AWE Media Sierra Leone

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson  Sierra Leone will face Cape Verde in a doubleheader between 22-24 and 29-31 July, this year in the first round of qualifiers for the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship-(CHAN). This pairing was confirmed on Tuesday, 26th May, 2022 by the Confederation of African Football-(CAF) following the conduct of the draw by Algerian legend Djamel Menad and CAF Head of Competitions Khalid Nassar in Cairo. Sierra Leone is among the nine teams in Zone-A battling  to progress from the qualifiers to make it to the finals of this upcoming CHAN  that will be hosted in Algeria. Of the nine nations is Zone-A, three have been seeded to the second leg qualifiers, they are: Guinea, Mali and Mauritania while Sierra Leone, Cape Verde, Liberia, Senegal, The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau will in respectively face each other in two legs with the overall winners of 3 joining the 3 seeded teams in the tournament second round which is scheduled to commence on August 26-28 th...

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson  Yesterday, the Northeastern city of Makeni would have lost valuable lives and prosperities as a result of widespread misinformation by word of mouth and on social media. This would have happened if not for the joint and swift interventions of the Media, Executive Members of the Bombali District Bike Riders Union, Councilors and the Local Unit Commander of the Rogbaneh Police Station, Assistant Commissioner of Police Esther Kaintor Dukuray to calm the two hours plus long unrest in the city. Between the hours of 11:00am to 2:00pm on Thursday, some bike-riders went bazaar and barricaded with their motorbikes main streets along the central business district-(CBD) of the municipality upon receiving rumors that one of their members has been shot and killed by a police officer. The increasing number of the bike riders and their motorbikes blowing their horns loudly feared away the petty traders who have converged at the central market to sell their products as us...

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson  Turmoil was the aftermath of yesterday crucial Sierra Leone Premier League-(SLPL) encounter between East End Lions and Bai Bureh Warriors Football Clubs that took place at the Wusum Stadium in Makeni. The visitors from the Northwestern city of Port-Loko Bai Bureh Warriors who are relegation threatened in the ongoing National Men’s Top-tier shocked the hosts after coming from behind to beat them 1-2 on Wednesday evening, thanks to a reduction of Head coach Mohamed Lamin Kamara’s men to 10 following a reckless tackling and an-sportsmanship-like behavior by an East End Lions player in the second half. The host started the match on high wasting no time to put themselves ahead of the relegation threatened visitors  as their promising forward Alie Conteh scored five minutes on from a Momoh Kabba assist. Motivated by their resilient supporters who where still drumming and singing from the supporters stand at the 10,000 capacity Wusum Stadium, Bai Bureh Warri...

By: David Lebbie Bo Rangers Football Club's Sensational Striker Alusine Talibeh Kamara's close range strike was enough to beat Freetown visitors East End Tigers on Thursday as "The Elephants" stretched their lead at the top of the ongoing Sierra Leone Premier by 14 points more than 2nd place East End Lions. The Southern region based outfit Bo Rangers last week confirmed their championship status with two games to spare after beating FC Johansen 2-1 at a crowed Bo Stadium.  It's no secret that the fans and management's  support and motivation is fueling the players to continue to impress as they chase to set a record win of the National Men's Premier League with the highest adrift other title contenders. During the match, Talibeh who is believed to be among the youngest players playing in this season's League found the back of the net from Musa Noah Kamara's assist in the first half. Upon converting the assist from the defending and current highest ...

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson  Teachers nationwide are all ears to hear from the Government of Sierra Leone-(GoSL) through the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary School-(MBSSE) today since issuing a sit-down notice some three weeks ago for their salaries and other conditions of services to be improved. The Teachers notice follows an up and down like situation of laying down their teaching tools last April when schools reopened nationwide for the continuation of the second term of the 2021-2022 academic year. The seemingly disorganized Teachers strike became alarming following the arrest of the self acclaimed Teachers Solidarity Movement-(TSM) National Leader earner this month that ignited raining sympathy and concerns from some Teachers nationwide who taught the TSM leader was being intimidated for advocating on their behalf. Few days after the uprising, Teachers took to open advocacy demanding from the MBSSE to make their conditions of services better as comparable to that of other pub...

