Sierra Leonean journalist and media personality Bai-Bai Sesay was on last week Friday honoured at the Scholar Africa Media Awards during the 2nd Annual Scholar Media Africa Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.
The award was presented by Prof. Dr P.L.O. Lumumba, who served as the Special Guest Speaker of both the conference and the awards ceremony.
“I am deeply humbled and incredibly happy to receive this recognition,” Sesay said. “It is a great honour to receive such a wonderful award from a continental icon like Prof. Lumumba.”
He added: “I dedicate this award to the entire media fraternity in Sierra Leone. These belong to the hard-working staff of the Independent Observer newspaper. Your commitment, sacrifice, and belief in truth-telling made it possible. I share this moment with every reporter, editor, and media worker back home who continues to serve the people with integrity.”
“The award is not just about me. It is about Sierra Leone, which shows that our journalists can compete and be celebrated on the continental stage,” Sesay continued.
The award recognises outstanding contributions to journalism and media development across Africa. Sesay’s recognition has been hailed in Sierra Leone as a proud moment for the country’s media industry.
The 2nd Annual Scholar Media Africa Conference & SMEGAfrica Excellence Awards 2026 was held from 5–7 August 2026 at the prestigious Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi.
The conference brought together scholars, university leaders, policymakers, researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs, media practitioners, diplomats, development partners, youth leaders, and professionals from across Africa and beyond.
Building on the success of the 2025 inaugural edition, the conference provided a platform for knowledge sharing, policy dialogue, research dissemination, innovation showcasing, networking, and strategic partnerships.
Discussions focused on higher education, research, leadership, governance, media, entrepreneurship, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, youth empowerment, sustainable development, and Africa’s role in the global knowledge economy.
A major highlight was the SMEGAfrica Excellence Awards Gala Dinner, where Prof. Lumumba delivered the keynote address as Special Guest Speaker and presented awards to outstanding individuals and institutions whose work has contributed significantly to education, research, leadership, media, entrepreneurship, health, and community development across Africa.
Hosted at the Safari Park Hotel, the event reinforced Scholar Media Africa’s growing role as a platform for intellectual engagement, professional recognition, and continental collaboration.
