By Mackie M. Jalloh
After six transformative years at the helm of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), Ahmed Sahid Nasralla—popular known as De Monk—is taking a bow, leaving behind an unmatched legacy of reform, resilience, and renewal. His presidency, which began with daunting challenges and high hopes, is ending with a sense of fulfillment and a touch of farewell sorrow, as many in the media fraternity reflect on an era that redefined the role of journalism and SLAJ in Sierra Leone.
Nasralla’s name is now etched in history as the president who led the charge for the historic repeal of Part V of the Public Order Act of 1965, a law that criminalized libel and had long haunted journalists. This singular achievement, years in the making, became the crowning jewel of his tenure. But as he modestly emphasizes, it wasn’t a solo fight: “It was a collective triumph involving SLAJ, civil society, the media, government, and international partners.”
Under his stewardship, SLAJ transformed from a mere professional body into a dynamic engine of media advocacy and development. His leadership saw SLAJ’s institutional strengthening, improved coordination with regional and affiliate bodies, and the maintenance of unity and political neutrality in an increasingly polarized national environment.
One of Nasralla’s visionary moves was the crafting of two seminal blueprints: the National Action Plan (NAP) and the SLAJ Media Manifesto: The Media We Want. The NAP, emerging from the first-ever West African Media Viability and Investment Conference, now serves as a strategic roadmap for reform, sustainability, and professionalism in the media sector.
The fruits of the framework is already visible. The National Fund for Public Interest Media—born out of the NAP—is now operational, set to award grants to eligible media outlets pursuing investigative journalism and in-depth reporting on national issues. The creation of such alternative funding mechanisms stands as a major turning point for Sierra Leone journalism.
His tenure also underscored gender inclusivity and journalists’ welfare. From establishing the SLAJ Gender Equality Policy for the Media, to empowering women into leadership, to taking a huge legal step in addressing the welfare of journalists—Nasralla showed firm commitment. His disappointment over the failure to establish a sustainable welfare scheme and the unresolved WIMSAL rift reflects the humane side of his leadership: honest about setbacks, yet ever forward-looking.
Another gem in his legacy is the SLAJ Eastern Region Office Building, set for commissioning before the 2025 Triennial Conference in June. This, along with the organization’s financial transparency, constitutional reforms, and digital transformation, attests to the administrative maturity under his watch.
SLAJ’s role during the COVID-19 pandemic also deserves special recognition. Under Nasralla’s direction, the Association took a frontline role in public awareness. A one-minute prevention video, featuring Nasralla himself demonstrating health safety measures, became a national hit, aired across all TV stations gratis. In partnership with the EU, SLAJ countered fake news and disinformation during the crisis, and with Bournemouth University, launched its first-ever publication examining the impact of COVID-19 on journalism in Sierra Leone.
Equally significant was the UNDP-SLAJ iVerify platform, a timely innovation during the 2023 elections that helped tackle disinformation and restored public trust in verified, factual content.
As SLAJ President, Nasralla was known not only for his advocacy but also for his temperament—calm, consultative, inclusive, and principled. He remained steadfast amid political pressures, defended the Association’s independence, and maintained engagement with government without compromising integrity. His critics often misunderstood SLAJ’s role, but he handled such moments with clarity and grace, always reaffirming that SLAJ is a professional body, not a media outlet or social media influencer.
Asked about regrets, the SLAJ President mentioned the elusive dream of a permanent SLAJ headquarters and the stagnation in securing educational scholarships for his members. Yet, his response was never defeatist—it was realistic, deeply aware of the structural limitations, and optimistic that his successor will build on the solid foundation laid.
His farewell is tinged with humility and hope. “I’ll always remain a journalist and a defender of press freedom,” he says, pledging to serve as mentor, advisor, and media advocate.
Nasralla’s achievement did not come without a personal price. “SLAJ is voluntary work; you don’t get paid a salary and you are supposed to give only a percentage of your time to its work. However, the Association has grown to level that as President you have to give more than 100 percent. The work is enormous. I had little time for family and my business,” says Nasralla.
Nevertheless, he says he will forever be grateful to the members of SLAJ for giving him the opportunity to serve them for nine years, three of which were as Secretary General. He thanked everyone who supported him during those nine ‘tedious’ years.
And his advice to the next president? Stay anchored in values, be slow to anger, lead with humility and integrity, and always defend free expression responsibly.
As SLAJ prepares for its next chapter, the shadow of De Monk will linger—not as a burden, but as a light. His legacy is one of substance over spectacle, reform over rhetoric, dialogue and constructive engagement over confrontation, and unity and inclusion over division. Sierra Leonean journalism owes him gratitude not just for what he achieved, but for how he achieved it—with grace, grit, and an unwavering commitment to truth.
Indeed, SLAJ will miss his guiding voice. And the media landscape, though better because of him, feels a bit quieter now as he steps away.
