The evergreen SWAG president Kwabena Yeboah walked majestically to the stage when he was invited. The newly appointed Sports Minister Kofi Adams was all smiles when he joined Kwabena Yeboah.
Vice president of Ghana, Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemna was accompanied on stage by a policewoman. She was handed over the trophy. Fully smiled, our first female vice president held the trophy gently.
“Thank you very much”, said the MC to the three dignitaries who had joined him on the dais.
“Ladies and gentlemen, who is the sports journalist of the year?” He repeated, “Who is the sports journalist of the year? I cannot keep my vice president standing”, said the master of the ceremony.
“The SWAG Sports Journalist of the Year goes tooooooo… Bright Kankam Boadu,” bulleted by the excited MC. The vice president congratulated BKB on the outstanding journalism in the year under review.
The king of the night, Kankam Boadu walked with his entourage to the stage including his chief lieutenant, Oliver Khan popularly known as the Ship Dealer. Naana Opoku-Agyeman Jane beautifully presented the award to Mr Kankam Boadu.
kankam called Ship Dealer when he was about to express his heartfelt gratitude to everyone. The hall laughed the moment Ship Dealer was mentioned for the third time by BKB. The super rich man finally joined his flunkey as he always says.
Kankam Boadu’s thank you speech and request
“I’m here with my boss, so I have all the support I need. first of all, I would like to thank SWAG for this. We have been doing this for quite some time now.
“This is an amazing award because it is coming from my peers. I mean when you have sports writers giving you an award, it is something you have to cherish and I really appreciate and I really appreciate it.
“I also thank my listers. Those who watch me on YouTube, and Facebook everywhere. I will engage other sports journalists to always do what is right to all push the sports agenda forward.
“Since I have Her Excellency here, this is the campaign I have always been making. Luckily for me, I have also the sports minister here. The amputee team won the Africa Cup of Nations and up to date their bonuses have not been paid up to date and I think that it is something that is unfortunate.
“I always say that the strength of every nation is how they treat the vulnerable in the society. Please I will entreat you and I will plead with you, lest try and give what is due them and even reward them for showing courage in the face of adversity, Kankan concluded.
Competing with five other journalists; Muftawu Nabila Abdulai of JoySports, Bill Eshun of TV 3, Fiifi Anaman of JoySports, Nana Akua Amankwaah of Sporty Radio and Kelvin Owusu Ansah of SuperSport and Sporty Group of Radio, it was a huge challenge for BKB.
Sports journalism in Ghana is so competitive because there are so many talented journalists in the sector. Accra has undoubtedly stolen most of the top talents across the country but Kumasi has been giving them a close competition.
Bright Kankam Boadu of Pure FM is the only Oseikrom journalist nominated for the coveted Sports Journalist of the Year award. The astute host has been in the system for more than two decades and his boldness and fearlessness are unmatchable. He is one of the best interviewers in Kumasi.
Kumasi has produced so many sports journalists and keeps on producing the finest in radio and TV still but have rarely been recognized. The city is a hub for Grade A journalists, especially sports.
Veterans like Joe Laka of Kessben Sports, Sometymer Otuo Acheampong of Oyere Pa, Fred Acheampong, Jeffrey Asare and Franko Naro (both Kessben) have been around for decades and mentoring so many young ones.
The new generation boasts of uncountable stars. They are so intelligent, laden with information and understand sports journalism. From video analysts Newton Lartey, Big Broda Maestro and Kwame Dela to writers and broadcasters like Godfred Budu and Amakye de Researcher. Fantastic analysts like Striker, Collins Atta Poku, Asare Boadu, Awal Mohammed, Ayala, Akomeah, Fiifi Manfred and Andy Kerm and to the kings of hosting and presenting foreign news; King Eben, Joseph Osei a.k.a the Sports president and Fancy Di Maria. Never forget Abou Diaby, another solid host and presenter.
Then the grandpa of all the researchers of Ghana football – the man behind all the information about our two great clubs, Asante Kotoko and Accra Hearts of Oak. Bright Yeboah Taylor of Pure FM is the one contributing to all the historical facts of these clubs on their Wikipedia pages. He is feeding 11 v11 and rssssf for information about Ghana football. Thank you BYT!
Sokoban Fatilow is probably the best radio commentator in Twi in the region and maybe the entire Ghana.
Now to the youngest among them who rules on Youtube. Prince Testa at a very young age has worked with many media houses. Prince Testa has more than 20k followers on YouTube. He specializes in local stories and has followers more than Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko on YouTube.
Nuhu Adams is so respected when it comes to African football. He made his name from this region. What else can’t they do?
There are so many wonderful sports journalists in the Ashanti Region who are even better than the aforementioned ones. They only need a platform to announce their presence.
These stars barely get recognition but Bright Kankam Boadu’s victory must be celebrated by them as much attention will be given to them.
The Accra Sports Journalists have gotten much acknowledgement over the years and now will face huge competition in the business.
Juliet Bawuah and Gary Al Smith won the 2022 and 2023 editions respectively. The two have been working in Accra for years. It was time a journalist from Kumasi was crowned the best in Ghana.
BKB won something special for himself, Pure FM, his listeners and viewers and sports journalists in Kumasi and Ashanti Region in toto.
Congratulations BKB! More grease to your elbow.
