent journalism. Expose waetin you get. Na you stupid! You don’t have respect for a Minister and Government. You go threaten me to me brother Alpha say you go expose me. Pan all way you misbehave pan me? You feel say me na borbor? Go and expose what you have. You threaten my brother and family.”
But I informed Minister Amara Kallon that he had already given me the information I needed,” the nightwatch managing editor informed this medium.
In a recorded one-sided conversation between Minister Kallon and the nightwatch owner, the minister took offense to the manner in which he was being interviewed after which he started using insulting language on the media publisher.
“I interviewed Minister Kallon on Saturday about the APRM. After Minister Amara Kallon had rained insult on me for asking him about those who will be expected to be at the APRM forum, I hung up the phone. I got a missed call from Minister Kallon on Monday at 10:30pm that I immediately returned. What happened afterwards was beyond me,” the news medium proprietor relayed.
In the recording that this journo was made privy to, the Minister of Public Admin and Political Affairs Amara Kallon berated the nightwatch managing editor saying among others: “You nor sabi me. You think say ah stupid lek you stupid or reckless lek you…You ask a whole minister question as if I am your rank. You don’t have the courtesy to say ‘Mr Minister, hello! How are you? I want to know about your conference.’ That’s how journalists ask questions nor eh Mr. Minister why presidents come and ministers not coming. Is that journalism? Then you threaten my brother. I want you to take them and put then on paper. Una feel say me na dem reckless minister dem?”
At this point the managing editor of nightwatch can be heard telling Minister Amara Kallon that he lacks common sense to which the minister replied: “Na you stupid. You nor sabi journalism. You nor respect minister and misuse journalism. Expose waytin you get. Na you stupid. You don’t have respect for minister and government. You threaten my brother Alpha that you will expose me. Pan way you misbehave pan me? You feel say me na borbor? Go and expose what you have. You threaten my brother and family.”
The bitter exchange ended with a note by the Managing Editor when he remarked: “But Mr. Minister, na simple question ar ask you ooh!”
Weighing in on this banter between the Minister of Government and the journalist, a ranking member of the civil society observed that the Minister as a public servant should understand that he just insulted and bullied the journalist out of complete disrespect.
“As Minister, once someone introduces himself or herself as a journalist should instantly stimulate consciousness around you that he or she is after something, and most probably for journalists, it is information. Minister Amara Kallon could have avoided his immature display of acrid vexation at the journalist for merely asking a question. He could have simply told the journalist to refer to the media team in his Ministry or not say anything. But because he started divulging the information the journalist wanted and given that he realized that he was giving out, he now decided to go that low as to insult and threaten the journalist. On the whole, Minister Amara Kallon simply overstepped his boundaries as a public servant with sheer arrogance and display of youthful exuberance,” the CSO Activist stated.
Meanwhile, the ‘Third Africa High-Level Forum on South-South and Triangular Cooperation for Sustainable Development (HLFSSTrC)” will commence today at the Bintumani International Conference Centre at Aberdeen on the theme: “The Role of the Global South in Reshaping the New International Order”.