Rolland Banaba was and still is a household name, a name synonymous with daily 93 YUMI FM News for over a decade.
He was the style “PAWAFUL MANGI HAGITA,” as Kasty would put it in his introduction every 5pm and 6pm evening during weekdays when Rolland was to go on air to present his news live on 93 Yumi FM.
He was the Milne Bay “size 28 guy” who spoke what many listeners said was the most “fluent Tok Pisin” on the radio and even off the radio.
Rolland or better known as “Rolly Bee” was a senior journalist and a long serving YUMI FM News Editor and he joined PNGFM in March of 2008.
He was also part of the PNG HAUSBUNG news website team until his untimely passing.
His dedication, work ethic, humour, generosity, “think smarter not harder” attitude and warm personality will be missed by us all.
He loved being a journalist and passing his skills onto the next generation of upcoming journalists.
His passing is a great loss to the PNGFM News team, particularly the YUMI FM News brand.
His passing is also a great loss to the media fraternity because he was someone who dedicated himself to the main stream media, especially radio.
From the numerous tributes from shocked and heartbroken colleagues in the industry, he was well-respected and liked and so many reporters post of how much they have learned during their training or first job experiences with PNGFM News.
Besides his job, and more importantly, Rolly Bee was a great father and husband to his beloved beautiful wife Mrs Decosta Dindillo Banaba and their precious children Varshney, Rolland Jnr, Poulyn and baby Johcyl.
It is not fair that he won’t be there to wish his eldest daughter Vashney and only son Rolly Jnr “All the best “in their upcoming Grade 10 & Grade 8 respective National Examinations.
Rolly Bee loved his Soccer games just like most Milne Bay people and he would never miss a soccer game where his family or kids took part, ensuring he would be cheering them on from the sidelines.
There was never a dull moment with Rolly around because he knew how to make every one laugh and when I say laugh, I mean the kind of laugh where you laugh until you almost cry, until you are on the floor.
Rolly Bee had special unique nick names for each individual or group that he has in his life.
His humour and contagious laugh and smile will not only be missed by us at the office but also the guards at the gate, but also the buai sellers next to the office because he was liked and loved by all.
Rolly knew how to befriend people of any status or ethnicity.
It is exactly because of his nature and fun-loving ways, his death came as such a shock to so many of us, as he chose to keep private his short battle for the last six months with his illness.
We will miss him the most when we hear an afrobeats song or a new local hit and every time we see a hardy bottle, we will remember him because we also know he much he loved a cold one.
Tributes keep flooding his wall and this is proof that Rolly Bee has walked this life as a style “PAWAFUL MANGI HAGITA,” touching so many lives in his own special way.
From the PNG FM NEWS team, and your entire PNGFM family – past and present Rolly Bee – rest now leader, hang up that headset and turn off that volume on your mic.
You have run your race well and your legacy will live on – for now, you take your rest.
We will see you again someday soon on that golden morning.
For now, go ahead and start giving nicknames to the angels up there and keep them entertained with your antics and humor!
Rolly Bee you are loved and will forever be in our hearts, we will hold on to all the memories we had shared together.
May your beautiful soul rest in eternal love and peace. Aioni!