By Sheku Putka Kamara
The other day, I decided to head to Central University in Mile 91 to casually witness a friendly football match that was to be played by staff of the uni and the MSF – Médecins Sans Frontières stationed in the same 91, but that journey was something else. As someone who served in the 91 community for a year as Lecturer and Marketing Director of the uni, making the trip was meant to be a casual ride, but it was not meant to be. On my way, the vehile, for the first time couldn’t reach the Songo Tollgate. Had to park and tried to fix things. Called a fixer who equally spent almost another hour, but could not finalize. Already, the journey which was meant to spend a maximum of two hours had unintentionally wasted almost three extra hours. I need to arive anyway and so I left the vehile and took a bike from Songo all the way to Masiaka. That was adventurous, but not intentional. In the end, I arrived at the campus (very-very late). I could no longer play the match, but was around for the closing stages. Spent the night and had to retrun the following moring, Chief Ormans, Chief Mr. K, Chief Bundu and Aunty Mamadi did some great hosting as expected. Maybe, I should be visiting often, moving forward. Lol.
As I was headed back to town, my class with some of my communication studnets at FBC was cancelled the very day and so I had to rush to my SALWACO office. The next day, I was to teach another class at our Comms dept. FBC whose assesment was yet to be marked. To aid the process, I started marking those assesments the very day. It’s a very large class for Mass Communication standards (over hundred students). I coundn’t complete the marking and so I had to shift things to the next day of the class. I wanted to ensure that I give out those assesments and comments before the students go for the break. Well, if you’re like Sheku Putka Kamara, you’d just have to do that which YOU SAY you will do and or intend to do. Now, aside that brief narration, the title of this article says it all; ‘’Just as we end 2023 and enter into 2024…’’
As a media and communication professional, I will say that the media industry is still constrained financially. The adverts and or resources are almost always missing, but the agendas have to be set. I feel like most institutions have not been able to comprehend the power of the media. At the uni, the studnets have certain expectations, but clearly, some of them do not want to do more. Do not expect magic then. Now, it is obvious that you’d have exceptional studnets, but we cannot say the same for others. In the end, there is a need for improvements if you ask me.
As we enter into 2024, the wishes are unending, but I’d urge that we all take prudent actions to realize objectives, God being our Helper. Generally however, the media is faced with a lot of issues. First, I feel like we have people who should have no business in media especially some of those that are attempting to run things. From editors to reporters. It is easy to see where most are getting things just not right. Again, we may need to distinguish between media ownership and editorial positions. I’d save the numerous lectures, but it is my hope that we major in our majors.
Let me end on this note – As we enter into 2024, keep following the Expo Media Group for everything ‘accurate information.’ With our magazine and newspaper plus our website, we promise to keep setting those accurate agendas and yes, Dr. Seaga Shaw is hopeful of getting a radio and TV too plus an academic research institute. So, we’re in for a long ride if you ask and as Managing Editor, you have my assurances of quality with Dr. Ibrahim Seaga Shaw as Chief Executive and Editor in Chief. Amara as general editor and the rest of the staff are here too. So, this is looking like some build up to something very-very big in and out of Sierra Leone. Happy 2024!
Copyright –Published in print in Expo Times Newspaper on Friday, December 22nd, 2023 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
