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Mohamed Samuel Kargbo, popularly known as Chairman M, Diouf, has been recognised as one of the Top 50 Faces of Tonkolili Excellence, emerging as the youngest award recipient selected from over a thousand individuals across the district.
Born on 24 December 1997, Kargbo is a youth leader, community advocate, teacher, footballer and development practitioner whose work spans civic education, peacebuilding, sports development, agriculture, education and youth livelihoods.
His recognition comes without government funding, donor sponsorship or a primary financial backer, underscoring what many describe as people-driven leadership rooted in sacrifice and service.
Kargbo currently serves as Chairman of the Kunike Sanda Chiefdom Youth Council and Chairman of the Kunike Sanda Youth Farmers Association, while also acting as Spokesman for Tonkolili District Chiefdom Youth Council Chairpersons. He is the founder of several grassroots initiatives, including the Zero Kush in Our Community Initiative, launched in 2022 to combat drug abuse, and the Give Dem Pens Not Penis education advocacy initiative, which focuses on supporting girls through access to school materials.
His leadership portfolio further includes roles as Deputy Chairman of the Kunike Livelihood Facility Management Committee, NaCSA Team Lead in Kunike Follawusu Chiefdom, Civic Educator in Tonkolili District, and Chiefdom Coordinator for the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (2022–2023). He has also served as an election officer and supervisor in multiple national elections and population censuses.
Between 2022 and 2025, Kargbo spearheaded and supported numerous community-driven interventions. These include organising inclusive pre- and post-election peace dialogues, supporting youth participation in voter registration and elections, facilitating access to technical and vocational education for vulnerable youths, and leading sustained anti-drug campaigns across chiefdoms. He also introduced weekly community clean-up exercises, school outreach programmes on drug abuse and children’s rights, and free extra lessons for vulnerable pupils under the Brighter Future Initiative.
STATEMENT BY DAVID KPAKIMA IN RESPONSE TO A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE BY GLOBAL TIMES ON 9TH DECEMBER 2025 
In the area of youth livelihoods, Kargbo collaborated with government and development partners to ensure youth inclusion in national programmes. Through support from the World Bank via the Government of Sierra Leone and NaCSA, he embarked on 20 acres of cassava and 20 acres of groundnut farming, while recommending over 20 youths for the Youth Incubation Hub Project, sponsored by the European Union and implemented by ActionAid and CCYA.
A strong advocate for peace and social cohesion, he worked with law enforcement agencies and traditional leaders to curb crime, shut down drug-related sites, and discourage unlawful protests and youth violence. He also played a notable role in supporting Okada riders during the August 2022 disturbances, offering advocacy and mediation.
Kargbo is the Founder, Manager and Player of Samantha Strikers Football Club, using sports as a tool to promote discipline, talent development and unity among young people. He has also sponsored local musicians to produce anti-drug advocacy songs and invested in media engagement to amplify youth initiatives in Kunike and Tonkolili.
Reflecting on his journey, Kargbo expressed gratitude to his family—particularly his mother, Mammy Yeanor—as well as to executive members, district and chiefdom youth councils, government institutions, traditional authorities, security forces, civil servants, development partners, the media, and community stakeholders. He noted that his leadership philosophy is guided by service rather than reward.
“Leadership is about purpose, not payment; service, not privilege,” he said, adding that true leadership requires lifting others and building collective hope.
From grassroots mobilisation to district-wide impact, Mohamed Samuel Kargbo’s growing profile continues to highlight the role of youth-led, community-centred leadership in shaping sustainable development and peace in Tonkolili District and beyond.
