By Mustapha Sesay
The dust from the fiercely contested Sierra Leone Association of journalists (SLAJ) elections is gradually settling after the victory of the incumbent President Kelvin Lewis.
Many had speculated prior to the elections last weekend in Bo that the electioneering process had put the umbrella journalist body at a cross road of either compromising its standards or add more value to its already built reputation among other pressure groups in the country. Clearly the outcome of the elections left pessimists baffled as all the candidates accepted the results and described the process as “free and fair.”
Nonetheless, in the run up to the elections there was resentment among supporters of the different candidates which hollowed the spirit of unity in the association. But when the journalists finally gather in Bo for first ever triennial meeting of the association, the atmosphere was different, as calm overwhelmed what every difference that had existed. It was a colorful scenery at the compound of the Haikal Academy in the outskirts of Bo.
Even though campaigning had been declared officially over, supporters of the various candidates spent time to woo the voters, making it difficult for the organizers to keep the delegates in the hall to partake in discussions on pertinent issues relating to the development of the association.
Men and women converging in groups of five or six, and even 10, discussing election related issues, became a familiar scene. Both presidential candidates were hopeful, from the onset, amidst cynical criticism levied against them by their opposing supporters.
While Kelvin Lewis tailored his campaign message on continuity, Stanley Bangura Jr preached the idea of change within the association. Immediately after the results were announced and Kelvin declared winner, Stanley called up his opponent and congratulated him. And within an hours’ time both men were seen seating side by side at the SLAJ 2016 Awards Dinner. According to observers, that signaled the spirit of unity after the election.
Stanley Bangura reiterated this in an interview with Politico on Monday. He said his fundamental desire had always been to see SLAJ as a united family and not to divide it. This, he added, was clearly manifested in his press release immediately after the announcement of the results.
Bangura said his commitment to SLAJ would remain undivided and that he was going to stay as a journalist and be more focused on strengthening his media business.
“I will continue to remain as a journalist as long as it is necessary and continue to support the media landscape whenever the opportunity arises,” he said.
As part of his concern to the President, Stanley stressed what has already been echoed among many other journalists, relating to the seeming divide between the younger and the older folks. He cited a message in circulation on social media, thought to have coming from Dr Julius Spencer, calling on the President-elect to mend the bridge between the younger and older generations of the profession.
Stanley, who is still relatively a young man, wouldn’t be drawn into commenting on whether he was still nurturing the ambition of becoming President of SLAJ in the future.
President-elect Kelvin Lewis said the building process of the crumbled relationship between the older and younger generation had already begun. He cited the interaction between opposing factions during the dinner after the elections. He said he had called everybody on board because SLAJ did not stop at election period.
He said his immediate focus would be to continue with what he had been doing, which bordered on financial transparency and efforts to expunge the Seditious Libel Laws. He admitted that the issue of welfare of journalists, especially reporters, was bound to remain a “difficult problem” because the media landscape lacked investment. He lamented that some media institutions keep reporters unpaid under the pretence of volunteerism.
Lewis said until there was a serious investment the situation would remain unchanged. He said Star TV and AYV pay their staff well because they have invested in their businesses and that until other media institutions begin to do same, nothing would change. He then promised to do more in his mandate to attract investors and investment into the media. This, he noted, would help save the situation.
(C) Politico 07/06/16
