Prominent journalist, writer and media personality Saeed Al-Sufi

Yemen

Yamanat

Mohammed Shamsan

One of the most prominent journalists and media professionals in Taiz Governorate and one of the distinguished journalistic executives of Al-Jumhuriya Foundation for Press, Printing and Publishing, he loved journalism to the point of intoxication – he had it the way he wanted it, his fingers manipulated the letters and words as if they were dancing in his hands to give the sentences and expressions he wrote deep and important connotations and meanings. His arrival in the field of journalism and media is not a coincidence or a game of chance, but rather the expression of an overflowing knowledge. In him it was like the wave of a raging sea towards speech, and he found in this a way to reveal and express what was in him, cultural and cognitive desires that shaped his personality and pushed him to the forefront of the media and journalistic scene as one of the feathers of the national press on the entire Yemeni scene.

His journalist colleague Saeed Al-Sufi says: Since my childhood and in the prime of my youth, I stayed tuned to the radio to listen to the television news. “The tune of ‘George Masri greets you from central London’ on BBC radio is still etched in my mind,” as well as on Radio Monte Carlo, the Voice of the Netherlands, Radio Kuwait and the Voice of the Arabs “from Cairo.”

Perhaps this step prepared him to become one of the stars of Yemeni journalism.

In 2000, fellow journalist Saeed Al-Sufi joined the Faculty of Arts at Aden University – Department of Journalism – and graduated from there in 2003 AD with a bachelor’s degree from the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication. During his university studies, his journalistic activity began through various documents that he published in the pages of the Al-Tariq newspaper. Then its activities extended to several official, independent and partisan newspapers, notably (Al-Jumhuriya, Al-Ayyam, October 14, Al-Thawra, Al-Wahdawi, Al-Tagamo’, Al-Tas, Al-Thaqafiya and Al-Thawri). Shura, Al-Mithaq, etc.) He also contributed to the newspaper’s sports supplement on October 14 with his fellow journalist Sami Al-Kaf, who in turn awarded him a financial reward, in addition to the Al-Shura newspaper, which approved a financial allowance for him in exchange for the press materials he sent from Aden, which represented for the newspaper during this period an important window to transmit the events of the Aden governorate and continue the link with the transmission and discussion of concerns and problems of its citizens.

After graduating, specifically in 2004, prominent journalist Saeed Al-Sufi applied for a job offer with the Al-Jumhuriya Foundation for Press and Publishing in Taiz, which had published an advertisement stating its need for three professional journalists. When he requested an interview with the special commission for the “employment admission test,” the commission took his file and, after examining its contents, asked him to leave the room and wait outside. Colleague Saeed asked in astonishment: Why?? One of the committee members responded: “You are a ready journalist and there is no need to test you. » This was a clear indication of his acceptance of the advertised position, so that the committee could continue its work in testing the other candidates.

Journalist Saeed Al-Sufi launched his new journalistic phase at Al-Jumhuriya newspaper, starting with the Journalistic Investigation Department. He then joined the Information Department, and in 2005, after the appointment of the distinguished Professor Samir Rashad Al-Yousifi as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Al-Jumhuriya Foundation, as Editor-in-Chief, he was transferred to the Investigation Department, where a new and different phase began during his reign, in which journalists were given the opportunity to work with greater freedom and our colleague Saeed Al-Sufi was able to delve into many issues and bring them up for discussion. the pages of the Al-Jumhuriya newspaper – to the point that the editor-in-chief Al-Yousifi spoke his words. The famous “Saeed Al-Sufi explodes a bomb for us in Taiz every week” with his investigations that he publishes – and there are strong reactions against him and against the newspaper in general.

For your information, a number of these cases that he presented to the public opinion caused him a lot of problems, which repeatedly resulted in death threats and security prosecutions.

The experience of colleague Saeed Al-Sufi has achieved great success in its various stages, thanks to his great efforts in serving the “fourth estate” of journalism, to which he has devoted all his efforts and time to the development and improvement of the professional performance of the institution in which he works. We refer in these lines to the most notable titles in which his fellow journalist Saeed Al-Sufi excelled, according to the following:

* The late Prime Minister Abdul Qadir Bajamal, “may God have mercy on him,” praised him during a speech he delivered at a historic symposium at the Al-Saeed Foundation, after publishing a news article titled “The Role of Popular Cafes in the National Struggle.”

* He was appointed deputy director of information, then supervisor of international information, then supervisor of the economic page, then supervisor of the economic supplement “Le Marché” during the period from 2005 AD to 2006 AD.

* He has published numerous surveys, dialogues, polls, news, reports and articles in Yemeni newspapers and magazines, including Yemen Times newspaper, Family and Development magazine, Trade magazine, Standards and Metrology magazine, Investment magazine, Economic Yemen and Industry magazine. He also supervised the “Yemen” supplement published by Family and Development Magazine during 2007 AD.

* He was elected member of the administrative body of the Workers’ Union of the Foundation of the Republic in 2007.

* In June 2008, he was appointed director of the investigation department until 2012. This period was one of the most important golden periods of his journalistic career, as he and his colleagues greatly innovated in the preparation and presentation of a number of investigative reports in which he obtained unprecedented scoops.

* In 2009, he was elected a member of the board of directors of the Taiz Journalists’ Union and served as chairman of the activities and services committee – and he continues his work there until today.

* He has followed numerous training courses in the field of journalism and IT.

* He has received numerous certificates of honor from official and private organizations.

* He has many active participations in various local, Arab and international events (Lebanon, Kuwait and Türkiye)

* At the beginning of 2012 AD – he was appointed director of the office of the Republican Foundation for Press, Printing and Publishing in Aden Governorate, where he achieved great successes – as a result of which he received certificates of honor from the chairman of the board of directors.

*He enrolled for a master’s degree at Aden University and completed the introductory year with distinction – but due to special circumstances he did not complete his thesis.

* At the end of 2016, he worked on the reissue of the September 26 newspaper alongside other colleagues. He was a member of the editorial staff, head of the political department, then first deputy editor-in-chief until 2021, when he resigned.

* In 2018, he was appointed editor-in-chief of Al-Istithmar magazine and is working on its re-edition – alongside our colleague Hisham Al-Muhya, editor-in-chief. He remained editor-in-chief of the magazine until mid-2021 AD and resigned from it for personal reasons.

Despite the political and economic conditions that the country is going through and which have affected many journalists, including the talented journalist Saeed Al-Sufi, who returned to his village, content to raise awareness among the citizens of the community, he did not surrender and become a spokesperson for the war or a paid pen. Rather, he preferred to live by his authentic values ​​and great principles which he believed in and insisted on adhering to until the last day of his life, thus providing a great journalistic experience in his efforts and gifts, which should be of interest to all researchers. And academics and book specialists on media and journalism.

To my dear colleague Saeed Al-Sufi, my sincere appreciation and gratitude, with my wishes for him good health, well-being and continued success.

Yemen