A new Forbes profile is shedding insight into former CNN journalist Isha Sesay and how her expertise is transforming how untold stories within the African and Black diaspora are uncovered and brought to light.
As a daughter of the African continent—born in Sierra Leone and raised in the UK—Sesay has made a global mark in journalism. A champion of ethical reporting, she gained prominence as a CNN news anchor, particularly for her groundbreaking coverage of the 2014 Boko Haram abduction of 276 schoolgirls from Chibok, Nigeria. Her powerful reporting earned CNN a prestigious Peabody Award.
A decade later, Sesay has expanded her influence, now serving as CEO of Areya Media, the parent company of Okayplayer, OkayAfrica, and OkayShop. Under her leadership, the company has reached new heights, amplifying its brand and continuing to be a force in global media.
“I’m very conscious of moving through the world first and foremost as an African woman,” Sesay told Forbes in an interview. “I’m unapologetic about that. Candidly, as someone who was born in the UK and moved to Sierra Leone when I was seven, and lived there from seven to 16 before returning to the UK for university, it’s in my later years that I’ve really come to understand and value the gift of having spent my formative years on the continent. Those years, from seven to 16, really molded me and gave me real insight into inequality, inequity, deprivation—all those things, including gender dynamics in the specific African context.”
In 2021, Isha Sesay was named CEO of OkayMedia and elected to its board of directors. About 19 months ago, under her visionary leadership, OkayMedia underwent a rebranding and emerged as Areya Media.
“We renamed OkayMedia, changed the parent company, and I changed it to Areya Media,” said Sesay. “Someone pointed out in Yoruba [Areya] actually means sunshine, means light, which is quite fitting because I talked about invisibility and light right at the beginning of this conversation. That’s what I’m trying to do—bring Black culture, bring these stories into the light, shine a light.”
Areya Media’s mission is sharply defined. Through OkayPlayer, a platform dedicated to storytelling that highlights the Black and African diaspora, and its sister brand OkayAfrica, the company has created a powerful media conglomerate committed to uplifting Black empowerment, particularly from underrepresented voices. These platforms have evolved beyond traditional publishing to embrace a full-scale multimedia approach, focusing on cultural issues that resonate deeply with their audience—both locally and globally—while moving away from celebrity-centric content.
A key element of this transformation is the emphasis on multimedia, as reflected by the surge in visual content on social media and the integration of podcasts. Earlier this year, OkayPlayer expanded its reach by launching a podcast division, with The Almanac of Rap as its flagship show. Hosted by Donwill, a seasoned emcee and member of the rap duo Tanya Morgan, this Webby Award-winning podcast offers a deep dive into hip-hop culture. Donwill guides listeners through thought-provoking conversations about pivotal moments in hip-hop history, while tackling complex cultural topics such as misogyny and the role of religion within the genre.
“Our podcast division is really about singular voices with a unique point of view,” said Sesay. “The Almanac of Rap hosted by Donwill, is a tremendous show by an incredible talent. It delves deep into hip-hop and rap, looking closely at where it is today and its influences. Donwill poses incredibly smart questions, and after watching the show, I feel much smarter. I’m really in awe of his encyclopedic knowledge.”
In an era where internet platforms have reduced face-to-face interactions, OkayPlayer is strategically working to restore a sense of human connection—transcending boundaries. This summer, they launched a series of day parties, hosting two vibrant events at Brooklyn’s The Wicked Lady, with African Chop House providing the culinary experience. One event celebrated the launch of The Almanac of Rap podcast, while the other, titled “The Dey Party,” cleverly played on the versatile Nigerian pidgin term “dey.”
Looking ahead, Areya Media will make a significant splash at Art Basel in Miami this December with an expansive activation. In August, OkayPlayer introduced newsletters, which have quickly amassed over 100,000 subscribers, further strengthening its community. Additionally, the platform has ventured into the gaming world, partnering with AURN to launch OkayplayerGO, and has already hosted two tournaments in this burgeoning niche, marking an exciting new chapter for the brand.
“One of the things I’ve focused on is diversifying our offerings,” said Sesay. “Before, we were mainly focused on print, editorial, and written work in the digital space. Now, since I’ve come to this position, we’ve built OkayPlayer Studios, our in-house production unit, to scale up our video content and produce podcasts. We’ve now entered the podcast space. We’ve launched a newsletter with over 100,000 subscribers, just over a year old. We’ve also launched a gaming vertical because we believe Black people are gamers, too, and we want to create spaces for them to game.”
Despite its dynamic multimedia expansion, Areya Media remains firmly committed to journalistic integrity. Isha Sesay’s acclaimed coverage of the Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction in Nigeria exemplifies the impact of true investigative journalism—where her relentless pursuit of truth held Nigerian government officials accountable and gave a platform to the silenced voices of the girls and their families. This high ethical standard, a hallmark of Sesay’s career, is deeply woven into the fabric of Areya Media’s platforms. The conglomerate boldly amplifies diverse voices within the Black and African diaspora, while carefully steering clear of tokenism, ensuring authentic representation and meaningful storytelling.
“We are very, very conscious in terms of making sure that we source things,” said Sesay. “We’re making sure that we do our own reporting on things, that we don’t just curate, we don’t just grab from other places, that we’re not into clickbait, that we’re not into just trying to abuse the SEO algorithms just because we want people on our platform”
“We want to do meaningful work,” Sesay continued. “We want to do meaningful, carefully considered, thoughtful, insightful journalism, because our mission ultimately is to empower, entertain, inspire, and uplift. With all of those things in mind, we avoid tokenistic or clickbaity, sensationalist takes on culture or politics. We’re not just looking to be controversial; that’s not part of our value system in our editorial house.”