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson  Members of Koinadugu Bike Riders Union has unanimously voted their former Vice Chairman Mohamed Dogolo Jalloh as the Union’s new district Chairman. He was voted in at the Kabala Youth Center last Sunday after securing a total of 95 votes four more than his opponent (Kalilu Mansaray) who lost the highly tensioned election. Upon the announcement of the final elections results at the polling center by the returning officer Musa Marrah, the defeated Aspirant Kalilu Mansaray congratulated Mohamed Dogolo Jalloh for winning the elections and called on his supporters to remain peaceful and to support the vision of the newly elected district chairman of the Bike Riders Union of Koinadugu.  But his peace message to his supporters was short-lived as was Patrick J.F Conteh, the Media Officer of the Kabala Police Division confirmed that, “there was a post elections tension mounted by supporters of the losing candidate, which he says was amicably policed by the Police troop...

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson  Forward Amadu Wurie’s 83rd minute strike against Yoni Shooting Stars of Mile-91 earned his side Bombali Shebora Football Club a dramatic comeback last Sunday. Wurie’s goal helped the host to restore their pride in front of their home crowd after they were stunned by the visitors from Tonkolili District two minutes on in the first half. The visitors, returned angry for a win in their clash against the Bombali based outfit after playing to a 2-2 draw against Makelleh Football Club of Fadugu town in Koinadugu District but some unsportsmanlike behaviors by some of their fans at the Stadium during the crunch-tie haunted the team’s performance. The Unsportsmanlike behaviors of the visitors supporters saw the Central Referee, Bangura to instantly sent off 3 Yoni Shooting Stars fans from the perimeters in the 80th minutes before the host attained their dramatic equalizer there minutes later. The result stretched both Bombali Shebora and Yoni Shooting Stars unbeate...

​

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson  One of Sierra Leone’s funniest comedian and actor of the famous Wan-Pot Television Show Ernest Horner alias “Rosaline” has said in a latest catch-up with AWE-MEDIA.SL in Makeni that he’s still into comedy. The decorated comedian who started his comedy journey in 1982 was among the pool of Entertainers that were honored at the latest Faces of the North Entertainment Awards-(FaNEA), he was gifted with a honorary award for his outstanding work and consistency in the creative industry as both a comedian and actor. Horner a male in real life is famous for his creativity and top level delivery as a female character with his popular Rosaline role acting throughout as a house wife during the “Wan-Pot” comedy show that was nationally shown on television in the last decades. In the field of comedy, Horner has acted together with the Late Foday Balion, Sarah D’Great, Jaokateh, Vanboi, Jabes and many others. In the last decade until now, Horner took his acting career on h...

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson  After making his first-ever appearance for Wusum Stars  in the ongoing Sierra Leone Premier League-(SLPL), Youngster footballer Muctarr Jalloh has told AWE-Media that his debut in the nation’s men’s topflight, “excites his going far ambition”. Jalloh joined Wusum Stars Football Club in 2017 on loan from Makeni Under-17 Football Club but was widely underrated initially, to make the cut into Head coach Abdulrahman Turay’s SLPL squad until he was given the nod for the first-time against Bai Bureh Warriors during a Northern region derby hosted at the Port Loko sports complex where Wusum Stars were beaten 3-1 by the host. In that encounter, the 18-year-old left back who can also comfortably play the role of a right back was introduced in the 22 minute to replace injured regular Ishmaiel Dumbuya and was able to impress on his debut, although his side was surprisingly beaten. “I’m excited to make my debut in the Sierra Leone Premier Leone. Debuting into the champions...

