Simon Ateba

Simon Ateba (born 1979 or 1980) is a Cameroonian[1][2][3] journalist who is the owner and White House correspondent of the website Today News Africa.[4]

Early life

Ateba was born in Cameroon in 1979 or 1980.[5][6] His father worked as a fish trader.[5]

Career

Ateba moved to Nigeria, where he worked at P.M. News and for nine years at The NEWS magazine.[5][6]

Ateba appeared in the documentary Nigeria's Millionaire Preachers about religion becoming a big business in Nigeria in 2011. By then, he had investigated the link between religion and money in Nigeria for about five years and had been beaten up at least once during those investigations.[7] He was attacked by a mob in 2009 while working on an assignment at a church in Lagos.[5]

On August 28, 2015, Ateba was arrested by Cameroonian authorities and accused of spying for Boko Haram as he investigated the living conditions of Nigerian refugees camped in the country's north. Ateba was based in Lagos and had travelled to Cameroon after receiving a grant from the International Centre for Investigative Reporting in Abuja to investigate the ordeals and suffering of Nigerians who had fled to Cameroon following Boko Haram attacks on their communities. He was released after being detained for four days.[8][9] Ateba's arrest and detention were condemned by the Cameroon Journalism Trade Union.[3]

Ateba moved to Washington, D.C. in 2017 to report on Africa–United States relations, which he told The New York Times was motivated by an interest in the subject and the desire to leave West Africa due to dangers he experienced working as a journalist.[5]

In January 2023, Ateba claimed to have been "Attacked by pirates on the Gulf of Guinea with an AK47 to my head, kidnapped in Nigeria, dumped in the woods & left for dead, arrested in Cameroon during investigation & kept in dark cell only to be sidelined at the White House..." The Washington Post was able to verify that he had been arrested and held for four days in Cameroon, but were unable to verify his other claims.[10]

In September 2023, Ateba shared a fake video allegedly of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy performing a belly dance.[11] The video had been digitally altered to superimpose Zelenskyy's face onto Argentinian belly dancer Pablo Acosta's body.[11][12]

White House correspondent

In December 2021, Ateba questioned Jen Psaki about the Omicron-linked travel ban President Biden imposed on eight African nations.[13][14][15] In December 2022, Ateba had a tense exchange with Karine Jean-Pierre at the White House, in which he accused her of "discrimination".[1] Although he has reported using other contact venues, he is known for interrupting during public sessions, out of process, complaining about supposedly not being called to ask questions. The opportunity was also used by right-wing media to make accusations of censorship.[10]

On March 20, 2023, Ateba shouted at Karine Jean-Pierre during a Press Conference that included the cast of the comedy series Ted Lasso.[16][17] Ateba claimed that Jean-Pierre had discriminated against him by not calling on him during her seven-month tenure as White House Press Secretary.[17]

In response to Ateba's behaviour, the White House press office sought to tighten rules governing the issuance of so-called "hard passes," which allow reporters like Ateba to enter White House grounds without prior permission.[18]

In April 2023, Ateba falsely claimed he was banned from the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) dinner. Only news organizations that employ WHCA members are allowed to buy tickets to the dinner. Ateba was unable to provide evidence he was employed by a legitimate news organization;[4] he is the owner and sole staffer of the website Today News Africa, for which he is the White House correspondent.[4][10] Since Ateba's application to join the association was rejected, he cannot buy tickets to the event; however, another outlet could invite him as a guest.[4] Ateba tweeted out the phone number of WHCA president Tamara Keith, who had complained about his behavior; he later deleted the tweets.[10]

In June 2023, following another heated exchange between Ateba and Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House's published official video coverage of the presser omitted the portion of the event that included the exchange. White House officials blamed a technical "glitch" for the edit, and it was later restored.[10]

In July 2023, the White House warned Ateba that he would risk losing access to briefings if he continued to disrupt and prevent other reporters from asking questions when called.[19]

Personal life

Ateba lives in Mount Pleasant, Washington, D.C.[5]

References
  1. Carbonaro, Giulia. "African Journalist Accuses Press Secretary Jean-Pierre of 'Discrimination'". Newsweek. Archived from the original on 22 March 2023. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  2. Temitope, Yakubu (15 April 2019). "Atiku gets 21-day ultimatum to return to Cameroon". TheCable. Archived from the original on 22 March 2023. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  3. "Cameroonian Journalists Union, CPJ, Others Condemn Arrest Of Nigerian-Based Journalist". Premium Times. 30 August 2015. Archived from the original on 3 April 2022. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  4. Baragona, Justin (3 April 2023). "White House Gadfly Simon Ateba Falsely Claims He's Banned From Dinner". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on 18 April 2023. Retrieved 18 April 2023.,
  5. Bernstein, Joseph (26 July 2023). "Why Won't Simon Ateba Stop Shouting?". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  6. Rakotomalala, Lova (6 September 2017). "Simon Ateba Is Not Ahmed Abba, but He Too Has Experienced Persecution as a Journalist in Cameroon". Global Voices. Archived from the original on 3 January 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  7. "Unreported World". Channel 4. Archived from the original on 1 July 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  8. "Nigeria-based journalist arrested in Cameroon, accused of spying for Boko Haram". Premium Times. 29 August 2015. Archived from the original on 3 April 2022. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  9. "Cameroon frees journalist arrested for investigating condition of Nigerian refugees". Premium Times. 2 September 2015. Archived from the original on 30 June 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  10. Farhi, Paul (8 July 2023). "Simon Ateba, the reporter making himself the story at the White House". The Washington Post. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  11. Wrona, Aleksandra (21 September 2023). "Volodymyr Zelenskyy Flaunts Crazy Belly-Dancing Moves in Viral Video?". Snopes. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  12. Baig, Rachel (26 September 2023). "Fact check: Fake Zelenskyy video raises fears of AI disinfo". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  13. Creitz, Charles (3 December 2021). "African journalist blasts Biden travel ban: It was built on a lie". Fox News. Archived from the original on 3 January 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  14. "Reporter presses White House on 'discriminatory' African travel ban". Fox News. 25 December 2021. Archived from the original on 3 January 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  15. "Biden Administration to End Omicron Travel Restrictions on African Countries". National Review. 24 December 2021. Archived from the original on 3 January 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  16. "Reporter disrupts White House press briefing featuring Ted Lasso cast". The Independent. 20 March 2023. Archived from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  17. Samuels, Brett (20 March 2023). "White House, reporters push back on disruptive journalist at press briefing". The Hill. Archived from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  18. Baragona, Justin (27 March 2023). "White House Wants New Rules to Shut Down Briefing Room Chaos". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on 29 March 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  19. Farhi, Paul (12 July 2023). "White House warns reporter Simon Ateba about his press-room outbursts". The Washington Post. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
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