COCORIOKO had yet another glittering feather to its cap when another member of Sierra Leone’s biggest and most widely read newspaper, Mr. Foday Mansaray, the Assistant Chief Executive Officer ( 1 ) of the paper, was given the prestigious NOSLINA Award during the 2016 Annual NOSLINA Awards Gala and Independence Day celebration in Silver Spring, Maryland, last Saturday.
FROM RIGHT : MRS. PATRICIA MANSARAY, HON. MADINA RAHMAN AND MRS. NAMINA KOSSAY
He is the second member of the COCORIOKO newspaper to have won the award. In 2008, the owner, Chief Executive Officer and Publisher of the newspaper, Rev. Leeroy Wilfred Kabs-Kanu , was also given this major NOSLINA Award , largely referred to as Sierra Leone’s Academy Awards , for outstanding Journalism , community development and helping to rebrand Sierra Leone to the international world.
The NOSLINA Award in 2008 was followed by many more major awards , including Sierra Leone 50th Independence Anniversary Award in 2011 and the Hall of Fame Award , given by the Save Sierra Leone Foundation in 2012.
Mr. Mansaray won the NOSLINA award “for relentlessly and persistently spearheading efforts in the Franklin Township of New Jersey to declare Sierra Leone ‘s Independence Day in the Township as well as for helping to promote and mentor Sierra Leoneans interested in serving as commissioners , councilpersons, and in other city government positions that ultimately lead to positive change in their communities. ”
MR. MANSARAY AND AMBASSADOR STEVENS
According to the NOSLINA Awards brochure , Mr. Foday Mansaray is a “highly acclaimed community organizer and has been commended by many municipalities in New Jersey, governments and agencies around the world for his work and involvement in enhanced community relations and development. ” He is also Interim Chairman of the West African Community in New Jersey.
A total of seven other individuals and four organizations won the NOSLINA Awards in 2016.
MR. MANSARAY (RIGHT ) AND PROFESSOR PAVI JALLOH
The Deputy Minister of Health (1), Ms. Madina Rahman , who had arrived in the U.S. on official duty , The Assistant Chief Executive Officer ( 2) of COCORIOKO , Professor Pavi Jalloh of Essex County College, and top-ranking community leaders and activists from New Jersey , members of the ruling All People’s Congress ( APC ) from New Jersey and the Washington DC Metropolis, family of Mr. Mansaray, including his devoted wife, Mrs. Patricia Mansaray, friends and well-wishers were present at the program to provide moral support to Mr. Mansaray.
The grand occasion was also attended by Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the United States , H.E. Bockarie Kortu Stevens, high-ranking U.S. officials and heads and representatives of many U.S. and Sierra Leonean community-based organizations.
In his message to NOSLINA on the 18th Anniversary and Awards Gala, Ambassador Stevens congratulated the organization on behalf of President Dr. Ernest Koroma and the Embassy Staff. and hailed NOSLINA for recognizing hard-working citizens and friends of Sierra Leone for their contribution to the nation’s development. He assured the organization that the Government has every confidence in the laudable work that they are doing .
In receiving the award, Mr. Foday Mansaray thanked NOSLINA for recognizing his efforts . He thanked the organization for the worthy causes it is promoting in the U.S and beyond. He also thanked NOSLINA on behalf of the CEO of Cocorioko, Rev. Kabs-Kanu , who was unavoidably absent and outlined the tremendous job the newspaper was doing for the nation in educating, informing and entertaining readers all over the world, in addition to rebranding the country .
Mr Mansaray thanked the Sierra Leonean community of New Jersey, the religious organizations and actions groups such as the soccer club, Hope for Salone and the West African community in Franklin for working with him to build the strong bond and working relationship with the township and officials , especially the current administration and Mayor of Franklin, Dr Kramer , Deputy Mayor Dr Ted Chase, Councilman James Vasanella, Councilwomen Kimberly François and Roselyn Sherman and the newest council members, Hon Charles Oneyjiaka and state Assemblyman Joe Donaldsen.