By:  Alusine Rehme Wilson Current league leaders of the ongoing North-East Region Football Association-(NERFA) Men’s Super-10 Bombali Shebora and 2nd place Yoni Shooting Stars will face each other later today at the Wusum Stadium in Makeni in a crucial encounter in the second and final round of the maiden championship. With 25 points earned from nine league matches, the high flying Bombali Shebora Football Club today's match will be the host's first, since the resumption of the North East Region championship on 8th May, 2022. Their Head coach Alusine Conteh says his side anticipates to take advantage of their opponent’s-(Yoni-Shooting Stars) poor start in the second round following their 2-2 draw last week against scrambling Makelleh Football Club of Fadugu in the Koinadugu District. On the other hand, the visitor's aims to peak strength against the Bombali based outfit later today, haven played to a barren draw in their last meeting during the league’s first round. Knowing...

By: Sulaiman Stom Koroma Women, Media and Change (WOMEC) in collaboration with Alliance for Reproductive Health Rights (ARHR), the Consortium for Mothers, Children, Adolescents, and Health Policy and Systems Strengthening (COMCAHPSS), West Africa Health Organization (WAHO), and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) has awarded nine journalists from West Africa who sent entries for the WNCAW and Sexual Reproductive Health Reporting category.  This event took place at the Alisa Hotel in Ghana. The media award for Excellence is in recognition of the enormous contribution of journalists to the promotion of the health of women, and children in the West African sub-region. Giving an overview and rationale of the wards Dr. Charity Binka who is the Executive Director of WOMEC, said that over the years they have trained journalists who have an interest in reporting gender issues or whose articles have gender balance. Initially, they were purpose to train seventy-five (75) journal...

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson  In its efforts to better position its membership nationwide, the Sierra Leone Reporters Union has on Wednesday, 18th May, 2022 held a day’s symposium with support from the Media Reform Coordinating Group-Sierra Leone. Hosted at the Harry Yansaneh Hall in Freetown, Reporters from across the country converged and chatted on the theme: “Media Poverty and the Future of Reporters in Sierra Leone.” Key among the deliberations at the symposium includes: general assessment on the status of Reporters in Sierra Leone, experience sharing on the challenges faced by reporters nationwide in their course of work, possible ways to improved the welfare of Reporters and the pressing things to do inorder to shape Reporters future for the better. Reporters also assessed the job-market in the media industry nationwide and further deliberated on the following questions: is there poverty actually in the media in Sierra Leone or not? Are all Reporters being paid according to the mini...

​   By: Alusine Rehme Wilson  Last March runners-up Rising Queens Football Club stood firm against defending champions Konsho Queens as they defeated the latter 3-0 on Tuesday evening at the Wusum Stadium in Makeni to clinch the April edition title. Thanks to Zainab Jalloh’s brace and goal from Macaray Turay, that guaranteed  Coach Mohamed C. Kamara’s ladies the victory of the day. The enticing encounter saw a revenge mounted by Rising Queens who surrendered 3-0 to Konsho Queens in the grand finals of the StarBurst Park Equal Opportunity Female Football March edition. Rising Queens made history on the road to win the prestigious female championship that was battled for by four top females teams in the Northern region of Sierra Leone. Winning the April title unbeaten, Rising Queens played a total of four games, netted a whooping total of 16 goals and conceived only once that was in their loud 1-8 away win to Born and Raised in the champion group stage. Earlier they also de...

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson In the last 72 hours until now, there is an alarming scarcity of gas mostly petrol in the municipality of Makeni and its environs. The situation erupted after gas stations in the northern region city and its environs took to rotational selling of Petrol to the public, in-fact a good number of the gas stations have stopped selling. Since Sunday evening when many gas stations took to rotational selling of the gas, their has been a deep chasing and hustling among motorbikes riders, drivers and other persons in the areas for the widely used commodity. Notable gas stations including all National Petroleum-(NP) stations in Makeni city and its environs except for those in Magburaka town in Tonkolili District, have all stopped selling Petrol to the public with visible tapes now being crossed to barricade their gas station premises. Some fuel attendants have told Journalists that, “they have took to rotational selling because they’ve ran out of supply and they are not s...

