By Shadrach Aziz Kamara
The organizers of the West African Social Media Awards (WASMA), on Wednesday, 17th April 2024, updated a cross-section of the press on the WASMA Awards ceremony scheduled to take place on the 11th May 2024, in Holland.
The press conference took place at Chicken Town, Old Railway Line, Brookfield’s, Freetown.
Speaking during the press conference, one of the Committee members, Ranford Rollings Bull, said that they aim to recognize and celebrate individuals and institutions who have harnessed the power of social media to make a positive impact.
He continued that the West African Social Media Awards (WASMA) originated from the first edition of the “Salone Social Media Awards” in 2018, which was held in this country, and set the benchmark for honouring outstanding social media content creators and users in the region.
According to Bull, the primary objective of the Salone Social Media Awards was to acknowledge and reward those who are effectively leveraging social media platforms to engage, inform, and inspire their audience, adding that It served as a platform to elevate the profiles of those trailblazing individuals and organizations, who are making meaningful contributions to their communities through innovative social media strategies
He furthered that the success of the Salone Social Media Awards inspired the expansion of the event to include participants from across West Africa, leading to the birth of the West African Social Media Awards, adding that The regional event aims to showcase the diverse talents and impactful social media initiatives that are shaping the digital landscape in West Africa.
“Today, we are excited to unveil the list of nominees for the West African Social Media Awards, marking a significant milestone in the journey to recognize and applaud the outstanding achievements of social media influencers, content creators, and digital innovators in the region”, he affirmed.
He disclosed that this year they have seventeen Award Categories which include Best Blogger, Best Entrepreneur, Best Promoter of Tourism, Most Inspiring Personality, Best Creative Comedian, Most Engaging Politician, Best Online Media Institution (Radio & TV), Best Fashion Designer, Best Use of Philanthropy, Most Engaging Business (Banks, Telecoms, Factories, etc), Best Actor/Actress, Best Musician, Best Reality TV Show, Best Fintech, Best Clothing Brand and Best Sports Betting, adding that they have the special honours: Lifetime Achievement Awards.
He encouraged the general public to nominate deserving individuals and institutions for the various categories, adding that the nomination period is ongoing and will end at midnight on April 22nd 2024.
He reiterated that to make a nomination, please provide the name of the nominee, the category they are being nominated for and at least one active social media page/account, adding that nominations can be submitted via email to info@wasmawards.com or through SMS to 079 550848 / 088 510579 / 031-510579. A panel of experts will review the submissions and compile the final.