Un membre respecté de l’équipe de la Voix de l’Amérique
VOA French to Africa reporter Ferdinand Ferella, one of the most respected and well-known journalists in Central Africa, passed away December 13 following a battle with lung cancer. He was 59.
Born in Rouen, France in 1952, Ferdinand worked at Radio Canada International before joining VOA in the late 1980s. As a reporter for VOA he traveled frequently to the Democratic Republic of Congo, where his dedication to balance and accuracy built credibility and a loyal audience.
Ferdinand Ferella with Pres. Denis Sassou N’Guesso, Republic of Congo
Friends called his influence in the Democratic Republic of Congo “astounding.” Many journalists held him in such high regard they named their children after him. One of his listeners once wrote he should be nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for his reporting.
Longtime French to Africa Service Chief and friend Idrissa Dia, who worked with Ferdinand for the past 25 years, called him “an extraordinary journalist because of the way he practiced his craft in a sometimes explosive environment. He had passion for the story, but he was very demanding, very, very meticulous about sourcing and fairness, and high officials knew they would have credibility if they spoke to him.”
Ferdinand Ferella with journalists he trained in Goma, DRC
VOA Director David Ensor called Ferdinand “one of the most respected journalists in Africa,” whose reporting was responsible for much of VOA’s audience.
In addition to his reporting, Ferdinand was also a mentor, training hundreds of journalists in Congo, carefully monitoring their work and helping them hone their skills.
VOA’s French to Africa Service has established a memorial page on their website for Ferdinand, already including many appreciative audience comments in French and English, along with audio tributes and photos from his career. Please visit and share your thoughts or memories, or learn more about this respected journalist, colleague, and friend.
Ferdinand Ferella interviews President Joseph Kabila, Democratic Republic of Congo
Ferdinand was one of a kind. His knowledge of the DRC, his dedication to his craft, his energy and his professionalism contributed to VOA’s incredible success in DRC. We will miss him — and so will the people of the DRC.
Pingback: Il Blog di Radio L’Aquila 1 » Blog Archive » Washington: è morto Ferdinando Ferella giornalista radiofonico della VOA