​ By: Alusine Rehme Wilson  New Chairman of the Independent Media Commission-(IMC) Dr. Victor Massaqoi has emphatically said that: “The IMC is not a Political Tool.” Dr. Massaquoi adds that, “This is a new IMC. Although there are some old board members in the current IMC, there are also a couple of new ones including myself, and all of us are currently on the verge to rebrand the IMC. “I want to be very clear about the reality that the IMC is not a political tool, because the first word of the commission’s name is Independence. Yes! It’s the general believe that it’s rare for a 100% independence to be maintained by institutions or individuals but our independence at the IMC is way above 96,96 to 97 percent,” he affirmed. The IMC Boss also highlights the commission four primary roles which he says are: “to regulate, monitor, provide technical development and to protect what is being said or written in the media. “As a commission, regulating the media doesn’t mean shutting down a med...

​ By: Alusine Rehme Wilson  The Ahmed Tejan Kabba Foundation for Peace, Tolerance, Human Rights and Democracy has successfully engaged Makeni media practitioners and Stakeholders for two day’s at the PC Kasanagh-II Barray In Makeni city, Bombali District, Northeastern-Sierra Leone. The media practitioners were drawn from various radio, television and newspaper institutions in Makeni while the Paramount Cheif of Bombali Shebora Chiefdom PC Kasanagah-II, a representative each from the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists and the Media department of Sierra Leone Police in the Northeast region were the stakeholders that took part in the training. The ATK-Foundation’s Communications Officer Dzuliatu Hamid facilitated the training on the topic: “dialogue across division:  Promoting effective civic participation and national cohesion.” In her presentation, she disclosed that “ATK-Foundation is working together with its donor partner OSIWA to train media practitioners in Makeni, Ko...

​

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson  Mrs. Emily Kadiatu Gogra  the Deputy Minister-1 of the Ministry of Basic and Secondary School Education-(MBSSE) say the underlying protest by Teachers is a skirmish they'll amicably resolve and not a strike. She explained to Journalists in Makeni that: "what's happening with Teachers is a skirmish we'll amicably resolve and it's not a strike because our government takes pride as the best ever that hold teachers to a very high esteem as valuable partners influencing the betterment of education in our country.” Continued that, Government has made visible their commitments to transform education in Sierra Leone through the introduction of the Free Quality Education Program that has ensured the return of many citizens especially children to schools . “The fruits of our impressive work in the country’s education sector are gradually showing from the recent performances of our pupils at public Examinations this is why the ministry is working rou...

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson 25-year-old Leone Stars Midlfielder Kwame Quee continues to make headway at his new club Najran SC in the ongoing Saudi Arabian Yelo League. His latest achievement at the Arabian based club is a Yelo Goal of the week Prize for netting a vital equalizer for his club from a far range free-kick, six days ago. At the moment, Kwame’s May 6, 2022 goal remains the most talked about in the Arabian Yelo League and online his followers and many Sierra Leoneans have hailed the former Vikingur Reykjavik winger for converting the far range free-kick to a magical goal. For Kwame, “Putting in more work to achieve more greatness” remains his utmost priority.

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson  The Provincial Secretary of the North East Region Simenon Fatoma together with other Stakeholders including Tribal Authorities of Ngowahun Chiefdom have cleared Abubakarr Osai Kamara and 11 other candidates eligible to run for the chiefdom June 4,  Paramount Chieftaincy Election. The twelve candidates namely: Abubakarr Osai Kamara, Briama Osaio Kamara, Umaru Osaio Kamara, Tamboura Osai Kamara, Foday Baimba Osaio Kamara, Kombo Osai Kamara, Salifu Kamara, Sorieba Osai Kamara, Foday Amara Kamara, Thomas Robert Kanu, Joseph Kanu and Foday Amara Kamara from the Kamara and Kanu ruling houses were all cleared yesterday at a well attended declaration ceremony hosted at the Kalangba Court Barry in the Ngowahun Chiefdom, Bombali District in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone. Initially the candidacy of Salifu Kamara, Abubakaarr Osai Kamara, Joseph Kanu, Thomas Robert Kanu and Senisie Kanu were objected during their decleration but after brief hearing was lau...

