By Hajaratu Kalokoh
The mobile operator QCell has been named as major sponsor of this year’s National Entertainment Awards (NEA).
The NEA, which is organized by Lake Production, an event management company, celebrates talented Sierra Leoneans with artistic skills in music, film, comedy, fashion, sports, cultural heritage, and tourism. The organizers say the event is intended to rebrand Sierra Leone to the outside world through entertainment.
The first edition of the NEA was held in 2017.
This year’s ceremony has been slated for December 23rd at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Freetown.
Chief Executive Officer of Lake Production, Alhaji K. Tarawally, told journalists at a press conference on Tuesday that the day marked the official start of an “adventurous strike” towards transforming the entertainment industry, noting that their ultimate target is to attain international standard, like the Oscar and BET.
“For the first time NEA will be introducing the first mobile voting app that is being used in BET and OSCAR, which will be on online on the 18 of November,” he disclosed.
Tarawally said he was optimistic about attaining the company’s goal with the support of its partners.
“So far I am certain with the commitment I have seen from my partners,” he said.
Tarawally also spoke about the need to create a platform like the NEA for entertainers, whom he said invest a lot in their work.
According to Lake Production officials, Samuel Hinga Pieh, a Holland-based Sierra Leonean actor and film maker of “Amistad’’ fame, will be the guest Artist in this year’s event.
Categories of the awards in the NEA include music, film, TV and sports. The winning prizes, totaling Le150 million, was provided by three partners: QCell, K3 Telecom, and the Ministry of Tourism.
QCell is the leading sponsor of the event, providing about Le75million of the Le150million, in addition to other support for the event.
Senior Manager, Marketing, QCELL (SL) Ltd, Edward Nelson Pratt, told Politico that as a company they saw a positive synergy with Lake Production, given the fact that the company is the newest in terms of telecommunications services in the country.
“We are about to change the narrative both in telecommunication and how we partner with individuals, institutions and young entrepreneurs. We want to see ourselves as partners in their journey,” Pratt said.
Deputy Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, William Kangkatee, said there had always been talents in Sierra Leone but that the environment was not suitable to display them as there was no set of organized ways to recognize such events.
“This is the reason why young men were flying out of this nation because their talents were never recognized,” he stated, noting that things have changed.
Kangkatee added: “There is no way a country can grow and do well without the talent of young men and women. Age is now telling on most of us. But those who are growing up will tell the story when we are gone and those who tell these stories, do it through music, entertainment, etc.
© 2019 Politico Online
