LEEROY WILFRED KABS-KANU
Communications Officer Officer
I am a career journalist, with 40 years of experience, including being the present Publisher of the widely-read Sierra Leonean internet newsmagazine, COCORIOKO, which I established in 1973. I have a vast experience in transformational journalism and Public Relations.
I also worked as a diplomat for Sierra Leone at the United Nations in New York for 9 years –Serving as Minister Plenipotentiary ( Responsible for rebranding Sierra Leone to stimulate international investments and Tourism ) and Coordinator of the African Union Committee of 10 ( C10) on UN Security Council Reform ( My primary duties being to help canvass and promote support for the African Common Position on the Security Council Reform, in accordance with the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration. Before my diplomatic service to my nation, I worked as a classroom teacher in the Special Education Department of the U.S for 7 years (Working with children with learning disabilities). I have also taught in Sierra Leone (where I rose to the position of Principal in a high school) and Liberia (where I was a lecturer of Educational Psychology in the World Bank-sponsored Ministry of Education/ University of Liberia In-service teacher training program).
I studied English, History, Sociology, International Relations, and Political Science at Fourah Bay College, the University of Sierra Leone, Special Education at Masters’ degree level at the University of Phoenix, USA, and I read Law at the University of London, England.
At WIMAGE, I am driven by the desire to use my journalism, public relations, and diplomatic skills and experience to generate constructive engagements and collaboration with the media, opinion leaders, diplomats, politicians, personalities, civil society, and like-minded groups and organizations to help achieve the organization’s goals to promote free, fair and credible elections and good governance across the globe.
Since we live today in a world digitally connected and controlled, I will also use my skills and experience to create a compelling online and social media presence for the organization by generating informative, creative, and persuasive messages to help promote its goals, objectives, and strategies through the various digital platforms–Facebook, Whatsapp, Linked In, Instagram and Twitter.
AWARDS
- Won the NOSLINA AWARD (Given by Sierra Leone and American university professors in America and Sierra Leone’s equivalence of the U.S. Academy Awards) in 2008 for outstanding journalism and community service.
- Won Sierra Leone’s 50th Independence Award for “Excellent Journalism” in 2011
- Won the Sierra Leone Hall of Fame Award for outstanding journalism from the Save Sierra Leone Foundation in 2012.
- Won the Gems of Africa Award in 2013 from the U.S-based Springs of Joy Foundation for exceptional Journalism and service to humanity.