DATE: 23rd May, 2025
VENUE: Amb. Navo’s Residence, Freetown
Opening courtesies…
Good evening, and welcome to this joyful occasion, the official inauguration of the newly appointed Executive of AWOL, our beloved All ‘Works of Life’ development organisation.
Tonight, I stand before you not just as Chairman of this powerful movement, but as a proud product of its ideals: selflessness, patience, diligence, respect, and above all, service to nation without seeking reward.
A Journey Rooted in Legacy
AWOL was not born out of vanity or political ambition, it was inspired. Back in 2001/2002, in the aftermath of our country’s civil war, when Sierra Leone was on her knees and struggling to rebuild, a small group of patriotic Sierra Leoneans took the bold and hopeful initiative to form AWOL. A year later, AWOL was officially inaugurated by then-President Alhaji Ahmed Tejan Kabbah.
The late President described the AWOL initiative as an idea that was in line with a United Nations self-help project, an effort to remind us that nation-building starts with us. That we, Sierra Leoneans, must be the architects of our own destiny. That to give back is not just noble, it is necessary. From this soil of shared sacrifice, AWOL was born.
A Legacy of Recognition, Service, and Smiles
Over the years, AWOL became more than an organization. We became a mirror that reflects the goodness in our society, a beacon of appreciation for those who serve without ever being seen.
Since our first National Achievement Awards in 2002, we have consistently recognised the best among us: not just the high and mighty, but also the humble and hardworking.
We have celebrated:
• The petty trader at Kroo Town Road Market who puts her children through school from the profit of a dozen cups of rice;
• The brave police officer, soldier, firefighter, and correctional service officer who stand between us and danger daily;
• The best-performing ministers, members of parliament, and heads of parastatals, who serve the nation with excellence;
• The best business entities, mobile network operators, and innovative entrepreneurs, who provide us essential goods and services;
• The farmer who tills the soil and feeds the nation;
• The brilliant pupil who tops national examinations against all odds;
• The musician, the actor, the artist, who bring joy, tell our stories, and preserve our culture.
Each award we have handed out over the years has been a thank you to those who too often go unthanked. And we have done it with no gate/entrance fees, no expectations, no strings attached. Only a desire to honour, inspire, and uplift.
We ensured that every award event was inclusive, by invitation, not exclusion; drawing guests and honorees from every sector, and every walk of life. Because Sierra Leone is not one tribe, one class, or one region; it is all of us.
Service Beyond Awards
But we did not stop at recognition or giving out awards.
We moved from applause to action.
Every June 16th, Day of the African Child, AWOL brought food, smiles, and awards to underprivileged schools, showing children that someone sees them, believes in them, and is rooting for their future.
We visited slum and deprived communities, not with cameras or fanfare, but with food, school items, and listening ears.
When disaster struck, be it the Ebola outbreak, the COVID-19 pandemic, or floods and mudslides, or the ravaging fire at Fogbo village, AWOL stood up, stepped in, and supported both affected communities and government efforts.
We were there during Sierra Leone’s Golden Jubilee in 2011, waving the flag, not for show, but with pride.
Everywhere we went, we brought one thing above all: hope. And in return, we asked for nothing. Not even thanks. Because our reward is the smile of a mother, the gleam in a child’s eye, the grateful nod of a forgotten public servant.
Honoring Our Founding Giants and Past Chairmen
Let us pause to remember the pioneers: Ambassador Gibril Moseray Fadika, our first and unforgettable Godfather, who gave his all for this organization and this country. May his legacy of generosity and unshakable patriotism continue to inspire us.
Let us honor the founding members of AWOL, some of whom are still with us, others scattered across the world but never far from our hearts. Though oceans separate us, the bond of AWOL remains unbroken.
Let us pay tribute to our past Chairmen (a couple of whom had passed away); men of vision, courage, and unwavering dedication who steered AWOL through its formative years and kept the fire burning even in the toughest of times. Each of them brought unique strength to the movement, building on the legacy of service and sacrifice.
From Mustapha Adams, Moseray Fadika (late), Mohamed Laho Jalloh (late), Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara (JFK), Hon. Chernor R. M. Bah; Kweku M. S. Lisk to Ambassador Anthony Navo Junior. Not forgeting our first female Vice Chairperson of AWOL, Madam Yabome Lansana.
Your leadership laid the foundation upon which we now stand, and it is their/your footsteps we humbly follow as we usher in this new chapter. We salute you, our leaders past; your service will never be forgotten.
From those humble beginnings, our movement gave birth to AWOL Diaspora Chapters: AWOL UK, AWOL US, AWOL Continental Europe, AWOL Australia, AWOL The Gambia, and very soon we will have AWOL Canada. These chapters carried the flag with pride, uniting Sierra Leoneans abroad, promoting our culture, and contributing tangibly to development back home. These are not just branches of AWOL, they are lifelines, and living proof that AWOL is a global force.
My Journey: From Servant to Servant
Ladies and gentlemen, my personal journey to this point has been one of deep humility. For over a decade, I served as Secretary General of AWOL, the longest-serving in our history, with the nickname Sec Gen 4 Life, under all previous Chairmen. I gave not what I had in riches, for I had little, but I gave my heart, my time, my talent, my loyalty, and my respect. I served with joy, I served in silence, and I served with dignity.
That journey, unknowingly, prepared me for another role of selfless service, as President of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ). Again, I served with conviction that leadership is not a position, it is a mission.
Today, as your new AWOL Chairman, I renew that commitment. Not to a title, but to a task, to bring this house back to more order, to reignite the flame of self-help, and to rally every Sierra Leonean, at home and abroad, around the green, white, and blue.
The Heartbeat of AWOL: Its Members
However, the beating heart of AWOL is its members; men and women who have given and given and given, often quietly, and sometimes sacrificially, depriving themselves for others.
AWOL is not built on money or fame, it is built on faith, dedication, and belief in a simple ideology: If each of us does a little, our country will rise a lot.
We are the only civic movement of our kind, born in 2001, that is still standing, still together, still loyal to the cause, and now regrouping with renewed determination.
That, in itself, is a monumental achievement.
And to our members who never stopped believing, even when the lights dimmed, even when the drums went silent; you are the soul of AWOL. You kept the faith, and tonight, we light the torch again: together.
What Lies Ahead
This year, we will not hold the National Achievement Awards, but we will prepare solidly to reclaim our place and our glory:
• We will organize a full Annual General Meeting (AGM), including the participation of our international chapters, to take stock and chart our course.
• We will reintroduce our flagship programs with a grand AWOL Comeback Dinner in December 2025.
• We will strengthen our diaspora connections and deepen our community engagements at home.
• We will stay true to our founding values: to give without expectation, to complement government efforts, and to be fiercely apolitical; loyal only to the people and the flag of Sierra Leone.
Let this new Executive team understand one thing clearly: this is a calling, not a position. A call to serve. A call to uplift. A call to be the difference our country needs.
Closing
As I look into this gathering, I do not see just guests. I see fellow patriots. I see doers. I see givers. I see the hands and feet of AWOL.
Let us walk this path together, with love, with sacrifice, and with unity.
Let us be the bridge between what Sierra Leone is, and what Sierra Leone can be.
Let us be AWOL.
All ‘Works’ of Life.
All ‘Works’ for Life.
Thank you, and may God bless our nation.
