At a star-studded ceremony in Nairobi on Saturday night, Citizen TV’s Lulu Hassan stood beneath the bright lights of the Emara Ole-Sereni Ballroom, clutching two trophies. But it wasn’t the awards that had the crowd on its feet—it was her young daughter’s quiet, sincere words.
“Thank you for voting for my dad. God bless you,” the girl said, standing beside her mother on stage after Rashid Abdalla was named Africa’s Best Male Journalist.
The short message, delivered with the wide-eyed honesty only a child can manage, triggered a wave of applause and emotion inside the packed ballroom. Moments later, clips of the speech flooded Kenyan social media, with many calling it “the most touching moment of the night.”
Rashid Abdalla, one of Kenya’s most respected broadcast journalists, wasn’t present to receive the award. But his absence didn’t go unnoticed. His daughter’s words bridged the gap, offering the kind of warmth no press release ever could.
A Night of Firsts
The Africa Golden Awards, now in its sixth year, drew media personalities from across the continent. In Rashid’s category were some of Africa’s most seasoned voices—Anas Aremeyaw from Ghana, Solomon Serwanjja of Uganda, Nigeria’s Taiwo Adebulu, and Kenya’s own Larry Madowo, among others.
Lulu Hassan, already one of Kenya’s most recognisable news anchors, was herself crowned Africa’s Top Female Media Personality, beating out contenders like South Africa’s Minnie Dlamini, Ghana’s Anita Erskine, and Victoria Rubadiri, her Citizen TV colleague.
But the accolades didn’t end there.
Jiffy Pictures, the couple’s production company known for shows such as Maria and Zora, was named Africa’s Top Film Production Company—an industry nod that caps years of steady growth and popular acclaim.
“There Is No Rashid Without You”
In a message posted online shortly after the event, Rashid expressed gratitude to his supporters and reflected on his career journey.
“Thank you so much for the genuine love towards this work I started on radio and have continued on television,” he wrote. “You have honoured my efforts and upheld the philosophy that ‘there is no Rashid Abdalla without you, and you are me.’”
He also congratulated his wife, writing, “We love you all very much.”
Lulu kept her own remarks brief but heartfelt. “Thank you for the votes and those who prayed for us,” she said on stage. “We do not take this recognition for granted. Mungu awabariki.”
A Family Affair
The Abdalla-Hassan family has long captured public imagination as one of Kenya’s most admired media power couples. The awards only seem to have deepened that bond in the public eye. But it was their daughter—standing shy but proud, who reminded many Kenyans what really matters: grace, gratitude, and family.
“She may have said only a few words,” said one guest after the ceremony, “but those words carried the night.”
