The late media veteran, Professor Wolo, held many positions including Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism
Media veteran Professor James Kpateh Wolo, who passed on Sunday, September 11, is expected to be interred on Saturday, October 1, at the Johnsonville Cemetery.
According to an obituary announcement from the late Professor’s family, a quiet hour will be observed by the family and sympathizers at the St. Moses Funeral Parlor on Somalia Drive on Friday, September 30, at 7 p.m. This will be followed by a night of silent wake keeping at the home of the deceased in Area C, house # 67, Barnersville Estate.
“On Saturday October 1, the remains of Prof. Wolo will be removed from the St. Moses Funeral Parlor at 8 a.m. and taken to the Holy Martyrs Parish in Barnersville Estate where wake keeping will begin at 10 a.m. to be followed by the Mass of Resurrection at 11 a.m.,” a family statement said.
The family said all tributes, except for those from the Liberian government (reading of the Official Gazette), the Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS), the Church and the family, will be paid during the wake-keeping.
The Professor’s death came as another blow to the Liberian media community which had just laid to rest one of its strong, innovative and talented members—Lawrence Togar Randall—on Saturday, September 10. Few hours after that ceremony, news filtered in that Prof. Wolo, as he was affectionately called, had died at the John F. Kennedy Medical Hospital in Sinkor.
The Late Wolo had slipped into coma for a week and did not recover.
Prof. Wolo, who was in his early 70s, served in many media capacities, including former Deputy Minister for Administration, Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism; former Director-General, Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS); and former Executive Producer, LBS.
He also served as former presenter, LBS post newscast daily inspirational program, “Thought for Today”; former Community Relations Head, Liberia Rural Communications Network; and former Producer, ELCM (Catholic Radio now Radio Veritas).
Other posts he held included Administrator, Save the Children, UK; Executive Producer, Mercy Corps Peace building Radio Project; Head, Media Monitoring and Development Unit, United Nations Mission in Liberia and Editor-In-Chief, Liberia News Agency (LINA). He also served as CEO, Media 2000, a media training and development firm; Lecturer, Communications and Public Affairs, Liberia National Police Training Academy; Lecturer, Development Communications, Mass Communications Department, University of Liberia; and Chairman of the Board, Association of Liberia Community Radio.
Prof. Wolo was also a lecturer at the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), which trains Liberia’s diplomats for the field.
The late Wolo is survived by his widow, Mrs. Pricilla B. Wolo, eight children, several grandchildren, brothers and sisters, nephews, nieces and a host of other relatives and friends in Liberia, the United States of America, Ghana and other parts of the world.
Meanwhile, the LBS management has opened a Book of Condolence today for the late Wolo, who served as Managing Director of the system.
The ceremony, according to an LBS statement, is intended to remember the numerous contributions Prof. Wolo made while serving as the system’s Managing Director.