Yusuf Hassan is a Kenyan politician and journalist who is currently serving as the Member of Parliament for the Kamukunji Constituency.
Before his foray into politics, he had a successful career as a journalist and has since shared some interesting stories from his early days in the media industry.
Hassan began his media career at Voice of Kenya (VOK) in Nairobi, where he worked as a broadcaster. He was later recruited by the BBC through a competitive selection process, which was a major turning point in his career.
Despite not having completed his high school education at the time, he was a job at the prestigious BBC World Service in London.
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In a series of tweets, he narrated how he almost missed the opportunity to work with the BBC, as he never received the job offer sent by telex.
‘I almost missed the BBC job. In those days, there was no fax, internet, or cellphone. They sent the offer to me by telex in May 1978, but I never received it. At the end of 78, I met the mailman at the BBC Monitoring Service in Karen, who told me there were piles of telexes for me,” the MP narrated.
In 1979, he arrived in Britain to begin his job as a broadcaster at the BBC World Service, marking the start of a fantastic journey filled with opportunities and growth that transformed his life beyond his wildest dreams.
Hassan’s journey from being a little-known broadcaster at VOK in Nairobi to becoming an international journalist at the world’s foremost global broadcaster located in the heart of London was nothing short of remarkable.
He went on to have a successful career at the BBC and was able to gain valuable experience and exposure working in one of the world’s most exciting cities.
He has since become a role model for many aspiring journalists and a source of inspiration for those who want to pursue a career in the media industry.
In his tweets, Hassan was praised by many of his followers for his remarkable career journey. They expressed their admiration for his accomplishments and congratulated him on his success.
“Told you this many times years ago… 2013… you’re specially endowed, patriot. An amiable colleague 2013-17. May the stars align even more,” Kabando Wa Kabando commented.
“Amazing journey indeed. You are a role model to many, and we are proud of you at all times. I can’t wait to read your book one day,” Mohamud Amin wrote.
“What an amazing journey. A role model to many,” Farah Keinan said.
“Look at you, such a handsome young man. You’ve had an amazing career. Mashallah,” Ruhi Hamid commented.