Veteran Sierra Leonean Journalist James Bola Williams Dies at 65

Veteran Sierra Leonean journalist James Bola Williams, popularly known as “Jay Willie,” has died.

The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) announced his death, stating he passed away in the early hours of Sunday, August 31, 2025, in Freetown. He was 65.

Williams was a prominent figure in the country’s media landscape for decades. He served as a former Board Member of the Independent Media Commission (IMC) and was an editor for numerous newspapers, including Premier News, AWOKO, and Night Watch.

At the time of his death, Williams was the President of the Stroke Survivors Association, the Assistant Secretary General of the Veteran Journalists Union (VeJU), and a member of the Guild of Newspaper Editors.

In a statement, the SLAJ Secretariat expressed its condolences, referring to Williams as an “elder brother and senior colleague.”

Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date.