Manasseh recalls family asking him to quit journalism: ‘I’m too young to be a widow’

Renowned investigative journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni, has disclosed that his family once urged him to abandon journalism due to the severe threats he received as a result of his exposés. Speaking on Starr Chat with Bola Ray, Mr Awuni recounted the emotional toll his work has taken on his loved ones, particularly his wife, who expressed deep concern for his safety.

“My family wanted me to quit journalism after my very first investigations,” Awuni revealed. “There were calls to my father, warning him about my style of journalism and the individuals I was exposing. Someone even told him, ‘Your son is going after the kind of people that others avoid.’”

The intensity of the threats escalated to a point where Awuni’s wife tearfully pleaded with him to reconsider his career. “There was a day my wife was weeping and saying, ‘I am too young to be a widow.’ No matter how strong you are, it will hit you,” he recalled. “That was in the morning, and she was crying.”

Awuni admitted that these threats often led him to question whether continuing in his line of work was worth the risk. “There have been occasions when I even ask myself, ‘Is it worth it?’” he said. “But sometimes you see certain things, and you get so angry and outraged about it.”

Despite the danger, Awuni remains steadfast in his commitment to investigative journalism, driven by a sense of responsibility. “I also have this feeling that if we all say we are afraid, we are not going to do anything about our predicaments. When the reality hits all of us, we will be endangered,” he concluded.

Manasseh Azure Awuni’s revelations highlight the personal sacrifices and immense courage required in the pursuit of truth in journalism, especially in the face of formidable opposition.

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