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The Executive of the Mass Communication Students Association (MACOSA) paid a courtesy visit to the leadership of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ). On Friday, 19th September 2025.
The visit was led by President Tamba Mattia to formally introduce the newly elected executive to SLAJ after nearly eight years without student leadership in the Faculty of Mass Communication and Information Studies.
Speaking during the meeting, MACOSA President Mattia said the re-establishment of student leadership is crucial, given that SLAJ remains central to the identity and future of Mass Communication students who will eventually become members of the Association.
He commended Dr. Francis Sowa, Dean of the Faculty, for restoring student leadership after such a long gap. He further noted that his administration is determined to give the department a much-needed facelift that reflects its true identity.
“Our visit to SLAJ is to seek guidance as we roll out our plans in this direction,” the MACOSA President said.
He also disclosed that his executive intends to revamp the Faculty’s Garden and Library, which are currently in poor condition. As part of this initiative, MACOSA plans to reintroduce the annual MACOSA Week and organize a fundraising Mass Communication Dinner and Awards Night, among other activities.
Responding, SLAJ President Alhaji Manika Kamara warmly welcomed the MACOSA leadership and expressed delight at their initiative.
“I’m a proud product of the Mass Communication Department, and I’m very familiar with the challenges you have highlighted,” he said.
He praised the new executive for their bold plans and assured them of SLAJ’s guidance and moral support, particularly in organising the dinner and awards night. He also promised to personally engage past students of the department, many of whom now hold key positions in society, to rally support for MACOSA’s initiatives.
President Kamara further pledged to donate essential resources to the Faculty’s Library, including the SLAJ Gender Equality Policy, the 2021 National Survey Report on the Impact of Covid-19 on Journalism in Sierra Leone, the SLAJ Media Manifesto, and copies of the SLAJ Constitution and Code of Ethics.
He also highlighted the ongoing discussions around a proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between SLAJ and the Mass Communication Department, stressing that such collaboration would be vital in strengthening professionalism.
