SWAG awards in Ghana illuminate the intersection of words and honorUntitled

Accra, August 2025. The sea breeze sweeping through this West African nation of just 30 million has never quite eroded its devotion to the written word in sport. In 2025, Ghana’s sports journalism community marked two significant moments—January’s 49th SWAG Awards (Sports Writers Association of Ghana Awards) ceremony, and the 57th anniversary celebration of SWAG in August. Two nights that revealed the resilience and depth of sports media on this soil.

In January, the Accra International Conference Centre played host to a dignified, meticulously orchestrated event. Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, representing the President, called the SWAG Awards “a beacon of Ghana’s sporting spirit.” Her presence underscored not only the prestige of a nearly five-decade-long tradition, but also a collective respect for the storytellers who have stood behind the scenes.

Bright Kamkam Boadu was named 2024 Sports Journalist of the Year. His name joins those of Juliet Bawuah and Saddick Adams, journalists whose work has shaped the nation’s sporting narrative. Their reporting doesn’t merely chronicle games;, it preserves the arc of a country’s athletic journey.

In August, the Central Hotel in North Ridge witnessed the emergence of another honoree—Bill Eshun, winner of the 2025 Sports Journalist of the Year. A recipient of the Ghana Youth Excellence Award and a global top-five finalist in the AIPS Sports Media Awards, his voice flows across both airwaves and paper—measured in tone, precise in message. Eshun embodies a new generation of Ghanaian media professionals: rooted locally, but fluent globally.

The SWAG Awards are not solely about athletic excellence; they are about the art of narration. Spanning 33 categories—from athletics and boxing to tug of war and golf—they reflect Ghana’s sincere and expansive embrace of sport. In a media environment marked by modest resources, Ghanaian journalists continue to uphold their craft, propelled by instinct and passion, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.

Today, more and more young voices are transcending the confines of print, wielding lenses, microphones, social platforms, and data to tell richer stories. They are agile, attuned to change, and quietly redefining the way sport is communicated across Africa.

In 2026, SWAG will celebrate its golden jubilee. For some, fifty years is a milestone. Here, it is also a statement. It says: sport belongs not only to victors and stadiums, but to those who document it with fidelity and conviction.

From across continents, one observes these storytellers anchoring themselves in the quiet corridors of history—not through noise, but through clarity, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to truth. In them lies the essence of African sports media: authenticity, perseverance, and the enduring power of expression.