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 award had reached the channel early December but the management of Wi Yard together with members of the public decided to hang on opening the package from YouTube until past Saturday, 10th February when it was opened for the first time during the unveiling ceremony.
According to Wi Yard management, the silver award is owned by the people of Sierra Leone, especially their subscribers who have been with them throughout these years seeing the platform as a trusted avenue for information and education on issues affecting Sierra Leone.
Speaking during the unveiling ceremony, the Founder of Wi Yard, who happens to be the popular Presenter, Sengbe Pier, thanked Sierra Leoneans in and out of the country for their contributions towards the channel’s humanitarian gesture helping the needy sometimes financially back home to ameliorate the sufferings faced by Sierra Leoneans. He emphasized that the platform is not only giving out factual information to members of the public but has supported the education of children, paid rents for people and has also provided money to take care of the sick in Sierra Leone.
He commended his Co-Presenter, Bai Bureh for believing in the struggle to serve the people of Sierra Leone at first sight when they first met somewhere.
” It took great sacrifice and the grace of God to reach this peak and we are focused and determined to serve the people of Sierra Leone not any political party or politician”, Sengbe Pier maintained, adding that the channel will continue to expose the things that put Sierra Leone backward. “SLPP and APC have disowned us but personally but we will continue to sound the opposition bell for the good of the people of Sierra Leone”, he noted.
Bai Bureh in his statement, called on Sierra Leoneans 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 being the first krio spoken channel to receive YouTube Award. He commended Sister Admin 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 top up in recognition of their contributions towards national issues.
Wi Yard online tv was formed in December 2019 in Paris by a Sierra Leonean Journalist who had worked for series of media institutions at home. The platform commenced operation after a diner was hosted by President Bio at State Lodge for Journalists and more especially for members of the Sierra Leone Journalists Association.