Warm greetings.
It is an honour to share this moment with you, not just as the Immediate Past President and Ex Officio of SLAJ, but as a brother, mentor, and friend to the visionary behind this project, Amadu Lamrana Bah.
This is not just another media initiative. It is not just about a radio frequency, a newspaper, or a television license. It is the birth of a movement, for truth, for public-interest journalism, and for media accountability in Sierra Leone.
But beyond all of that, this moment is deeply personal.
Lamrana Bah is more than a colleague. He is a mentee, a brother, a friend, and one of the most principled and loyal journalists I have ever known. From his days at Star Radio and Star TV, to leading the Sierra Leone Reporters Union with integrity, to making an impact at AYV Media, and now building his own media house, I have watched him grow with courage, professionalism, and integrity.
Lamrana is not a sycophant. He is a straight talker. He respects leadership but does not worship it. During my tenure as President of SLAJ, he called me out when necessary, not to undermine, but to uplift. His advice has, time and again, been a compass for me.
Lamrana represents what we want to see more of in Sierra Leonean journalism: courage with conscience, loyalty with independence, and friendship grounded in truth.
The Birth of Truth Media
Truth Media is more than a brand. It is a promise:
- A promise to pursue truth over trends.
- A promise to put citizens above politics.
- A promise to serve the public interest, not private agendas.
It comes at a time when truth itself is under siege by disinformation, political spin, propaganda, and mistrust. It also comes at a time when we, as a media community, with support from SLAJ, BBC Media Action, IFPIM, MRCG, and the Government of Sierra Leone through the National Fund for Public Interest Media, are investing in independent journalism that informs, transforms, and holds power to account.
Redefining the Media’s Mission
Too often, journalism is reduced to “holding government accountable.” That is critical, but not enough.
The media must also help build Sierra Leone, not just expose its flaws.
It must hold a mirror, but also help sketch the future.
It must criticise, but also uplift.
It must expose wrongdoing, but also inspire right-doing.
Because the narratives we shape as journalists are the very lenses through which we see ourselves, and the world sees us.
Integrity and Legacy
Truth Media is an ambitious project: radio, television, online, and print. But beyond the infrastructure, what matters most is the INTEGRITY.
If you want to succeed, stay true to your name: TRUTH. Do not chase clout; chase clarity. Do not chase influence; chase impact. Do not chase clicks; chase credibility.
That is how you build not just an audience, but a legacy.
To Lamrana
Today is your day. You have worked for this. You have earned this. Even when the journey became difficult and frustrating, you showed patience, resilience, and vision. You listened, you engaged, and you kept your eyes on the bigger picture.
This is not about you. It is about Sierra Leone, and what a true media can do to uplift this country.
Remember: success is not in the launching, it is in lasting. That takes grit, patience, and the same integrity that has carried you this far.
To the Media Community and the Nation
To my fellow Sierra Leoneans: let us support Truth Media, not only with applause, but with trust, partnership, and accountability.
Because a country without truth is a country without direction.
And a media that fails to serve the public interest fails the very people it claims to represent.
Closing
We may not be cutting ribbons today, but by publishing this maiden edition of Truth Newspaper and by turning on the microphones at Truth Radio, we are declaring something more powerful: our collective commitment to uphold truth as the standard and the public interest as the purpose.
Because in the end, as the slogan goes: “Nar True Dae Las.” No one will ever kill the truth!
Thank you.
