By Jeremiah Nutsugah
On this momentous occasion of Prof. Alex Teye Quarmyne’s 95th birthday, we gathered to celebrate the life and enduring legacy of a visionary media pioneer who dedicated his life to the advancement of both television and radio.
Prof. Alex Teye Quarmyne’s children, Nyani Quarmyne and Liliona Quarmyne, praised their father for his groundbreaking work in broadcasting. They highlighted his unique commitment to the field, stating that at a time when broadcasting was not considered a career, he made it his destiny.
Speaking at the 95th birthday celebration organized on GTV, they recounted the journey that led Prof. Alex Quarmyne to become a pioneer broadcaster.
Prof. Quarmyne was the right person in the right place at the right time. He led the Ghanaian team that launched Ghana TV on July 31, 1965, becoming its first African director. His interest in technology and broadcasting was nurtured by his father from an early age.
In 1944, while at Mfantsipim School, he experimented with diffusion boxes that passed by the back of the dormitory, discovering he could listen to the radio. This early fascination led him to own his own radio.
After completing his education, while many of his friends chose to study at Legon, Alex chose a different path. He worked for a year as a manager-in-training with UAC in Tarkwa and then secured a passport to travel to Liberia in 1953. Liberia served as a gateway to the USA, offering a different broadcasting model from that of the UK.
Almost immediately upon arrival in Liberia, Alex got his first broadcasting job as an announcer and producer with radio ELBC in Monrovia. ELBC was a small station where he was the only full-time staff member, giving him the opportunity to learn firsthand about the entire workings of a radio station.
While working at ELBC, he also took a correspondence course in electronics with the National School in New York, saving up for the next stage of his plans.
Prof. Alex Teye Quarmyne’s legacy as a pioneering broadcaster and his contributions to the media landscape in Ghana remain influential. As we celebrate his 95th birthday, we honor his visionary work and the path he paved for future generations in the field of media.