The Cameroonian media world is mourning the loss of Siewe Zato Samuel, better known by his pen name Samy Zato. The journalist passed away on March 9, leaving a huge void in the journalistic landscape of Douala and beyond.
The news of his death has aroused strong emotion within newsrooms, where Samy Zato was respected and admired. Described as a "last dinosaur" of a generation of journalists attached to ethics and rigor, he leaves behind a reputation as an honest and passionate professional.
Samy Zato left his mark on the media in Cameroon's economic capital. After starting out in urban radio, he turned to the written press, where he spent more than 25 years. He honed his style in several newspapers, including l'Aube Nouvelle, l'Autre Journal, la Nouvelle République, le Combattant and la Voix du Centre.
Those who knew him remember a man who abhorred second-hand journalism. For Samy Zato, the profession of journalist was a permanent quest for the truth, a rigorous investigation of the facts. He was a fervent defender of source verification and always remained open to criticism.
The death of Samy Zato is seen by many as the end of an era. Alex Koko à Dang, president of the National Union of Independent Journalists of Cameroon (SYNAJIC), of which Samy was a member, hailed him as a "servant of information of exemplary rigor, having devoted his life to field journalism and the quest for facts."
While his death undeniably marks the loss of an important voice, Samy Zato's legacy will live on through the many journalists he inspired and the values he embodied. He leaves behind the memory of a passionate, rigorous man deeply attached to his profession.
