In a spirit of solidarity and a shared vision for the future of Christian media in French-speaking Africa, two pioneering organizations, “Radio Réveil France” and “Radios Ébène Développement,” have merged to form a new entity: “Médias Ébène.” This strategic union, formalized in March 2024, marks a decisive turning point in development assistance and training for media in French-speaking Africa.

FOMECAF is launching a partnership with AbR and establishing a news agency

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The fourth Lomé meeting was held in the Togolese capital from November 22 to 26. Due to pandemic-related restrictions, about 50 representatives from French-speaking Christian media outlets were able to attend the event in person. Some 500 people logged on to the Internet to follow the event either in part or in its entirety. Olivia Beugre of Côte d’Ivoire provided an update on FOMECAF’s activities during the closing ceremony. Echos.

“The continued success of our forum is only possible with the support of each and every one of you!” It was with these words that Olivia Beugre concluded her summary at the closing ceremony of the fourth edition of the Lomé Meetings, held from November 22 to 26. The editor-in-chief of Radio La Voix de l’Espérance in Abidjan welcomed the approximately 50 journalists, radio hosts, and station directors in attendance, representing 13 French-speaking African countries. In addition, some 500 people logged in via Zoom, YouTube, or Facebook to follow the presentations, which focused in particular on the theme: “Media and the Generational Divide.”

Develop a partnership with AbR

Speaking on behalf of the ten or so leaders of the Francophone African Christian Media Forum (FOMECAF), Olivia Beugre outlined some prospects for future joint activities. First, there will be a partnership with AbR Media, a primarily English-language media network that offers support to Christian radio stations across the African continent.

The radio host from La Voix de l’espérance also noted that Dodji Juliette Kpessou of Radio Hosanna in Porto-Novo (Benin) and Benjamin Holl of Radio Vie nouvelle in Douala (Cameroon) would be taking over the management of the news agency, which publishes various written and radio contributions on the FOMECAF website. They will be supported by Joseph Ykio Gnahoua and Franceline Sehi from Côte d’Ivoire.

Promote the “New Life” satellite radio station

FOMECAF officials have also decided to promote the French-language satellite radio station “Nouvelle vie” within their organization, in order to enable the rebroadcast of programs aired by this partner. In addition, a library of web radio stations will be made available online to facilitate the rebroadcast of certain programs that might be of interest to local radio stations, which sometimes lack original content.

From a structural standpoint, Olivia Beugre also noted that a transitional body would be established to better involve Africans in the organization of FOMECAF meetings and training programs.

An award presented to Abdoulaye Cissé, radio director in Timbuktu

At the end of the closing ceremony, Emmanuel Ziehli presented the François Sergy Award to Abdoulaye Cissé, director of Radio Tahanint (Mercy) in Timbuktu, Mali. A pastor in the Evangelical Baptist Church of Timbuktu, Abdoulaye has distinguished himself through his courage in continuing his work of Christian witness in an environment particularly threatened by radical Islam. In 2012, after the radio station was ransacked, Abdoulaye’s home was also ransacked. In 2017, three young people were murdered in front of Radio Tahanint, including two of the station’s hosts. In addition to his radio and pastoral activities, Abdoulaye Cissé also broadcasts Christian programs on some 40 radio stations in northern Mali, which he pays for. (c)

Sidebar

The Lomé Meetings at a Glance

The “Lomé” meetings were launched in January 2019. They offer Christian media professionals from French-speaking Africa the opportunity to participate in a week-long training program and to network in order to foster dialogue among professionals from different countries.

In January 2019, the organization Radio Réveil en Suisse, which produces radio programs for the entire French-speaking world, decided—on the occasion of its 70th anniversary—to invite its radio partners in Africa to a training session in Lomé. About 100 people took part in the event and signed the Lomé Declaration of Lomé. The signatories committed to ending competition between evangelical and Protestant radio stations and to pooling resources to improve the quality of their programs.

At the second edition of the Lomé Meetings, the approximately 170 participants engaged in a discussion on the theme “Let’s Invent Integral Radio!” They also decided to create the Forum of Christian Media in Francophone Africa (FOMECAF), with the following members on the founding committee: Olivia Adiko, journalist and editor-in-chief of *La Voix de l’espérance* (Ivory Coast); Dr. Alphonse Teyabe, communications consultant (Cameroon); Timothée Amegan, pastor and executive director of Médiafrique (Togo), and Emmanuel Ziehli, director of Radio Réveil (Switzerland).

In 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lomé 3 invited about 50 in-person participants and about 100 online participants to explore the topic of “Media Convergence and Versatility in the Workplace.”

