The Vim Views & Versions - Blogs of a MIghTy African

+Barcamp Kumasi  2013 was organized on September 28 at the College of Science auditorium at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. This was the fourth +Barcamp Kumasi  event. The theme was "Owning and building a culture of development". You could think of it as "cultivating and maintaining a culture of development" too . The goal was to get Kumasi-based people to own Kumasi's development and build towards it. The event started with a discussion around the theme led by Kumasi's own  +Kojo Akoto Boateng . Participants discussed leadership by example and change from within. Attendees also understood that we must all be responsible for development and that it's not something we leave for others to champion and handle. Some of the comments made hearkened thoughts back to last year's +Barcamp Accra  which talked about the " removing the fear of failure as a start of success ". You can see a Storify story around this discussi...

+Barcamp Cape Coast  2013 was organized on September 14th at the Faculty of Education Lecture Theatre 9 at the University of Cape Coast. This followed the first ever  +TedxCapeCoastED Ghana  which shared some organizing team members with the Barcamp as well. The theme was "Solving unemployment by creating work". This was the third Barcamp Cape Coast event and the focus was on tackling unemployment. The transcendent statement from the event was " There might be a shortage of jobs, but there is no shortage of work ". It was key to enlighten many attendees about using their education to solve problems and by creating work, creating employment for themselves and others as well. Speed mentoring was a hit this year just like for the 2012 event. The speed mentors (resource personnel) had 1-on-1 mentoring sessions with attendees for 10 minutes at a time. They included Joseph Hudson (Tigo), Careercoach Emmanuel Woyome , Josephina Lynn-Halm (Manasseh Collections - Fash...

+Barcamp Tamale  2013, the third  +Barcamp Ghana  event in Tamale, came off at the Tamale Sports Stadium on August 17. A day before it, a couple of pre-Barcamp events were organized in conjunction with a  +Google Africa  sponsorship - a Google Developer tools workshop led by  +GDG Ghana  and a Google Business Networking event led by  +GBG Ghana  in Tamale. The main event was themed - " Growing a connected and attractive entreprising market ". The focus was on ensuring that people in Tamale and the Northern Region at large were more connected and that the area was more attractive to local and outside entrepreneurs. +GhanaThink Foundation 's " Less Talk, More Action" Polo T-shirts were premiered at this event and were received very favourably. This motto has since become popular and is becoming a bedfellow to "More vim". The emcees  +Ato Ulzen-Appiah  &  +Donald Ward  led a short discussion on Tamale and what'...

+Barcamp Tema  2013 was the second  +Barcamp Ghana  event of the year after  +Barcamp Kasoa . It came off on August 10 at the Rotary Centre in Tema. This cool venue was secured in conjunction with the Rotaract Club of Tema . The theme was ' Building Industries for our Communities '. Given that Tema is an industrial city with many communities, you could see that this theme was very carefully chosen. With Tema being popular for music and musicians, the idea was to help spring more industries for similar communities in Tema. The event began with Samuel Abakah , the admin manager at the Tema Development Corporation (TDC) , talking about the history of Tema and talking about the work of the TDC. Tema is about the only town in Ghana with a dedicated development corporation helping build it. This stems from the formation of Tema during Kwame Nkrumah's time, another feather in his cap. While Tema Municipal Assembly (TMA) maintains Tema like others around the country, ...

The first  +Barcamp Tema  at Central University College (CUC) in Miotso near Tema went very well and created impact in many lives. Especially the 31 or so Ketasco students who attended and where their interest and the impact the event had on them created what is now the  +Junior Camp Ghana  program. People wondered aloud why Barcamp Tema had to be organized in Prampram or a place outside Tema.  +Felix Nartey  and  +Leonard Hagan , after attending  +Barcamp Ghana  2011, were very interested in bringing a  +Barcamp Ghana  event to their school (CUC). There had already been calls to have a Barcamp Tema, to cater for those who lived in Tema and especially for those living in Accra who couldn't wait till December for the next  +Barcamp Accra . A lot of Tema conversations ensued at the Barcamp, just the way it was meant to be. I felt that the next Barcamp Tema had to be held in Tema proper so when the Rotary Centre was mentio...

Then I say I go write blog post for Pidgin inside. Thank you, Nigeria. :-) Now, we for search wife give Ayoolouwaato Eze . From Ajawo to Ikeja and everyweya . About time . This na regular day I dey create. Enjoy. Oya, Ikeja City Mall website don dey down o! But u go fit find them for Flickr, Myspace & MSN. Na 2004 we dey? These guys don fork up. — Ayooluwaato Eze (@mightyafrican) November 27, 2013 Go their Ikeja City Mall website go look o! http://t.co/xKS8MlmTF8 Them no fit put their Flickr, Myspace & MSN links for there sef. Yawa! — Ayooluwaato Eze (@mightyafrican) November 27, 2013 Like I go pursew the fine keles I see & meet today personally. But the ones I know since since I no fit persue them. So first things first. — Ayooluwaato Eze (@mightyafrican) November 27, 2013 So the Naija Lagos traffic say weytin? Ebe me Ayo, una friend. Bridge na this. Make you no make my hand fall ground. — Ayooluwaato Eze (@mightyafrican) November 27, 2013 "Kel...

After the epic night from before after  +Barcamp Koforidua , we were just going to have a chillaxing Sunday in Koforidua and head back to Accra. It wasn't to be. Stories abound :-) But wait, it seems I knew more memories would be coming anyway. See what I tweeted after finally waking up :-) We took some group pictures at Whit's house. Beatrice and Bubune took some wearing the same bead necklaces. Some marriage like that. Koforidua is the Ghanaian Vegas . What happens in Koforidua, stays in Koforidua . Nah, you didn't get the full story from the previous blog post . Yesterday, I was like 'gone' at Club Liquid. Then I was like 'gone' in Burro bed. Later today, I'd be gone from Koforidua. With memories. — Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@Abocco) November 24, 2013 I had heard that Koforidua had some of the best fufu in Ghana.  +Bubune Sorkpor  &  +Seyram Freddy Ahiabor  had conquered some just before Barcamp Koforidua the day before. I was keen to have a feel to...

