Abubakar Hashim during TheNEWS interview with President Joseph Boakai of Liberia

Abubakar Hashim/Freetown

A Presidential interview is the pinnacle of any journalist’s career. It carries weight as a President of any country works on severely tight schedules.

Apart from daily scheduled appointments, there are other unforeseen daily happenings that, unavoidably, require the President’s urgent attention.

My first Presidential interview was with the late President Joseph Momoh of Sierra Leone in 1989. I worked with the defunct African Concord, headquartered in Lagos, with Bayo Onanuga, currently President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy. Momoh was close to Babangida, who was then Nigeria’s Military President. Momoh was not too eloquent as he answered the questions with brief answers as if he was about to catch a flight.

Abubakar Hashim With President Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone in 2014.

My second Presidential interview was with the late President Tejan Kabba on his first anniversary in March 1997. I found Kabba an experienced technocrat, who spoke in measured tones about his love for the unity of his country. This was the peak of the war in Sierra Leone. Just two months after that memorable interview with him, Johnny Paul Koroma struck in May 1997. Kabba fled into exile in neighbouring Guinea and was reinstated by Abacha nine months later.

The third was with President Ernest Bai Koroma. The interview was narrowly cancelled due to what happened to a Chinese investor who was on the President’s invitation to Sierra Leone, but was robbed at his hotel! The President was visibly upset that day, as I could sense it in the interview. He spoke well, though I found him to be slippery in answering some questions.

Abubakar Hashim with President Sirleaf of Liberia in 2016.

The next interview was with Africa’s first female President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. It was published in TheNEWS. I found Ellen an extremely intelligent woman, who is versatile on current affairs.

The next interview was with Cote D’Ivoire President, Alhassan Quatara, the only bilingual President in West Africa. Quatara is unbelievably sharp, with all-round brilliance. He speaks his native French and English fluently. At first, I thought I would need a translator. But I was proved wrong! Quatara speaks fluent English.

The sixth was with President Julius Maada Bio. I had two interviews with him, when he was Secretary of State ( Minister) of Information and as President, during the thick of COVID-19. Bio is amazingly intelligent. I found him to be well-versed on issues of contemporary interest.

Abubakar Hashim inside TheNEWS Bureau Office in Freetown.

The seventh was with President Joseph Boakai on August 17, 2024, in Monrovia. This was an interview that touched me most. Boakai’s biography for the seat of the Presidency is heartbreaking. His journey and triumph to become President were remarkably fraught with lots of twists and turns. As a determined warrior, he eventually conquered and won a tough battle! President Boakai is an apotheosis of Nelson Mandela, or Mahatma Gandhi, who put a premium on humanity and service. All three leaders form similar chemistry and wear similar portraits.

The full interview with President Boakai will be published in the September edition of TheNEWS. It is lengthy, revealing and breathtaking.

I’ve benefited immensely from all these interviews. From African Concord to present TheNEWS Magazine, I appreciate the power of God Almighty in providing the opportunity to meet with these Presidents in West Africa, where I’ve covered current affairs for the past 32 years!

As I’m looking toward retirement, I cherish the experience of these interactions. Conducting Presidential interviews requires sound preparations, commanding stamina and in-depth knowledge about what one is asking.

* Abubakar Hashim is the West Africa Bureau Chief of TheNEWS  Magazine, based in Sierra Leone