The Lomé 1 Report

The Lomé 2 Report

The Lomé 3 Report

Current members of the FOMECAF committee

The following individuals are members of the FOMECAF core network or committee: Olivia Adiko Beugre (Radio la Voix de l’Espérance; Abidjan), Dodji Juliette Kpessou (Radio Hosanna, Porto-Novo), Dr. Augustin Ahoga (theologian and anthropologist, Benin), Timothée Amegan (Médiafrique, Lomé), Illia Djadi (Open Doors, London), Blaise Gaïtou, director of JEM Niger, Benjamin Holl (Radio Vie nouvelle, Douala), Etienne Kiemdé (Radio Évangile et développement, Ouagadougou), Koffi Ahonon (CICERI and Compassion, Lomé), Dr. Abdoulaye Sangho (TWR, Abidjan), Dr. Alphonse Teyabe (media consultant, Douala), and Emmanuel Ziehli (Radio Réveil France).

About:

Francophone African Christian Media Forum https://medias.africa/

Radio Réveil Switzerland and France https://radioreveil.ch/ | https://radio-reveil.org/

AbR Media South Africa: https://abrmedia.org/

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This year's François Sergy Prize goes to Abdoulaye Cissé, a radio director in Timbuktu

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“I dedicate this award to all those who have lost their lives because of their faith!” Abdoulaye Cissé is the director of Radio Tahanint in Timbuktu, Mali. A pastor and businessman at heart, he received the François Sergy Award on Friday, November 26, in Lomé, Togo, during the closing ceremony of the fourth training week for Christian media professionals in French-speaking Africa. Visibly moved, the 55-year-old man, dressed in a traditional yellow boubou, added that he was also dedicating this award to his mentor, Abdoulaye Sangho, Trans World Radio’s International Director for West and Central Africa, one of the main speakers at Lomé 4, who was present that day.

Read more
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French-speaking Africa: From November 22 to 26, Lomé 4 will focus on the theme “Youth and the Media”

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Press Release

Despite the coronavirus pandemic, FOMECAF officials have decided to hold the fourth edition of the Lomé Meetings from November 22 to 26, 2021. The event will focus on the theme “Youth and the Media” and will feature Dr. Abdoulaye Sangho, director of TWR Africa, as the keynote speaker. The event will be streamed publicly online, though the number of in-person participants will be limited to about 50.

Registration is now open for the Lomé 4 seminar

The fourth annual gathering of Christian media professionals from French-speaking Africa will take place November 22–26, 2021, in Lomé. The theme will be “Youth and the Media.” “We are seeing a generational divide in the French-speaking Christian world in Africa,” explains Pastor Etienne Kiemdé, director of Radio Évangile Développement in Burkina Faso. “The older generation no longer speaks the language, listens to the music, or uses the communication tools of young people—63% of whom are under 24 in West Africa!(1)” For many Christian leaders, the risk of failing to pass on the faith is now very high. “It’s time to reach out to young Africans, and it’s up to radio to lead by example,” adds Pastor Etienne Kiemdé.

Etienne Kiemdé (left, FOMECAF) and Abdoulaye Sangho (TWR speaker at Lomé 4) flank Emmanuel Ziehli (Radio Réveil France).

Dr. Abdoulaye Sangho as the keynote speaker

Dr. Abdoulaye Sangho, director of TWR Africa and a recognized and leading figure in the African Christian radio landscape, was unanimously selected as the keynote speaker. Dr. Abdoulaye Sangho, originally from Mali, lives and works in Côte d’Ivoire. He is the author of several books. He has also been awarded the rank of Commander of the National Order for his contribution to the development of the Christian faith in Côte d’Ivoire.

Number of speakers recorded on video

Lomé 4 will be similar to Lomé 3. Fifty (50) carefully selected participants will be invited to attend in person for plenary sessions and workshops. These sessions will be broadcast live and on-demand on the various social media channels of FOMECAF (Forum of Christian Media in Francophone Africa), particularly Facebook and YouTube. For the record, about 100 people participated in these training sessions online in 2020.

The afternoons will provide an opportunity for FOMECAF leaders to continue laying the groundwork for the forum’s activities and to develop a program for 2022.

Most of the speakers will be recorded on video. In this way, they will continue to contribute to the radio and press training video library launched in 2020 by the previous edition of the Lomé meetings (2).

