Veteran Broadcaster Malik Jones Dies

Veteran radio journalist Malik Jones has passed away yesterday. He was in his late 60s.

Jones started his long career in 1980 when he joined the then Radio Gambia as English announcer. Whilst there, he had a strong interest in sports reporting and was soon a regular mentee at live football matches as one of the protégés of Saul Njie.

He later went private and combining Disc Jokeying, Showbiz and football commentating, Jones continued to be a household name on the country’s airwaves. He became the first Gambian to commentate at football world cup when in 2010 he was among five African journalists picked by the BBC to commentate the World Cup in South Africa.

Jones returned to the national broadcaster holding various positions including Director General before being elevated to the Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Information. He was also a member of the Newspapers Publishers Association, NEPA.

He was laid to rest yesterday, survived by a wife and several children.