AWE Media Sierra Leone

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson Following his election on June 22 in Nigeria as Chairperson of the Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS, Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio has laid out four key priorities for his leadership of the West African bloc. At the top of his agenda is restoring constitutional order and strengthening democracy across the region. This comes amid growing calls from citizens in ECOWAS member states for urgent action to bring back three countries namely: Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger which recently withdrew from the bloc following military coups. President Bio’s predecessor, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, remains hopeful that ongoing diplomatic efforts will eventually lead to their return. In his final remarks as ECOWAS Chair, Tinubu expressed confidence that "before too long, their former member states may return to the ECOWAS family." President Bio's second major focus is on reviving regional and security cooperation. He acknowledged the ...

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson Claim: Sierra Leone’s Chief Innovation Officer and Chief Minister, David Moinina Sengeh (PhD), in an X post claimed that President Julius Maada Bio is the first Sierra Leonean President to serve as Chairman of the Authority of Heads of States and Government of ECOWAS in the 50 years of its existence. Verdict: False! Siaka Stevens was the first Sierra Leonean President to serve as Chairperson of the Authority of Heads of States and Government of ECOWAS from 1981 to 1982, and not President Bio, who was elected on Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Abuja, Nigeria. Full Text The Economic Commission of West African States - (ECOWAS) , was established on Wednesday, May 28, 1975 in Lagos, Abuja where 15 African nations   namely: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo, signed the 1975 Lagos Treaty . Currently, three of the 15 member nations of E...

By:Alusine Rehme Wilson  Following his recent election as the President of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), the Executive Committee and members of the Sports Writers Association of Sierra Leone (SWASAL) have proudly offered their sincere congratulations to Alhaji Manika Kamara.  As SLAJ's oldest affiliate body,  SWASAL further expressed its best wishes for President Kamara’s success and looks forward to fostering a productive and enduring partnership that benefits the journalism community throughout the country. In a recent statement, SWASAL highlighted that Alhaji Manika Kamara’s overwhelming victory to lead SLAJ is a clear reflection of the confidence and trust placed in his leadership, integrity, and forward-thinking vision for the growth of journalism in Sierra Leone.  The sports journalists association emphasized its commitment to working hand-in-hand with SLAJ under his guidance to champion press freedom, uphold professional standards, and enhance the welfa...