Despite the difficult health situation

The decision to hold Lomé 4 was made by FOMECAF leaders who met via videoconference on Friday, July 30. They assessed the health situation in West and Central Africa as well as in Europe. For the time being, travel remains very difficult and particularly expensive due to the pandemic. Despite this, the FOMECAF leadership confirmed that Lomé 4 will take place and has reasonably postponed the “FOMECAF Benin” national event until spring 2022. FOMECAF leaders have entrusted CICERI Lomé and Radio Réveil France—specifically Messrs. Koffi Ahonon and Emmanuel Ziehli—with the task of organizing the event. (c)

The FOMECAF (Forum of Christian Media in French-Speaking Africa) website: https://medias.africa/

More information:

Africa: Pastor Étienne Kiemdé, director of Radio Évangile Développement in Burkina Faso. Tel. +226 70 38 81 83. Email: ekiem1[at]gmail.com. Website: https://medias.africa/

Europe: ÉEmmanuel Ziehli, Director of Radio Réveil France. Phone: +33 06 52 02 89 42. Email: emmanuel.ziehli[at]radioreveil.ch. Website: https://radio-reveil.org/

Notes:

1 See: https://www.populationpyramid.net/sources
2 See: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkEVvei_tLkEfTaJn31DTsQ/playlists

Sidebar
The Lomé Meetings at a Glance

The “Lomé” meetings were launched in January 2019. They offer Christian media professionals from French-speaking Africa the opportunity to participate in a week-long training program and to “network” in order to foster dialogue among professionals from different countries.

In January 2019, the organization Radio Réveil en Suisse, which produces radio programs for the entire French-speaking world, decided—to mark its 70th anniversary—to invite its radio partners in Africa to a training session in Lomé. About 100 people took part in the event and signed the Declaration of Lomé. The signatories committed to ending competition between evangelical and Protestant radio stations and to pooling resources to improve the quality of their programs.

At the second edition of the Lomé Meetings, the approximately 170 participants engaged in a discussion on the theme “Let’s Invent Integral Radio!” They also decided to create the Forum of Christian Media in Francophone Africa (FOMECAF), with the following members on the founding committee: Olivia Adiko, journalist and editor-in-chief of La Voix de l’espérance (Ivory Coast); Dr. Alphonse Teyabe, communications consultant (Cameroon); Timothée Amegan, pastor and executive director of Médiafrique (Togo), and Emmanuel Ziehli, director of Radio Réveil (Switzerland).

In 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lomé 3 offered a series of discussions on “Media Convergence and the Versatility of Professions” to about 50 in-person participants and about 100 online participants.

The Lomé 1 report: https://bit.ly/lome-1 
The Lomé 2 report: https://bit.ly/lome-deux 
The Lomé 3 report: https://bit.ly/Lome3 

Sidebar
Members of the FOMECAF Committee

The following individuals are members of the FOMECAF core network or steering committee: Olivia Adiko Beugre(Radio la Voix de l’Espérance, Abidjan), Timothée Amegan(Médiafrique, Lomé), Etienne Kiemdé(Radio Évangile et Développement, Ouagadougou), Koffi Ahonon(CICERI and Compassion Togo, Lomé), Dr.Abdoulaye Sangho(TWR, Abidjan), Dr. Alphonse Teyabe(media consultant, Yaoundé), and Emmanuel Ziehli(Radio Réveil France).

Download the Press Release as a PDF
Registration is now open for the Lomé 4 seminar
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Tribute to Alain Normand, 1939–2021

Radio personality, pastor, evangelist, film producer, musician, writer…AlainNormandpassed away on June 29, 2021, at the age of 82.

Alainwas born on May 21, 1939, in the French city of Cannes, four years after his brother Guy and four months before the start of World War II. His father was called to arms. After being taken prisoner of war, he returned ill from a German camp and died a few months after the war ended.

Alainregularly accompanied his mother to an evangelical church, and at the age of twelve, he decided to become a follower of Jesus Christ. A year later, he moved to Geneva because his mother had remarried a Swiss man.

In Geneva,Alaindiscovers a new evangelical church. He earns a Federal Certificate of Competence (CFC) in administration, takes up the guitar, and wins a championship with a junior team at Servette Football Club.

In 1958,Alainbegan theological training in England at the International Bible Training Institute. Upon completing his training, he was summoned to the French Consulate in London to begin his military service in the French Army. Because he was a conscientious objector, he was enlisted as an unarmed paratrooper-medic. Trained in parachuting and nursing, he was deployed to war-torn Algeria, where he primarily cared for soldiers. This period gave him the opportunity to experience many human and spiritual adventures. He reflected deeply on this saying of Jesus: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9).

After being discharged from the military,Alainleft for Frankfurt. He wanted to learn German there, but also to learn to love the Germans in the name of Christ. There, he worked at an American bank, attended an evangelical church, and continued studying the guitar. Upon his return to Geneva, he decided to commit himself more radically to serving God. A friend from his church told him, “Radio Réveil in Lugano is looking for a staff member. You’re really cut out for this!”

Read his complete biography, written by Claude-Alain Baehler and published on July 4, 2021, on lafree.info

Listen to these four short stories produced by Alain Normand, taken from the Service Cassettes archives.

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