AFRICA
Celebration of Journalistic Excellence: 2023 AIPS Africa Prize winners and legends of African sports journalism honoured

L-R: Saikou Seydi, Senegalese football legend El Hadji Diouf, AGL Regional Director Asta Rosa Cissé, AIPS Africa President Abdoulaye Thiam, Abdoul Rasmane Kabore, UNJCI President Jean-Claude Coulibaly, Emmanuel Gustave Samnick and Femi Fabunmi

ABIDJAN, January 26, 2024 - The Maison de la Presse in Abidjan vibrated to the rhythm of the celebration of journalistic excellence yesterday evening, where the International Sports Press Association - Africa Section (AIPS Africa), in partnership with Africa Global Logistics (AGL), paid tribute to talents in African sports journalism during the 2023 AIPS Africa Awards ceremony.
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Saikou Seydi receiving his award from Ms. Asta Rosa Cissé, Regional Director (Ivory Coast - Burkina Faso) at Africa Global Logistics
Winners by Category:
1. Written Press: Abiodun Adewale from Nigeria for his article “Olusosun: Defying the odds, Lagos slum rises filth, produces Africa’s football king”, published in Punch Newspapers.
2. Web Press: Yanick Armel Kenne from Cameroon for his work “The precariousness of athletes, the other side of professional football in Cameroon” on www.equaltimes.org.
3. Television: Abdoul Rasmane Kabore from Burkina Faso for his report "CIV-NGR Match: an Ivorian-Nigerian couple at the heart of the meeting", broadcast on Télévision Albayane.
4. Radio: Saikou Seydi from Senegal for “Recycling in football in Senegal”, broadcast on IRADIO (EMEDIA group in Dakar).
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CAF Head of TV & Communications, Luxolo September presents Yanick Armel Kenne's award to his representative Emmanuel Gustave Samnick
Each of the winners, from various African countries, brilliantly represented the diversity and richness of sports journalism on the continent, touching on deep and relevant social issues. Cameroon's Yanick Armel Kenne and Nigeria's Abiodun Adewale) were represented in the ceremony by the former AIPS Africa Secretary General Emmanuel Gustave Samnick and Femi Fabunmi, respectively. The AIPS Africa Awards 2023 jury evaluated 70 works from participants from 20 countries with an expert eye, ensuring that standards of excellence and journalistic integrity were not only respected, but also celebrated.
JURY The jury of the 2023 AIPS Africa Awards was chaired by a respected and accomplished figure in African journalism, Mamadou Koume. He is a former teacher-researcher at the Center for the Study of Information Sciences and Techniques (CESTI) at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar. The former Director General of the Senegalese Press Agency was also the president of the National Sports Press Association of Senegal (ANPS).

Former AIPS Africa President Mitchel Obi addressing the audience after receiving his award as a legend of sports journalism (Photo by Fliss Mohammed - AIPS Member)
A TRIBUTE TO THE LEGENDS OF SPORTS JOURNALISM
The evening was also marked by the recognition of emblematic figures of African sports journalism, true pioneers who have shaped the sports media landscape:
- Mufti Mohamed Saeed (Sudan)
- Mamadou Koume (Senegal)
- Abel Mbengue (Cameroon)
- Ahmed Bessol (Algeria)
- Idriss Beddredine (Morocco)
- Mitchel Obi (Nigeria)
- Hegaud Ouattara (Ivory Coast)
- Djibril Traoré (Mali)
They were honored for their exceptional contribution and commitment to African sports journalism, inspiring new generations of journalists.

AIPS Africa President Abdoulaye Thiam
INSPIRING PERSPECTIVES
The President of AIPS Africa declared: “We celebrated not only contemporary talents but also those who paved the way. These distinctions underline the vitality of our profession and the importance of journalism in African sports storytelling.”
Ms. Asta Rosa Cissé, Regional Director (Ivory Coast - Burkina Faso) at Africa Global Logistics added: "Our partnership with AIPS Africa is a tribute to these voices who tell the story of African sport with passion and depth. We We are proud to support these talents and contribute to the enrichment of the African media landscape."
AIPS Africa and AGL thank all participants, jury members, partners and journalists for their passion and continued support.
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Winners by Category:
1. Written Press: Abiodun Adewale from Nigeria for his article “Olusosun: Defying the odds, Lagos slum rises filth, produces Africa’s football king”, published in Punch Newspapers.
2. Web Press: Yanick Armel Kenne from Cameroon for his work “The precariousness of athletes, the other side of professional football in Cameroon” on www.equaltimes.org.
3. Television: Abdoul Rasmane Kabore from Burkina Faso for his report "CIV-NGR Match: an Ivorian-Nigerian couple at the heart of the meeting", broadcast on Télévision Albayane.
4. Radio: Saikou Seydi from Senegal for “Recycling in football in Senegal”, broadcast on IRADIO (EMEDIA group in Dakar).
.jpeg)
Each of the winners, from various African countries, brilliantly represented the diversity and richness of sports journalism on the continent, touching on deep and relevant social issues. Cameroon's Yanick Armel Kenne and Nigeria's Abiodun Adewale) were represented in the ceremony by the former AIPS Africa Secretary General Emmanuel Gustave Samnick and Femi Fabunmi, respectively. The AIPS Africa Awards 2023 jury evaluated 70 works from participants from 20 countries with an expert eye, ensuring that standards of excellence and journalistic integrity were not only respected, but also celebrated.
JURY The jury of the 2023 AIPS Africa Awards was chaired by a respected and accomplished figure in African journalism, Mamadou Koume. He is a former teacher-researcher at the Center for the Study of Information Sciences and Techniques (CESTI) at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar. The former Director General of the Senegalese Press Agency was also the president of the National Sports Press Association of Senegal (ANPS).

A TRIBUTE TO THE LEGENDS OF SPORTS JOURNALISM
The evening was also marked by the recognition of emblematic figures of African sports journalism, true pioneers who have shaped the sports media landscape:
- Mufti Mohamed Saeed (Sudan)
- Mamadou Koume (Senegal)
- Abel Mbengue (Cameroon)
- Ahmed Bessol (Algeria)
- Idriss Beddredine (Morocco)
- Mitchel Obi (Nigeria)
- Hegaud Ouattara (Ivory Coast)
- Djibril Traoré (Mali)
They were honored for their exceptional contribution and commitment to African sports journalism, inspiring new generations of journalists.

INSPIRING PERSPECTIVES
The President of AIPS Africa declared: “We celebrated not only contemporary talents but also those who paved the way. These distinctions underline the vitality of our profession and the importance of journalism in African sports storytelling.”
Ms. Asta Rosa Cissé, Regional Director (Ivory Coast - Burkina Faso) at Africa Global Logistics added: "Our partnership with AIPS Africa is a tribute to these voices who tell the story of African sport with passion and depth. We We are proud to support these talents and contribute to the enrichment of the African media landscape."
AIPS Africa and AGL thank all participants, jury members, partners and journalists for their passion and continued support.
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