By: David Lebbie  5:6 Football Academy Sensational player Papay Fofanah has emerged Sixth in First and Second Tearm Reports Card at our Lady of St Cleira Primary School in Bo.   His Second Term grades are as follows:  English   85, Composition 96, Hand writing 67, word building 90, mathematics 90, Creative practical 70, Literature 98, Reading and comprehension 83, Social studies 70, P H E 97, Dictation and spelling   85, Science 90 and R M E 88. Despite being a promising soccer kid, Papay's commitment to his academic work is exemplary His sixth position clearly indicates he is a true reflection of what the 5:6 Academy stands for. The Management, Technical Coaches of 5:6 Football Academy wish him success in this final term.

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson  Residents of Makeni city, Northern-Sierra Leone are still mourning the death of the late Alhaji Morlai Dumbuya alias “Papani” who lost his life on Friday, 29th April, 2022 at Gbomsamba after being involved in a fatal road crash. He was 38 and remains one of the most popular cooks from Makeni city who has over the years been positively impacting the lives of other youths working at his restaurant and catering company. The cherished chef, who also doubled as the proprietor of Papa restaurants in Makeni city as well as the National Grand Coalition-(NGC) Bombali District Chairman was on his way to Freetown to buy cooking condiments to prepare food on Eid-ul-Fitr for his multiple customers that have hired his catering services to serve food at numerous gathering including 18 Imams at KAMYIKS Pray-day feasting. On pray-day the Muslim Jamaats in Makeni offered prayers for him and was being hailed for being humble and friendly. Last Friday, he was heroically burie...

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson  Mohamed Papa Bangura, the founder of Access to Education –Sierra Leone (A2ESL) who doubled as the General Secretary of Wusum Stars Football Club, on Sunday awed the football family in Bombali District for his goodwill to donate Hummel footballs to clubs as well as the Bombali District FA and the Referees Association. Northern Region Football Association Chairman Brima Jalloh, BDFA Chairman Sheik Sulaiman Sesay, his PRO-2 Adams Lilson Koroma were among the stakeholders that made the presentation to the clubs. Wusum Stars, Bombali Shebora, Ocean Boys, Tom FC, Sahid Conteh-U and female giants football club Mena Queens were among the beneficiary clubs that respectively received five, three and two Hummel branded footballs each. Both the Bombali District Football Association-(BDFA) and the Referees Association also received two and one ball each from the young man who says his donation is motivated by the passion he has “for the development of grassroots footba...

​ By : Alusine Rehme Wilson  Many people in Makeni and beyond are still in shock after News broke out on Monday, May 9, 2022 morning about the death of the late Augustine Alimamy Conteh, a former English Language Teacher at the Saint Francis Secondary School in Makeni. The last Linguist's death was announced On Radio Mankneh, a local network in Makeni barely one hour after he had left the studios as one of the guest for the its popular “Good Morning Salone Show” where he had talked about the Biriwa College of Education, Science and Technology that is underway to be established in his hometown Kamabai. He was spotted lying dead by the roadside with his motorbike being damaged at Mile 11 a village along the Binkolo-Kabala highway in Bombali district, Northeaster Sierra Leone. Upon his photos spreading far and wide on WhatApps  and other  social media, his relatives and some of his colleagues Teachers had rushed to the scene where it has been confirmed that he had lost his l...

