By Amin Kef Sesay
Nominations for deserving individuals and institutions who will qualify for the 2019 All Works of Life(AWOL) Awards to take place at the Bintumani International Conference Center on Sunday 29th December, 2019 came to an end on the 20th November 2019.
The official launch of this year’s award ceremony will take place on Friday 22nd November, 2019 at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Freetown with the theme : ‘Education is the Key to National Cohesion and Development’. President Julius Maada Bio is expected to give the keynote address.
This year’s AWOL Awards ceremony is set to break barriers according to several people interviewed by this Press.
Indisputably, AWOL’s National Achievement Awards have now become an important feature in the calendar of annual events in Sierra Leone. Come as it does towards the close of the year, most Sierra Leoneans see it as part of their Christmas and End of Year entertainment recipe. During the course of the year, AWOL keenly watches Sierra Leoneans in their various works of life as well as institutions with the avowed objective of recognizing them for their good works.
As a family, AWOL considers that approach as a trend as “it adds worth and meaning to our efforts, and brings fulfilment to our dreams; for over and above recognizing and awarding merit, effort, achievement, ability, devotion, commitment and scholarship, to deserving Sierra Leoneans.’
AWOL is also working in underprivileged communities through its various social, educational and humanitarian interventions.
Contrary to what some may want to believe, it should however be noted that AWOL is a non-political and non-profitable organization which focuses on national development. AWOL’s philosophy is to be selfless, to serve, to give back to society and expect nothing in return as reward or profit.
AWOL is hinged on determination to complement Government’s effort in nation building; regardless of which democratic government is in power.
AWOL, for the last eighteen (18) years, has contributed its own quota to the development agenda of Mama Salone and continues to pledge its love and loyalty to Mama Salone and to serve her interest above all else.
It is on record that AWOL has stayed together as a group, worked together as a family, and pursued its goals and aspirations as patriotic Sierra Leoneans who care and love their country. As may be the case in other organizations, AWOL may have its own internal problems, for no group or organization exists without conflict; but AWOL has been able to resolve its differences amicably without any threat to the developmental aspirations of the organization as a whole.
One thing that makes AWOL very outstanding and as part of its constitution, no individual member is bigger than AWOL. AWOL is bigger than each one and their leaders are charged with the responsibility to always bring members together as a family, maintain and promote the traditions that have held AWOL together since the founding and current members became one family 18 years ago.
President of AWOL, Ambassador Anthony Navo Jr., maintains that over these eighteen years AWOL’s contributions to national development have been immense.
He says AWOL supports Sierra Leone’s development and transformative drives to build a new Sierra Leone which is the dream of every Sierra Leonean. AWOL shares in that dream of every Sierra Leonean to see our small but naturally blessed country develop into a paradise on earth:
AWOL has since its inception been involved in imbibing into the nation a whole new attitude of progress, patriotism, unity, freedom and justice. The organization seeks to see non-violence, peaceful co-existence and tolerance among politicians, religions and young people. It further wants to see quality and relevant education for children and young people and it wants to see an improved, accessible and affordable health care delivery system across the country.
AWOL further seeks to see a nation with improved social amenities for the enjoyment of young people and also to see a nation able to grow its own food and able not only to feed itself but its neighbours as well. The organization also wants to see a nation that is less dependent on donor funds for its survival and become a nation that idolises her past, present and future leaders and heroes; and also to see functioning, responsible, pro-active and delivering state institutions.
Research shows that the good thing about recognizing hardworking individuals in society is that it motivates, inspires and encourages hard work. The research adds that more often than not the average Sierra Leonean is easy to point at people he/she deems corrupt or not worthy of emulation.
According to the research, it is so easy for one person to cry down successful people knowing very little, or nothing about those successful individuals. The research adds that the AWOL annual National Achievement Awards since it was established sought to seek that attitude and based on statistics, at least 70% of Sierra Leoneans think well of successful people and aspire to emulate them.
All Sierra Leoneans who have diligently, honestly, dedicatedly and selflessly played and are playing, their part in nation building stand to gain from AWOL and young people who are especially encouraged, inspired, motivated; will aspire to emulate the good examples.
As nominations have been made the die is now cast to see the emergence of deserving individuals and institutions bagging various prestigious awards.
