The Inquirer
Monrovia, Liberia

Distributed by

The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia

Posted January 19, 2004

Employees of the independent INQUIRER Newspaper are today wearing blue jeans and while T-shirts to give thanks and praise to God for 13 years of existence as a newspaper. The jeans is to exhibit the level of hard work for which the newspaper has been successful.

Activities marking this year’s anniversary began on Sunday with a divine worship service at the First Assembly of God Church on Buchanan Street. The service was also in thanksgiving to Providence for his many blessings over the years.

"Since the founding of the paper, we have over the years made it a tradition to begin our celebration with a worship service to give thanks and praises to God for blessing us over the years, " said Mr. Philip N. Wesseh, Managing Editor of the paper.

Unlike previous occasions, the management of the paper has this year added another flavor to the annual celebration which will take place next week in Monrovia. During this year’s indoor program, a fund raising program will be launched by the management to generate some funds to help resolve some of its numerous logistical problems. The money will also be used to strengthen the capacity of the paper, especially improving its news room as regards modern technology.

As usual, during next week’s celebration, the paper will present certificates to its many personalities of the year.

Meanwhile, a thanksgiving service will be held this morning at the office to be followed by a reception to be hosted by the Managing Editor. Mr. Wesseh said that will be his way of thanking the employees for their continued support to the institution. "I am a successful manager today because of my employees. Therefore, let me show how grateful I am for them,"he said.

The paper was founded January 15, 1991 by a group of Liberian journalists headed by the late T. Max Teah. Its first Managing Editor was Mr. Gabriel I.H. Williams now residing in the United States. Presently, Mr. J. Grody Dorbor, who was then a senior reporter but now serves as Business/Administrative Manager of the paper, is the Chairman of the Board of Directors. The paper operates as a cooperative where the employees are the managers.

Some of its original employees are S. Togba Slewion, Amos Bryant (now a preacher), Bana Sackey, J. Burgess Carter, S. K. Davies, Sam Van Kesselly, Roger Seton, Jackson Doe, D. Emmanuel Nah, Ignatius Roberts, Hoover Wantu Major, Gregory Stemn, Albert Pyne, Timothy Pyne, Stanley George, among others.