Sierra Leone: National Entertainment Awards slated for December

Now in their fourth year, the awards seek to celebrate deserving contributors to the West African country’s growing entrainment space. Awards will be given to individuals and organisations in various areas including music, film, comedy, sports and fashion.

Speaking at the launch, Lake Productions CEO Alhaji K Tarawally said this year's event would see the inclusion of new categories including Best Photographic Studio, Best Restaurant, Best Online Blogger and Best Sports Club of the Year.

“The team at the NEAs is determined to maintain standard, consistency integrity, professionalism and best international practices like are done at the BETs and the Grammys. Despite the challenges, we still continue to persevere from better to greater,” he said in a separate statement.

The launch also saw the introduction of Dr Ezekiel Kalvin Duramany-Lakkoh as the awards' chairperson of the board of trustees and panel of judges. He takes over from Chief Brima Keita.

Duramany-Lakkoh acknowledged the many challenges that Sierra Leone’s entertainment industry has faced over the years, including lack of support. He charged stakeholders in the industry to be proactive. Citing the US, he said that “people have created the opportunities for themselves and because of that, they are able to expand.”

Nominations and submissions of films, music videos and skits for the NEAs will officially commence on 15 October, the organisers said.