Dr. Ali Al-Ghamdi

 

Saudi journalism has lost one of its prominent personalities and pioneers with the death of Ridah Larry. The loss for Okaz Organization for Press and Publication is great as he was one of its towering figures who served as the organization’s director general and editor-in-chief of its publications Okaz Arabic daily and English daily Saudi Gazette for a long period of time. Larry was a renowned media figure who also wore the garb of a diplomat.



Larry held the post of Okaz Organization’s director general together with the stewardship of Saudi Gazette and was the first figure in Saudi media to hold both posts at the same time. He was closely associated with this giant media organization for more than a third of a century. His legacy was instrumental in enabling the organization to reach the level that it enjoys at present.



Holder of a bachelor’s degree in political science, Larry started his career as a diplomat at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I was his colleague for a short period of time while we worked in two different divisions at the ministry’s Diwan in Jeddah. Then, I moved to Pakistan and later to Japan while he was transferred to Spain and then to Senegal. Then, both of us returned to the Diwan, and worked together at the ministry’s protocol department. This gave us an opportunity to understand each other better.



However, I must admit that in the beginning, I was not happy with his company due to his candidness, sharp comments and sarcastic style. This even provoked me to complain about him to his old classmate and our mutual friend Abdul Latief Al-Maymani. However, Maymani was successful in convincing me that Larry was an honest, sincere and trusted friend. Al-Maymani said that he understood my concern and told me: “Whenever I meet him and find that I am not an object of his sharp criticism, then I begin to suspect that he is either not  satisfied with me or is angry with me.”



After thinking about this observation, I found that I understood Larry better and adjusted myself to his candor,  criticism and seriousness which was mixed with jokes on certain occasions, and from that point on our relationship grew and strengthened. I  had high esteem for him when I realized his love for charity and for helping the needy without any showing off.



Our work together at the protocol department did not last long after he started writing for Okaz newspaper. He had a strong relationship with Sheikh Ali Shobokshi, who was the director general of Okaz Organization during those days. It was Shobokshi  who persuaded him to leave the diplomatic field and switch to journalism. He was then appointed as editor-in-chief of Okaz daily where he developed the fields of printing and editing, and presented subject matter with a candidness and boldness hitherto unknown in Saudi journalism. This caused him some difficulties and problems which he overcame with his unusual courage and coolness.



Larry used to take responsibility for the mistakes made by the journalists who worked under him. He stood fast in defending them and encouraged them with all strength and courage. Larry was also well known for his strong political columns featuring precise and correct analysis. During interviews with kings and heads of state, he asked them questions which were strong, explicit and bold. He managed to get proper answers from these leaders with a smile and laughter, thanks to his ability to create a pleasant atmosphere with a vein of humor.



This was evident from the photographs published by Okaz newspaper and later exhibited in an exhibition dedicated to the remarkable achievements of the departed media doyen. Those whom Larry interviewed included King Fahd and Shah Reza Pahlavi of Iran as well as the former President of Egypt Anwar Sadat and former Sudanese President Jaafar Nimeiri. In those pictures, all of these leaders were seen laughing and that means that Larry had created a favorable environment that put these leaders at ease in the midst of their concerns and responsibilities. This was his way of dealing with the elite and the elders of society. He followed the same approach with young people without any distinction or discrimination.



Larry was fond of charity and was always keen to help others. He did this in good spirit and in a relaxed mood and even without waiting for a request from those in need. If he learned that someone was in need of help, he used to make every effort, which included the use of his  influence and his pen, to extend to that person the required help without in many cases even knowing the concerned person.



I once found myself in an embarrassing situation with regard to some officials of a government office and I was in a position of almost losing my rights. When Larry heard about it, he wrote a strong article without my ever having requested him to do so.  In the article, he mentioned the remarks made by the officials in an ironic and sarcastic manner and that resulted in those officials rushing to find me and offering to work hard to find a satisfactory solution to my problem.



One of his close friends told me of another incident. He and Larry used to attend a council of elite people and a senior government official also frequently visited the council. Larry and his friend used to bring a bundle of petitions and memoranda concerning the problems and grievances of ordinary people in order to present them to the official, and most often they managed to get solutions for these problems. On one occasion, this official asked one of them: “Do you get any benefit from taking up these issues and getting me involved in these problems?”  Larry answered: “I wish to have a mansion in Paradise.” Then, the official asked jokingly: “Oh, well, is it on my own account?”



May Allah forgive Ridah Larry and accommodate him in His Heaven. I  convey my condolences to his bereaved family members and friends and to those who loved him dearly. 

— Dr. Ali Al-Ghamdi is a former Saudi diplomat who specializes in Southeast Asian affairs. He can be reached at algham@hotmail.com