Nominee: Samuel Wise Bangura
Category: Journalist of the Year
Country: Sierra Leone πΈπ±
Journalism plays a vital role in shaping public understanding. Through interviews, investigations, news reporting and current-affairs discussions, journalists help audiences examine public issues, hear different perspectives and understand decisions that affect their communities.
For Samuel Wise Bangura, a Sierra Leonean journalist, columnist and television presenter, broadcast media has been a platform for discussing national affairs and bringing public-interest conversations to television audiences.
Known for his work with Africa Young Voices (AYV) Media Empire, Bangura developed a public profile through current-affairs programmes and newsroom leadership. His career reflects the influence of broadcast journalism in Sierra Leone, where television and other media platforms provide spaces for public debate, political discussion and the examination of social issues.
Nominated for Journalist of the Year at the WAFRIC Awards 2026, Bangura’s professional journey provides an opportunity to examine his contributions to broadcasting, journalism and the public conversation in Sierra Leone.
Building a Career in Journalism
Bangura’s professional background includes formal training in communication. His published AYV biography records qualifications in Mass Communication, including a diploma and bachelor’s degree, alongside an Associate Degree in General Arts Studies.
This educational foundation provided a basis for his work in journalism, where communication skills, research, interviewing and the ability to explain complex issues are central to professional practice.
Journalism requires more than delivering information to an audience. It involves identifying questions that matter, gathering relevant information, engaging people with different perspectives and presenting material in a way that audiences can understand.
Throughout his career at AYV, Bangura became associated with both presenting and newsroom responsibilities, working in an environment where current affairs and public-interest reporting were central to the organisation’s output.
A Familiar Voice on AYV’s Current-Affairs Programmes
One of Bangura’s most recognisable professional associations was with AYV on Sunday, a television programme that examined national issues through discussion and interviews.
He also presented The Interview, another current-affairs programme, and appeared as one of the main presenters of Wake Up Sierra Leone.
These programmes placed him in formats designed to connect audiences with public issues and the people involved in them. Interview-based journalism can help viewers understand different positions, question public statements and hear explanations from individuals whose decisions or experiences affect society.
For a presenter, this work calls for preparation, clear communication and the ability to guide a conversation while keeping its central subject in view.
Bangura’s work across these programmes formed an important part of his public identity as a broadcast journalist. His professional responsibilities at AYV also extended beyond presenting, encompassing newsroom and operational leadership.
Newsroom Leadership and Media Development
Bangura held senior responsibilities at AYV, including roles described publicly as Director of News and Current Affairs, Director of Communications and Editor-in-Chief, as well as Director of Operations.
These positions reflect the different dimensions of his work within a media organisation: presenting programmes, contributing to editorial direction, coordinating communication and helping manage operations.
In April 2023, AYV reported on an election-reporting training programme for its reporters, stringers and fellows. Bangura, identified in that report as Director of Communications and Editor-in-Chief, discussed the importance of preparing journalists for election coverage and maintaining factual, credible and balanced reporting.
Election reporting is an important responsibility in democratic societies. Audiences depend on journalists to explain electoral processes, scrutinise competing claims and provide information that helps citizens understand developments without confusing reporting with speculation.
Training and editorial preparation are therefore essential to media organisations seeking to strengthen the quality of their coverage.
Bangura’s documented involvement in newsroom leadership and election-reporting discussions provides insight into the institutional side of his career, beyond his on-screen presence.
Journalism, Public Debate and Accountability
A significant part of current-affairs broadcasting is its ability to create space for questions about public institutions and decisions.
Sierra Leone’s media landscape has included debates about governance, elections, public accountability and freedom of expression. Journalists working in these areas operate within a professional environment where accuracy, fairness and responsible reporting are particularly important.
A report by the Media Reform Coordinating Group on press freedom in Sierra Leone documented Bangura’s involvement in a 2018 parliamentary episode concerning a report broadcast by AYV. The report described how he appeared before Parliament in his capacity as Director of News and Current Affairs and declined a request to retract and apologise over the broadcast.
This episode illustrates the sometimes difficult relationship between journalism and public institutions. It also underlines the importance of editorial standards, the right of reply, verification and responsible handling of contested claims.
For journalism to serve the public effectively, scrutiny of institutions must be accompanied by careful fact-checking and a commitment to presenting information fairly.
Recognition for Professional Contribution
In December 2022, Bangura was named AYV Staff of the Year β Male, alongside Memunatu Bangura, who received the corresponding female recognition.
According to Sierraloaded, the annual staff awards recognised employees for their contributions to AYV’s work and organisational objectives.
This recognition provides a documented milestone in Bangura’s career within the media organisation and reflects the professional standing he held there at that time.
He was also listed among the nominees for Sierra Leone Lead TV Personnel/Presenter at the 2022 ZAFAA Global Appreciation Awards, as reported by Awoko in October of that year.
These recognitions form part of his professional record in television and broadcasting.
A Career That Has Faced Public Scrutiny
A comprehensive account of a journalist’s career should distinguish documented professional contributions from public allegations and institutional findings.
In September 2023, AYV published the findings of an internal investigation concerning Bangura and another former staff member. The committee concluded that their participation in a private activity was inconsistent with AYV’s editorial policy on investigative journalism and its conflict-of-interest requirements. The report also recorded that Bangura and the other staff member said the activity was private and had not been initiated, sanctioned, known or approved by AYV.
Following the investigation, AYV announced that it had parted ways with the two individuals. Bangura subsequently issued a public statement saying that his departure from AYV did not end his career in journalism and reaffirming his intention to continue working as a journalist.
These developments are part of the publicly documented record of his professional journey. They should be understood in their stated context and not treated as proof of allegations beyond the findings that were actually reported.
The episode also highlights an enduring issue for journalism: public trust depends not only on professional experience and visibility, but also on transparency, editorial independence and the careful management of conflicts of interest.
Why Samuel Wise Bangura Is a WAFRIC Awards 2026 Nominee
The Journalist of the Year category recognises professional contributions to journalism and the media landscape across West Africa.
Samuel Wise Bangura’s documented career includes television presentation, current-affairs interviews, newsroom leadership and participation in discussions about election coverage and journalistic practice.
His work at AYV placed him before audiences through programmes that addressed public issues, while his management responsibilities connected him with the organisational and editorial dimensions of broadcasting.
His career has also attracted public scrutiny, making accuracy and context essential when discussing his professional record. A balanced account recognises his documented roles and awards alongside the public record of challenges associated with his departure from AYV.
As WAFRIC Awards 2026 recognises media professionals across the region, Bangura’s nomination places his career within a wider conversation about journalism, public communication and the responsibilities that accompany a prominent media platform.
Support Samuel Wise Bangura
Samuel Wise Bangura is representing Sierra Leone in the Journalist of the Year category at the WAFRIC Awards 2026.
Support his nomination through the official public voting platform:
Public voting runs from October 12 to November 15, 2026. Public votes contribute to the selection process but do not solely determine the eventual winner. Final selection follows the published WAFRIC Awards procedures and criteria.
Read the complete voting procedures here:
WAFRIC Awards 2026 β Recognizing the Unseen. Celebrating the Exceptional.