​ By: Alusine Rehme Wilson Two of Bombali based finest outfits, Sahid Conteh-U and Bombali Shebora Football Club have confirmed their readiness for the resumption of the NERFA Men’s Super-10  championship. Both clubs faced each other in cracking warmup match on Pray-day at the Wusum Stadium in Makeni. At the end of the match it was the current leaders of the first-ever men’s super-10 championship Bombali Shebora that triumph 1-0 over Sahid Conteh-U. Bombali Shebora FC’s Head coach Alusine Conteh praised his players for the win especially one of his new signings Amadu Wurie the forward who was introduced at the quarter hour mark to full time and netted in 86th minute. Conteh says the encounter has helped him to better test his new acquisitions to the squad ahead of the commencement of the NERFA Men’s Super-10 in the coming days.  “We’re currently at top of the table and we want to remain there, win the championship and eventually gain promotion to next season’s National Premier...

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson  Mohamed Papa Bangura, the General Secretary of Bombali District based elite outfit Wusum Stars Football Club has revealed pumping the sum of 16.5 Million Leones, equivalent to $1,650 to supporting grassroots football in the district. Bangura says he has used the said amount to purchase 33 standard footballs for onward distributions  to specific Makeni based outfits as well as the District FA. “Each of the balls cost the sum of five hundred thousand Leones - (Le 500,000) and they are very guarantee and long lasting which is why I’ve decided to purchase them to polish my desire of promoting grassroots football. “I’m inspired to do this as a young man with much love for football development and because several teams benefiting from this package have once approached me and noted that one of their major challenges has been the lack of footballs for trainings,” he noted. However, the donation will benefit both male and female football teams including Mena Q...

​ On Wednesday, 4th May, 2022, the Deputy Minister-I of Basic and Senior Secondary School Education Emily Kadiatu Gogra officially opened the Conference of Secondary Schools Principals-(CPSS) at the old Makeni town hall in Bombali District, Northern-Sierra Leone. In her statement, the deputy Minister extends greetings on behalf of the Minister to stakeholders and all present at the meeting, applauded the Teachers for their services to the nation. Says “MBSSE deeply appreciates and values their relentless efforts in the teaching and learning processes nationwide. She further appealed to the Principles conference to serve as emissaries in their respective schools to enhancing the teaching and learning processes pleaded to them to talk to their respective teachers to continue to trust the new direction government in our course to enhancing free and quality education nationwide. “Please allow the pupils to write to the National Primary School Exams-(NPSE) on Saturday, we’re a listening gov...

By: alusinerehme.wilson@awokonewspaper.sl On Tuesday, 3rd May, 2022 the Makeni Police Operations troop arrested a certain man in full police attires with the rank of Assistant Supretendent of Police - (ASP) impersonating. Upon his arrest, the accused was taken to the Mena Police Unit in Makeni, Northern-Sierra Leone where statement was obtained from him and has been since detained in police cell.  Investigation mounted by this media indicates that the accused who was arrested “for impersonation, false pretense of being an officer of the law of the Republic of Sierra Leone is actually a former Policeman who has been since dismissed from the Sierra Leone Police for misconducts.” Meanwhile the police officers dealing with the said matter have declined to speak to the press while the North-East Media Office remain closed for interviews at the moment but one of the media officers John Abass Kamara, told Awoko that “ all media officers attached at the said office are currently in Freetown on...

By: alusinerehme.wilson@awokonewspaper.sl Led by the Executive Chairman Dr. Bondi Gevao, a team of staff from the Environment Protection Agency-Sierra Leone (EPASL), on Tuesday wrapped-up raids in mining sites along the Pampana river in Tonkolili district, Northern, Sierra Leone. The raid according to the EPA-SL Executive Chairman is a continuation of his nationwide unannounced visits to mining sites by way of upping their monitoring game as an agency responsible to protect the environment. He said they visited the Pampana river in Magburaka, Tonkolili District where they had seized and burnt down illegal dredges that were operational at the site.  He says the EPA has no control over the activities of people on artisanal mining, and the Mines Ministry do Issue licenses to miners with strict directives to protecting the land but many of these small scaler miners are not obeying those guidelines. “It’s challenging to note that locals who obtains licenses for small scale mining activities...