Former Head of Department Mass Communications & current Director of INSLICS Fourah Bay College (FBC-USL) Issac Massaquoi, has urged local sports journalists especially Members of the Sports Writers Association of Sierra Leone (SWASAL), to try hard to explore beyond the borders of Sierra Leone.
“Sports is a growing field that attracts lots of potentials and generates huge amounts of money therefore as sports journalists, you should try to explore beyond Makeni and even Sierra Leone,” Massaquoi said, at the end of a five-day training program organized by SWASAL on Saturday 27th October, 2017 at the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) Northern Region secretariat in Makeni City.
The training was conducted by the BBC Durosemi Thomas and brought together 15 members ( two from Freetown) under the theme: “Changing The Tune”. The five hectic days’ training covers areas such as: Writing skills; Match reporting; Format; News gathering; Commentary; Social Media; etc.
According to Issac Massaquoi also a big sports fan, trainings are good and applauded the initiate of the executive. He described the trainer Durosemi Thomas as ‘a complete professional,” adding the certificates issued to the participants were self explanatory and could be used to seek jobs in future.
Issac Massaquoi furthered that journalism was the only profession that trains everyday and admonished the participants to find their own line in the trade as they grow old in the profession.
In his submission, Chairman SWASAL North Sheku S. Turay admitted that as sports journalists, they were doing a lot of wrong things they thought was right until after going through the training.
“We never realized we were making serious mistakes during our work until we completed this training,” said he.
Chairman Sheku Turay assured his membership would implement the knowledge & ideas gained from the training to the letter.
Frank Cole, the SWASAL President informed the participants that such opportunities were rear these days especially with the country going through austerity hence, they should make good use of what they have acquired from the training.
“Use your notebook as your Bible or Quran in order for you to be able to pass out to the populace the new skills you have got from this training,” President Frank Cole appeals.
He added he was looking forward for more sports stories from SWASAL North as contributions to the Sports World Newspaper, which is the association’s mouthpiece.
The President thanked the Chinese Embassy in Freetown, the Minister of Sports. Ahmed Khanou, SWASAL North, SLAJ North and former SLAJ Vice President Stanley Bangura for their various support to the training.
In his report, the trainer Durosemi Thomas described the inputs of the participants as “good.”
He said he was “satisfied” with their general performance & challenged the trainees to prove those critics who say the training was “worthless” wrong, by “Changing The Tune” of reporting sports.
SLAJ Chairman North Sahr James Bangah who chaired the program , intimated the association was proud with the activities of SWASAL North.
He thanked the SWASAL national Executive for capacitating their members in various skills and hoped the trainees would demonstrate what they have learnt in their different places of work.
Meanwhile, SWASAL commences the final phase of their national training for members in the South and Eastern regions respectively on 6th November 2017, in Bo City Southern Sierra Leone. The five-day program ends on November 10 2017.
Tuesday October 31, 2017.
ADVERTISEMENT