The rise and rise of Vera Kwakofi

By Rebecca Kwei Her mum told her that while growing up, she had always talked about wanting to be a journalist and though she does not really remember much of that she felt she would inevitably end up in broadcasting. She recalls that the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and radio was a constant presence in her home while she was growing up. “I remember every morning sitting at the breakfast table listening to GBC’s Everyday English programme religiously before school, I knew who all the GBC and BBC newsreaders were. I loved news and current affairs, reading and sports so I think it was a perfect mix really. All my interests converged on journalism and media so that’s the path I took and I haven’t looked back since,” she says. That is true — since joining the BBC World Service in 2002, Vera Daisy Kwakofi has risen through the ranks and is now the head of Current Affairs for BBC Africa since December last year. She is in charge of 35 producers and journalists in London as well as at least 10 correspondents across Africa. Her primary task is to help the team transition from a primarily radio operation to a multimedia team. This includes restructuring the team, retraining and reskilling to enable them operate across radio, television and new media. Although she is not the first black person to act as an editor of the African current affairs output (Ben Malor, Elizabeth Ohene and Joseph Warungu were editors of Focus on Africa), she is the first African to lead the team that provides all of the BBC’s news and current affairs programming for Africa in English. These are the teams who make the prestigious Focus on Africa radio programme — a daily radio news and analysis programme; African Perspective documentaries, African Sport/bbcafrican football website; The Africa Debate and two television programmes—Africa Beats and African Dream. “I am incredibly proud and humbled to have been given the responsibility of leading the BBC’s news and current affairs coverage for Africa. I grew up in Ghana listening to the BBC as a young child and in choosing to become a journalist, the BBC was always my benchmark for journalistic excellence and what I’m passionate about; public service broadcasting with a purpose of delivering information as well as impact,” Vera says. The African Service delivers about a quarter of the BBC World Service’s global weekly audiences and that’s a huge coup for the team. “I wake up every morning very aware of the importance of this responsibility, not only to maintaining the BBC’s editorial and brand credibility but also to serving our African audiences well,” she said.

Life at BBC over the years
Over the years, Vera’s positions at the BBC has been wide and varied. She once produced and presented a wide range of BBC World Service’s English-language output for Africa. She also was Project Manager for BBC Africa Radio Awards, Editorial Co-ordinator for BBC World Service’s coverage of the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, Regional Planning Co-ordinator for Africa and the Middle East. She was also a director of the BBC’s radio drama for Africa. Vera has also served as Editorial Advisor to the Head of the BBC’s Global News Division (it comprises BBC World Service, BBC World News television, BBC Monitoring and BBC Media Action) with responsibility for overseeing editorial compliance and complaints management across the division as well as the delivery of editorial strategy. Going back memory lane on how she joined the BBC, Vera recalled that she had been working in Ghana at Vibe FM straight out of school and had risen to become News Editor at the station. She felt she needed to grow and possibly change careers so she applied to do a politics degree with an international relations specialism in the UK. “When I arrived to study, I contacted Focus on Africa Editor, Robin White, if I could do some work experience during my time abroad. It’s every journalist’s dream to spend some time at the BBC, I think.” “I remember the first day I walked into Bush House. My meeting with Robin included being asked to write an article and reading for him in a studio. He agreed I could do some work experience initially for two weeks and during holidays.” “Ten years later, here I am. I’ve had some of the best mentors and guides at the BBC who believed in me and even more importantly my potential. They gave me responsibilities at times I didn’t even think I was ready for but I was prepared to learn and give things a try that stretched my abilities. I will forever be grateful for their trust and confidence,” she reminisced.

Challenges and looking to the future
“Any challenges with the job?” I asked. “Oh, there are many challenges with the job but that’s what makes it even more exciting for me. I thrive on challenge. The BBC has a global reputation and reach so every decision I make is in awareness that I am continuing a legacy that I benefitted from and which I need to nurture for the future. In managing and leading a team of more than 40 incredibly passionate journalists in London and Africa, it’s important to ensure that you’re listening to them and making the work environment a great place that allows them to thrive and continue to be motivated.” “And of course there’s the audiences who are at the heart of everything we do. Our flagship programme Focus on Africa for instance has an average weekly listenership of 20 million people who take time out of their busy lives to keep an appointment with us. It's important that we continue serving them to the best of our ability, telling a balanced story of Africa, listening to their criticisms and commendations, ensuring we are up to date on the media and audience trends in a very highly competitive media environment. And of course you’re doing this in an environment where budgets are tighter and tighter so it’s a tough balance but we’re holding our own; I’m pleased to say.” In the next five years, Vera hopes to be “running the BBC World Service,” she said jokingly. However, she notes that the confidence to say something like that is a testament of the legacy and personal and professional growth she had acquired at the organisation. “I hold a postgraduate degree in Organisational Change Management and I was incredibly lucky that within three months of finishing my degree, I was asked to become a special editorial advisor to the Director of the Global News Division. This division comprises of BBC World Service, BBC World News Television, BBC Media Action, our international media development charity and BBC Monitoring, our global media monitoring division.” She said her work as an advisor was to support operational strategy across all these divisions and it was an unbelievable learning experience working at the highest levels of organisational governance in such a world renowned business. “And it’s one of the reasons I moved from editorial to management. I am incredibly fascinated by how businesses work and evolve to remain relevant to their markets—and that’s what I see myself continuing to do,” she added.

Family and education
Vera is the oldest of six children (four brothers and a sister). They come from Sokode Bagble in the Volta Region though they were all born and raised in Tema. Her parents are now retired. Her dad, Captain Isaac Kwakofi, was a merchant navy captain with the Black Star Line and her mum, Mispah Dzogbewu, was a teacher. They all have very varied careers — her brother, Robin, runs his own web and software development company, CyTerra Solutions which he set up straight after completion of the University of Ghana, Legon. Kevin is an entrepreneur, Colin is a recent graduate doctor at the Tema General Hospital; Vanessa recently graduated from the Central University with a first Class in Business Administration and the youngest, Edwin, is waiting to enter university. He wants to be a journalist as well. Vera had her secondary education at Accra Girls Senior `High School for her GCE ‘O’ Level from 1987 to 1992 and then to the Ghana Senior High School, Koforidua from 1992 to 1994 for her GCE ‘A’ Level. She did her national service at Assin Kushea in the Central Region, which is Sir Sam Jonah's hometown, and said it was an eye-opening experience for her as a 19-year-old teaching in a village. Prior to embarking on her radio career, she trained at the Ghana Institute of Journalism between 1995 and 1997. She also holds an Msc in Consultant Management and Organisational Change from the University of London’s Birkbeck College as well as a degree in Politics from the London Guidhall now London Metropolitan University. The principles that she has always been guided by and had tried to live by are fairness and personal responsibility. Vera is passionate about sports, radio journalism, literacy and the arts. She wrote her first screenplay for a short film Lareba, which was made in 2000. She loves musical theatre and possibly in another life, she would be writing and composing for the stage.