Young Phillip Ayaanore Akela-Soore of TV3’s MTN video report fame has disclosed he feels like a president among his peers whenever his citizen video reports are aired.
The JSS one pupil has so far filed three video reports that have received commendation from the viewing public for their depth, relevance, creativity and appeal.
Philips told 3news.com his reports have made him very popular in the Upper East regional capital, Bolgatanga, especially in his school where he has been able to influence his peers to watch TV3.
“ I just feel like I’m a President of the school because most of my classmates, I have influenced them to watch TV3”, Phillip said.
According to him, anytime his peers watch his reports on TV they come to ask him how he does it and he simply replies “it is from my own potential”.
He added his teachers now expect him to know everything in class and will always threaten to report him to TV3 whenever he is not able to answer a question or perform a task.
How Phillip came into the limelight
Young Phillip first caught the attention of Ghanaians when he reported on the fall armyworm invasion on his father’s demonstration farm. In that report, Phillip disagreed with the Minister of Agriculture who had said the fall armyworm had been defeated.
He showed evidence of the existence of the fall armyworm and called for more to be done.
As if that was not impressive enough, Phillip came back with a second report on the same matter, but this time he had discovered a solution for the pest.
He practically demonstrated how the fall armyworm could be fought using a traditional procedure which he said was found in a research work conducted by Millar Opens University in Bolgatanga.
In that report, he ended with a resounding remark which we later found out is his motivation for doing what he does. He said “Find not only problems but look for their solutions ”
In a one-one interview with our Upper East Regional Correspondent, Rabiu Tanko, Phillip said he grew in a society where people complained a lot about problems and he does not want to be like them so “I thought ahead and found solutions”.
The latest report he filed can best be described as a masterpiece. The report, though a citizen report combines great camera skills, skillful stand ups, piece to camera and phenomenal journalistic reportage to tell a story of an abandoned government structure which he said could have been of use to a nearby Senior High School if attended to.
The report, just like his previous reports received a lot of accolades, especially on social media.
Phillip wants to be an “Engineering Journalist”
Phillip is not yet sure if he will want to pursue journalism in the future because he has a competing interest in engineering.
His father, Barnabas Ayaanore, tells 3news.com he receives complaints from Phillip’s teachers that he comes to school with electrical wires and spends a lot of the time connecting stuff.
His mother also confirms Phllip’s affinity for electricals noting she had tried to stop him for the inconveniences he sometimes causes at home, but his father intervenes.
Pushed to choose a career, Phillip said he would want to become an ‘engineering journalist” having been told he can combine his interests.
Phillip’s father is his bedrock
Phillip’s father is a professional basic school teacher who does photography and videography on the side. According to Mr. Ayanoore, he does a lot of the work for Phillip’s video reports.
He said he chose to support his son to pursue that path because he did not get the opportunity when he was young to bring out issues that bothered him, but he finds it appropriate now that MTN has partnered TV3 to give a voice to ordinary people.
He said, Phillip is young and smart, and he can draw attention better.
For Mr. Ayanoore, he is not looking forward to any material benefit per se but seeking to help refine society and to create a future for his son.
“I might not be thinking of any material benefit, but we don’t know one day when we are no more, may God forbid but when he is seeking for help somebody will say ooh this is the guy who was doing the MTN video report”, he said.
MTN and TV3 must be Commended
Phillip’s father said the efforts of MTN and TV3 cannot be downplayed in the citizen report programme which gives opportunity to individuals to share their problems.
He said on many occasions people have approached him to ask why his son’s reports always make mention of TV3 and MTN and he told them they made it possible.
“People have been asking me why only TV3 and then MTN because it looks as if we are advertising them and I say no, it is TV3 and MTN that have given that opportunity… So you see you have to compliment the effort of people”, he said.
By P.D Wedam|3news.com|Ghana
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