AWE Media Sierra Leone

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) through its National Governing Council on Wednesday, 25th November, 2020 organized a day’s long targeted review on Health Governance and Corona Virus in the Republic of Sierra Leone for northern region stakeholders. The consultative engagement was held at the Makeni city Hall and attracted a number of stakeholders from Bombali, Koinadugu, Falaba and Tonkolili districts including top officials and local staff of APRM. “I and colleagues are here to hear from you all the steps you have taken as a nation to combat Corona virus precisely for your region at the same time let us know the challenges and successes you are faced with, said Janet Mabwa, the Coordinator Principal and Evaluation committee at MAEP. The discussion was co-moderated by Mr. Alusine Koroma and sought from attendees a number of responses about the various strategies implemented in each of the four northern region districts, the good, bad and ugly between govern...

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson Regardless of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) imperative recommendations for the abolition of the death penalty and the immediate repeal of all laws authorizing the use of capital punishment and amendment of section 16(1) of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone without delay, death penalty remains a daunting challenge for the respect of human life and dignity in Sierra Leone. Over the years, there have been robust debates in many circles on the issue of capital punishment which some refer to as ‘an eye for an eye’ whilst others refer to it as ‘the ultimate punishment for taking another person’s life’. Human right activists firmly hold the view that the law is draconian and on the other hand law enforcement authorities strongly believe that the death penalty is both a corrective measure and a deterrent. Recurring crimes emanating from land disputes, political rivalry, aggravated jealousy of husbands and wives and many more have sent people to thei...

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson For any right an individual enjoys there is a corresponding responsibility and limitation. Since Sierra Leone attained independence on 27th April in 1961, there seem to have been great absence of awareness regarding the rights and responsibilities of citizens.  This has impacted the attitude of people towards their country and fellow citizens and thereby putting patriotism in question. It has been viewed that the only panacea to this deeply entrenched bane is civic education. Introducing Civic Education as a core subject in the school curriculum will give a facelift to patriotism and informed citizenry for peace and development in the Sierra Leone. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) recommendation 94 states that: “…human rights and peace studies should be introduced into the curriculum at schools. The teaching of Tolerance and understanding should start as early as possible in the education of children’’.  In response to the fulfillment of the TRC re...

By: Umaru Fofana I’m not ashamed to say this - and if you’re struggling right now as many young Sierra Leoneans are, please don’t give up: The first time I came to Freetown was to apply to enter university. The first time I travelled out of Kono District was to rewrite my school-leaving GCE O level exams in Makeni - after skipping a year because my parents couldn’t afford it. The first time I switched on a TV set or made a telephone call was after university. I didn’t even have a cassette player let alone a CD player which I’d marvel at but wouldn’t touch in my friend’s room. My mother had taught and always reminded me to be content with what I had. My parents never went to school. Nor did their parents or their parents’ parents. And on and on. And to say they struggled to bring me and my siblings up will be an understatement. As a child I had to do what only adults should be doing. But I never had self-pity. When I fortuitously entered FBC, after mining for diamonds in Tongo and getti...

By: Ethel Sillah Sierra Leone is a beautiful country along the West Coast of Africa with lovely beaches and mountainous landscapes. The country is proud to have a very rich biodiversity with amazing wildlife and touristic sites. Loma Mountains located in the North of Sierra Leone are the highest mountain range in the country. The peak, also known as the Mount Bintumani, is the highest in West Africa with 1945 meters.  Loma Mountains National Park (LMNP) in Koinadugu District is one of the touristic sites for hikers in the country. Sierra Leoneans, as well as foreigners, take trips up the mountain during the dry season to not just enjoy the view, but nature in its originality. The country is recognized as a critical biodiversity hotspot in the western African region and can boast of having a population of forest elephants and western chimpanzees. The mountains on the other hand are said to have the highest density of wild chimpanzees in West Africa. The Park is home to approximately 100...

By: Abdulai Mansaray The great American country has always prided itself as the High Priest of democracy and even prescribed it as its major export commodity to the world. We all know how very many dictators and other leaders have risen and fallen; thanks to coups, uprisings and political interregna that have been fuelled in distant lands by this great nation- all in the name of democracy.  But is America democratic? Has America ever been democratic? If democracy is government by the people, for the people and of the people, then America in the strictest sense of the word has never been democratic. American democracy is the biggest fallacy open to mankind.  Donald Trump took tenancy of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in 2016. Among many other firsts, it will be remembered as one of the elections where the candidate with the majority vote, Hillary Clinton was the loser; thanks to the Electoral College. It will also be remembered as the election during which the right of Americans to choose the...

