Basett Buyukah: Fare thee well my friend, Rita Tinina
Former newsmaker Basett Buyukah and the late journalist Rita Tinina during a past event. The two worked together from 2003.
What you need to know:
- I met Rita in 2003 at the Nation Centre, otherwise known by the moniker, Twin Towers.
- In an industry where scoops and exclusives are considered the ultimate, her response to such a scenario was legendary. “Mumelimwa leo, kesho pia ni siku,” she would exclaim.
Perhaps it was the metronomic name. Or the infectious smile. Or better still the alto voice with a firm timbre to boot.
But Rita Tinina Yiapan was a rare type; calm, easy-going and assertive in her demeanour. I met Rita in 2003 at the Nation Centre, otherwise known by the moniker, Twin Towers. She caught my eye with her industrious, eager beaver attitude.
Always keen to put the story to bed early, Rita’s first port of call in the newsroom was the docket. The execution of most stories was brilliant and having worked with her as both a colleague on the beat and later as her editor, she never failed to deliver. Nary a missed deadline, would besmirch her otherwise impeccable approach to the assignment at hand.
Interestingly, in an industry where scoops and exclusives are considered the ultimate, her response to such a scenario was legendary. “Mumelimwa leo, kesho pia ni siku,” she would exclaim.
That would invariably lift the mist or tension as those present burst into laughter and funneled out into one of the ubiquitous lounges around Kimathi Street.
Her dress sense was immaculate and often times admired by the female folk within the bowels of the newsroom, some who often reached out to her on tips about sartorial elegance.
When I covered the historic US Elections in 2008 where Barack Obama swept into the White House defeating John McCain, she was my number one fan, often texting and sending encouraging messages as cameraman Robert Gichira, Macharia Gaitho and I moved from one battleground state to the other, covering the hustings, mulling over the Electoral College math and filing story after story of an epic battle.
For Rita, two locations helped define the way she executed her functions. One was her work during the International Criminal Court proceedings at The Hague and the second, her ease in articulating matters at the East African Legislative Assembly at Arusha, south of the border in Tanzania.
But she was astute covering the rough-and-tumble of politics, the courts as well as human interest stories. When it came to piece-to-cameras, signing off on her stories, Rita was in her element. Two instances tease themselves out top-of-mind.
The first was when she was doing a wildlife story and a lion instinctively decided to mark its territory by undertaking its biological function, bang right in front of the recording cameras, as she leapt away from the liquid that was targeted at her. It became the subject of lively banter even as it hit the screens.
The second was when she visited a Laibon and did an in-depth story on the Maa culture. In turn, the Laibon showered her with blessings as he poured libation and she supplicated in a respectful mien. It provided revelatory insights and gave an in-depth look at the inner sanctum of the Laibon.
After I left the Nation Centre to pursue other interests, Rita stayed in touch. She was later to join the Standard Group Limited and returned to the Kimathi Street stable last year. All through she remained a dear friend. T9 was the nickname that most resonated with her.
Now the curtains have come down, the sun has set on her. There will be no new dawn, no petrichor to inhale at the onset of the rains, no more laughter, no more banter. Just memories.
Fare thee well T9, you definitely left the world a better place than you found it and left your indelible mark. Kwaheri. Olesere
Basett Buyukah is a Communications, Marketing and Stakeholder Relations Director at Nuclear Power and Energy Agency. He met and worked with Rita from 2003-2009 at Nation Centre.
