Book: The Man who Moved the World

Authors: Bob Smith, Salim Amin

Publisher: Camerapix, 1998

Volume: 299 pages

Reviewer: Martyn Drakard

Available from Aristoc

The photos of the hijacked Ethiopian Airlines flight that ran out of fuel and crashed on the coral reef off the Comoros in 1996 might have been taken by the Kenyan world-famous cameraman, Mohamed (Mo') Amin, except for the fact that he was not one of the 52 survivors; he died in the crash.

They were taken instead by a South African tourist from the beach. Michael Odenyo, a Kenyan passenger who did survive, says that Mo was courageous and tried everything to salvage the situation and engage the three hijackers until the very last moment.

This is just one of the appetizing, though most tragic, anecdotes in this biography, authored by UK journalist Bob Smith and Mo's son, Salim. Perhaps his pinnacle of fame was reached with the Ethiopian famine of 1984, with the unforgettable documentary, African Calvary.

But the whole of his career, he had the uncanny knack of knowing exactly where to be and when: he was the legendary "scoop" cameraman. His "stories through pictures" made the front pages of many world-class newspapers, and the "live" shots on TV newscasts.

His 53 years spanned some of the most news-making events of eastern and central Africa: Kenya's and Tanganyika's independence; the revolution in Zanzibar, Idi Amin's rise and overthrow; the fall of Ethiopia's Mengistu; the assassination of Tom Mboya; the 1982 coup attempt in Kenya - his return flight from London to Nairobi was diverted to Mombasa on 1st August, 1984 - and Somalia.

As photogenic - with his balding head, goatee beard, thick-framed spectacles and impish look - as he was expert behind the camera, Mo managed to capture the substance of an event, the essence of someone's personality and the drama of the moment. He had not only the gift of taking artistic photos; he could empathise with the subjects.

Though he rubbed shoulders with the wealthy and famous, he never forgot his professional mission: to keep Africa in the news with his timeless photos and video footage, not only through war but through the suffering of the victims too.

The title of his Ethiopian famine documentary came from "Mother Teresa of Calcutta", who told him that God had sent him for this hour and referred to the famine as an Open Calvary; Mo adopted it, emphasizing Africa where it was taking place, and from where it could be easily overlooked.

The authors highlight his achievements and describe his character traits, his hard-nosed approach to his work and sometimes to people he worked with as well as his likeable qualities, naturally and without trying to unduly glorify him.

There's no doubt he was a remarkable professional, born into a humble background in Dar es Salaam. Opting out of formal education at 19, and a man who pulled himself to the top by his bootstraps, and for whom anything less than perfection was out of the question.

With its hard cover, top quality photos and at Shs 10,000, The Man who Moved the World is a bargain.