By Ilyasa Baa
YouTube has awarded Wi Yard online TV with a silver plaque for hitting one hundred thousand organic subscribers in December last year, as the first krio based online platform to reach that height.
The Silver Plaque was awarded to the online channel in December, but the management of Wi Yard together with members of the public decided to hang to opening the package from YouTube until past Saturday, 10th February,2024 when it was opened for the unveiling ceremony.
According to Wi Yard management, the silver plaque is owned by the people of Sierra Leone, especially their subscribers who have been with them throughout these years and entrusted the platform as a trusted avenue for information and education on issues affecting SierraLeone.
Speaking during the unveiling ceremony, the Founder of Wi Yard, who is popularly known as Sengbe Pieh, thanked Sierra Leoneans home and abroad for their contributions towards promoting this online platform through humanitarian gestures by helping the needy to salvage their problem.
He said the platform is not only disseminating factual information to the public but has also supported the education of children, paid rents for people and also provided money to take care of sick people in Sierra Leone.
He commended his Co-Presenter, Bai Bureh for believing in the struggle to serve the people of SierraLeone.
“It took a great sacrifice and the grace of God to reach this peak as we are focused and determined to serve the people of Sierra Leone and not any political party or politicians”, Sengbe Pieh said , and expressed his determination to continue to expose the ills that held Sierra Leone backward.
“SLPP and APC have disappointed us but we will continue to sound the opposition bell for the good of the people of Sierra Leone”, he noted.
In his part, Bai Bureh called on SierraLeoneans to continue to believe in what ‘Wi Yard’ is doing. He said as a musician, he shared the same positive feelings with his colleague as well as the subscribers who have been burning their top-ups just to get reliable information from the channel which has been the first ‘krio spoken’ channel to receive YouTube Award.
He commended Sister Admin who is based in the USA as well as the Manager for their explicit supports toward the success of the channel.
The ceremony was graced by other speakers including Madam Femi Claudius Cole, Mr. Abdulai Bayraytay, Sheka based in France, Rosey-J, amongst other well- meaning Sierra Leoneans residing in the diaspora.
Seven Sierra Leoneans got cash prizes of one thousand new Leones each to help them buy food stuffs. Also, the olive branch was extended to few selected Journalists who have been on their shows to help them with topup in recognition of their contributions towards national issues.
Wi Yard online TV was established in Paris in December, 2019 by a Sierra Leonean Journalist who had worked for series of media institutions at home. The platform commenced operations after a diner was hosted by President Bio at State Lodge for Journalists and more especially for members of the SierraLeone Journalists Association.