Commentary   By: Abdulai Mansaray Last Sunday’s polling day in the Republic of Guinea has passed with relative calm, but it is the coming 72 hours that is causing jitters in this high-stakes presidential elections.  There is no question that the stakes are high, and this has been marinated by ethnic tensions between the two dominant Malinke and Fulani tribes; with both Alpha Conde and Cellou Diallo accused of gas-lighting the tribal fissures for their political advantages. Both have been accused of using hate speech to cement their appeals in their respective camps. With almost 5.5 million eligible voters for roughly 15,000 polling stations, the results are not expected for several days. But as if that was not incendiary enough, Cellou has reportedly declared himself a winner even before the ballots have been counted.  It is nice to be self confident, but it could be an entirely different case to dance your lame, when the main dance is yet to come. This is especially so, when you consi...

By: Sumner Kongbap In furtherance of his support to his people and the vision of His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio, to promote Kono District and the country at large, Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany, with accreditation to Italy and Austria, His Excellency Dr. Mbaimba Lamin Baryoh on Saturday 31stOctober 2020 donated two sets of complete football jerseys to the Diamond Stars Football Club (DSFC) for home and away matches at an impressive donation ceremony at the Koidu City Council Hall, Kono District. At the well-attended ceremony, the chairman of DSFC, Hon. Paramount Chief Paul Garba Saquee commended all for attending the program; highlighting that the event is to encourage others to emulate the sterling example of Ambassador Dr. Mbaimba Baryoh to promote youths and sports not only in the district but nationwide.  He recalled that when Ambassador Dr. Mbaimba Baryoh was in the country last year, he visited the team while in training, that the tea...

By: Amadu Wurie Timbo It was all great on Sunday 18th October, 2020 at the premises of the Destiny College of Management, Theology and Technology situated at 35 Azzolini Highway in Makeni where various dignitaries including Staff and Students of the college converged for the inaugural ceremony of Shebora Kanu, the institution’s newly elected student leader. Shebora Kanu, haven won the highest support from the institution’s student body, becomes the second student union president elect to be inaugurated by the college since the institution was established in 2016, the Acting Register at DeCMaTT, Mr. Gibrilla Turay remarked. He further remarked that “the occasion ends the government of Patrick M. Dumbuya who is set to write his NCTVA examination along with his colleagues in the final year of study  with Kanu been handed a mandate of stirring the students affairs for one year.” A Higher National Diploma student from the Human Resource Management department, Kanu defeated Philip B. Mansara...

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson  “Twelve years ago, my son Hassan Aziz Bakarr started his innovative journey with passion to widen Technology in Sierra Leone and the entire African continent, his mother Madam Kadijatu Cashor Wellington told journalists in Freetown during a press conference held to mark the launch of Techfrica’s most recent app: Videofrica.  Today, Hassan’s innovation through Techfrica Company covers web design, development of multiple software applications and online platform such as Audiofrica, Livefrica, Ridefrica, Supfrica, ABCfrica, Vidsfrica including its latest application Videofrica which was  unveiled at the country’s head office located at #383 Bai Bureh Road, Mamboreh junction. With age long interest to Promote African Music in 2007 the Sierra Leonean born, from his residence in the US launched an online radio named: Africa Radio assisted by a lone engineer and became the first African to own an online radio in the United States of America and later produced more br...

By Amin Kef Sesay Former President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma on the 30th October, 2020 was the proud recipient of the Euro Knowledge Leadership and Humanitarian Awards in acknowledgement and celebration of exemplary leadership who has made significant contributions and positive impacts in specific fields as a role model, philanthropist and inspirational leaders.  He was given the Award during the Euroknowledge  Philanthropy Leadership Forum 2020. The Ex-President was among other influential personalities that bagged the prestigious award including  Sallo Polak (Executive Director, Philanthropy Connections Thailand), Mr. Christian Paradis (Former Ministry of Trade and Industry, Canada), Ms. Benedict Lee (President-Elect Rotary Club, Hong Kong), Mr. Tsvi Gal (Former CTO, Morgan Stanley USA), Dr. Manu Chandaria OBE (Kenyan Billionaire and Chairman, Comcraft Group Kenya). They were all honoured with the Prestigious Euroknowledge Awards on the 30th October 2020, a...