ECOWAS Wrestling Journalists Launch AJSL To Raise The Bar For Sports Reporting In West Africa
Traditional wrestling is more than a sport in West Africa, it is culture, identity and spectacle. Now, journalists covering the discipline have united to professionalise and amplify its storytelling across the sub-region.
The Association of ECOWAS Journalists Specialised in Wrestling (AJSL) was officially launched on Tuesday, bringing together media professionals from several ECOWAS countries to serve as a collective voice and reference network for wrestling journalism.
The body emerged after months of consultations among sports journalists and stakeholders in traditional wrestling.
AJSL aims to promote high-quality, ethical and specialised reporting, while fostering cross-border collaboration among journalists.
With its regional network, the association plans to work closely with ECOWAS and other sub-regional bodies to boost visibility for major events such as the Traditional Wrestling of ECOWAS (TOLAC) and other sporting and cultural competitions.
Beninese journalist Gilles Biguézoton, a key figure in the initiative, said the time had come for wrestling journalists in the ECOWAS region to unite their voices and efforts for greater impact.
At the inaugural meeting, a multi-national leadership was elected, reflecting the association’s pan-West African ambition:
President: Abou Ndour (Senegal), Managing Director, Albouralh.tv
First Vice President: Abdoul Aziz Sow (Guinea Conakry)
Second Vice President: Tolu Oguntimehin (Nigeria)
Secretary General/Spokesperson: Gilles Biguézoton (Benin), Africasport.org
Deputy Secretary General: Abdoul Rahamane O. Maman (Niger)
Treasurer General: Kangni Follykoe (Togo)
Deputy Treasurer General: Carlos Balde (Guinea-Bissau)
Organising Secretary I: Claude Amah (Togo)
Organising Secretary II: Paul S. Prierra (Gambia)
Among its core objectives, AJSL seeks to professionalise wrestling coverage, promote ethical journalism, create platforms for solidarity, training and knowledge-sharing, and strengthen collaboration between the media, sports bodies and ECOWAS institutions.
Members at the launch noted that the association will also help journalists build technical and analytical capacity in response to a fast-changing media landscape and rising audience expectations.
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