The Inquirer Newspaper has been nominated for Print Media of the Year in the upcoming 2025 Sports Writers Association of Liberia (SWAL) Awards, a prestigious annual ceremony recognizing excellence in sports journalism and athletics across the country.
The announcement, made by the SWAL Awards Committee, places the Inquirer alongside two other leading publications FrontPage Africa and the Liberian Investigator as finalists in the print media category.
The event is set to take place this Friday, May 23, at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville.
In a double honor for the publication, its sports reporter, Sam Siapha Mulbah, has earned a nomination for Emerging Sports Journalist of the Year.
He is joined in this category by fellow young journalists Success Carl and Fatumata Barry, both of whom have made notable strides in sports reporting.
Mulbah’s nomination marks a significant personal milestone. Since transitioning to full-time sports reporting over three years ago, this is his first individual SWAL nomination. He had previously been shortlisted for the Young Journalist Award in 2022, which recognized fresh talent in Liberia’s media landscape.
The 2025 SWAL Awards will feature a total of 23 categories, highlighting the outstanding contributions of more than 60 individuals and institutions. Categories span from print and broadcast journalism to photography, commentary, athletics, and international representation.
In major journalism honors, T. Kla Wesley (Wesley Sports), Thomas Kojo Roulhac (Freedom FM/TLI), and Sylvester Tamba (Okay FM) lead the race for Sports Journalist of the Year, while Abdul Jallanzo, Marcus Toweh, and Wesley again are recognized for Best Photojournalist.
The Best Broadcast Media nominees include Okay FM, Truth FM, and ELBC, while digital platforms such as Dream Big Media, Let Promote Women Football, and LIB Bleachers Sports are contending for Best Online Journalist/New Media.
The awards also shine a light on athletic excellence. Nominees for Male MVP (Football) include Nicholas Andrews, Ahmed T. Savage, and Jonathan Freeman, while the women’s MVP features Jessica Quachie, Bountu Sylla, and Miatta Morris.
Basketball stars such as Joel Mator, Omar Samba, and Fedolph Marshall compete for Male MVP, with Wellay T. Baar, Rose Emmanuel, and Michelle Nyanneh in the female category.
Recognition is also extended to players in chess, kickball, and Liberian athletes performing internationally, such as Oscar Dorley, Sampson Dweh, and Mohammed Kamara in football, and Joseph Fahnbulleh, Ebony Morrison, and Emmanuel Matadi in athletics.
On the leadership front, Best Club President nominations include Emmette S. Glasco (Senior Professionals FC) who declined upon his nomination, Benita Urey (Shaita Angels), and Grace Weah (Determine Girls), while Prof. Sekou Konneh, Momo Cyrus, and Tomah Seh Floyd, Sr. are in the running for Sports Patron of the Year.