Author: Tunde

The President of the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA), Babadi Kamara, and the SLFA Executive Committee, marked the commencement of a new 435-seater pavilion at the SLFA Academy Field in Kingtom, Freetown, on Friday, 22 May 2026. The project, valued at over $250,000, is fully funded by Kamara to enhance football infrastructure in Sierra Leone. According to an official SLFA announcement, the pavilion will offer improved safety, comfort, and dignity for fans attending matches and related activities at the academy field. Several prominent sports figures were present at the ceremony, including Minister of Sports Augusta James Teima, Chairperson of the…

Former Ekiti State governor Ayodele Fayose has claimed that rigging elections has become increasingly difficult. He made the comments during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday. Fayose, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is supporting the re-election of President Bola Tinubu from the All Progressives Congress (APC). He is also serving as the Chairman of the Rural Electrification Agency Board, a position he was appointed to by Tinubu several months ago. Fayose asserted, “Politics is not a tea party. Asiwaju (Tinubu) will have 12 million votes. Go and write it down. Rigging elections is now…

President Julius Maada Bio has referred the Constitutional (Amendment) Bill to the Supreme Court for a judicial opinion, stressing the need for constitutional clarity and national consensus on the matter. A government statement highlighted the President’s belief that any legislation impacting the country’s constitutional and democratic foundations should enjoy broad support. This unprecedented move underscores Bio’s commitment to handling significant national issues with care and transparency. The Bill has prompted heated debates in Sierra Leone, with civil society groups, legal experts, and political figures voicing concerns about its impact on democracy. Tensions escalated in parliament, leading to the main opposition…

Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain, Okezie Ikpeazu, has urged for a renewal of bilateral agreements with Spain, including the Bilateral Air Service Agreement, to enhance economic cooperation and strengthen relations between the two nations. Ikpeazu made this request following the presentation of his Letters of Credence to King Felipe VI at the Royal Palace in Madrid on Monday, marking the beginning of his diplomatic mission. In a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ikpeazu conveyed President Bola Tinubu’s greetings to the Spanish monarch and expressed Nigeria’s commitment to advancing bilateral ties in areas like trade, investment, energy, agriculture, education, and…

Abdul Fatoma, Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy International (CHRDI), has expressed serious concerns regarding weaknesses in Sierra Leone’s democratic institutions and the protection of citizens’ constitutional rights. During an appearance on AYV’s Wake Up Sierra Leone, Fatoma cited Section 5(2)(A) of the 1991 Constitution, which states that sovereignty belongs to the people. He argued that this principle is not adequately reflected in practice. “Instead of democracy protecting people, we see democracy protecting power in our own context,” he remarked. Fatoma also highlighted troubling behaviour among security personnel, referencing a video that reportedly showed a…

Residents of Calabar, Cross River State, are alarmed by a sudden rise in petrol prices, which have climbed to between N1,450 and N1,500 a litre. This increase was highlighted during a survey conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday. NAN found that several fuel stations in the Calabar area have adjusted their prices accordingly. Mary Ubong, an official at a major petrol station, explained that the hike is due to a wholesale price increase of about N85 per litre, which necessitated a corresponding adjustment at the retail level. “The increase is a reflection of wholesale prices, not…

Protests are occurring across France today as various groups, including fishermen, police officers, energy workers, and university staff, voice their concerns over pay, working conditions, and the high cost of living. Fishermen began blocking an oil depot at 3am in Fos-sur-Mer, disrupting around 50 tanker lorries. This action follows previous demonstrations in Sète and Port-Vendres. They are demanding discussions with Fishing Minister Catherine Chabaud, citing rising fuel costs and increasing regulations as significant issues affecting their livelihoods. Meanwhile, thousands of police officers are set to march on the Champs-Élysées to the National Assembly, following a call to protest from the…

Sierra Leone’s Vice President, Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, has announced a new agreement with Guinea to create mechanisms for addressing migration and integration issues. This follows the Tripartite Border Security Communiqué signed by the Presidents of Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia on 26 March 2026. Dr Jalloh made the announcement during a meeting with the Sierra Leonean community in Conakry, where he was hosted by Guinea’s Prime Minister, Amadou Oury Bah. He explained that the new mechanisms would provide a structured approach to tackling challenges faced by Sierra Leoneans in Guinea, enhance border security cooperation, and ensure that commitments made…

Julius Mkhwanazi will continue to stay in custody following a ruling by the Brakpan Magistrate’s Court, which denied him bail in connection with the murder of businessman Emmanuel Mbense. Mkhwanazi appeared in court with five co-accused as the judge decided on their bail applications. The court refused bail for all six individuals and adjourned the case until 24 November for further investigation. The charges against Mkhwanazi and his co-accused include murder, aggravated robbery, and obstructing justice. While the state has opposed their release, the accused maintain their innocence and are presumed innocent until proven guilty. This decision comes just a…

What Makes a Sierra Leonean a Sierra Leonean? If you’ve ever spent real time in Sierra Leone, or grown up around Sierra Leoneans, you’ll know there’s something about them that’s hard to put into words but impossible to miss. It’s not just the accent, or the food, or the way a conversation can stretch three hours past when it was supposed to end. It’s something underneath all of that. The Thing About “We Are One” Sierra Leone’s national motto is Unity, Freedom, Justice. Fine words. Most countries have fine words. But Sierra Leoneans have a phrase they actually use: “We…