I wasn't going to come to Koforidua for  +Barcamp Koforidua  and not spend a night there. Well, I got an epic night! Serious +Party Crew  type stuff with  +Bubune Sorkpor ,  +Victor Ofoegbu  & Beatrice. We had some interesting conversations about  Koforidua  &  Koforidua flowers . Some Koforidua Poly friends, +duncan qwame  &  +Jemima Abochie  had informed us about a party at K-Poly. We were looking for places to go hang out, the special occasions, as opposed to the regular Koftown nightlife. We were informed of a show at Eredec Hotel . Yeap, that hotel that traditionally hosts Miss Eastern Region as part of Miss Ghana.  +Jane Arkorful , where you at? At Eredec Hotel in  #Koftown  for a show for  #Koforidua  Poly students. Eduwoji (Tsotso Volta) is performing.  #partycrewgh — Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@Abocco)  November 23, 2013 Hanging out with  @abocco   @kbubune ...

I was in Koforidua this weekend for +Barcamp Koforidua . To say the least, it was epic! Too many interesting things happened. I am capturing some of what happened pre, during and post Barcamp Koforidua on Saturday below. You should check out Buildup & intro and Speed mentoring & Breakout sessions for more info on what happened at Barcamp Koforidua itself. We had some interesting conversations about Koforidua & Koforidua flowers . Me, @Abocco @ahiabor on our way to bckdua. Koti wan chop our money http://t.co/jgR0HzNGMu — Bubune Kofi (@kbubune) November 23, 2013 I don't know why the police chose us to stop us. Maybe it's because we were in a little traffic and I wasn't smiling. The Koti did chop our money o! It's getting to Christmas, they won't be sparing people koraa. Ask +Bubune Sorkpor  &  +Seyram Freddy Ahiabor .  +Victor Ofoegbu  would also bear witness. 2:33pm in Koforidua, Ghana. Super organIzation of Barcamp Koforidua at All Nat...

Yea, I've never written a blog post whose title has 2 question marks. As I've been thinking about Koforidua as I go to attend +Barcamp Koforidua  this weekend, the name 'Koforidua Flowers' has been ringing true a whole lot. It's not just because we've had a popular song called Koforidua Flowers, but that the phrase is used a lot. So I've been looking forward to going to Koforidua and spending a night there and especially learning more about Koforidua Flowers. But that's not all. The name ' Abocco ' has something to do with all of this. @BloggingGhana @couragedarling I understand the word #Abocco 's used in Koforidua. So I guess we will find out when we go2 @BcKoforida. #BOW — Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@Abocco) September 28, 2012 Earlier this year, I blogged and wrote  about being named the +BloggingGhana  Blogger of the Week sometime last year - Courage also wanted to how I came up with my Twitter handle called " Abocco ". I lea...

The very first Barcamp in Koforidua is happening this Saturday. If you can't make it to the All Nations University Engineering School, you can always follow updates via social media via the hashtag #bckdua. Big ups to organizers like  +Nkansah Rexford   +Eric Amonoo   +Samuel Tinagyei   +duncan qwame   +Samuel Twum , Lionel Xatse & Jemima Bernice Abochie. Viva +Barcamp Ghana ! See the press release below BarCamp Koforidua 2013  is a free networking event to bring people together for a day of discussion, demos and dialogue about Koforidua, Ghana and beyond. The event will happen at the  Engineering School at All Nations University in Koforidua  on  November 23, 2013 . The theme is " Growing a community of change makers ". Barcamp Koforidua is organized primarily by the  GhanaThink Foundation , an NGO based both in Ghana and the USA, which has successfully organized 26 BarCamps in Ghana.  +Barcamp Koforidua  will be t...

I have loved checking out my Twitter archive these last couple of weeks. Twitter is definitely my most used website now. I have become a power user in a sense but I had to learn. I present to you my Twitter firsts. excited to join the twitter community! — Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@Abocco) October 14, 2008 First tweet. What else was I going to say? I hope I could send something cooler though. The first time I really saw Twitter in action a lot was when I attended Barcamp Africa at the Googleplex in Mountain View on October 11, 2008. So right after the event, after seeing the power of what it could do, I created my Twitter account and tweeted this. @eyedol chale, thanks for the pics, good stuff — Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@Abocco) November 8, 2008 +Henry Addo  was one of the first Ghanaian Twitter users. I am going to guess this is via influence from Ushahidi folks like +Erik Hersman  &  +Ory Okolloh . My first Twitter mention mentioned Henry. Idol he is. #li...

As many of you would know by now, Ghana has just confirmed its qualification to the World Cup in Brazil next year. It was a foregone conclusion after the Black Stars spelt Egypt and walloped the Pharoahs in Kumasi Agoropramaso last month. Congrats to the Black Stars and big ups to all the supporters of the Ghana national football team. I got to watch most of the second half and saw our goal. I missed a lot of tweets too. So for our collective benefit, here are some tweets you may have missed as you were following the Ghana game versus Egypt and the subsequent celebrations. And my comments :-) Video of Black Stars players singing on the pitch last night ahead of today's game against http://t.co/DWDBJI18lM . follow for live updates. — Ghanasoccernet.com (@Ghanasoccernet) November 19, 2013 We love these kinds of videos. I love Jama too! Just like these guys  +Donald Ward   +Seyram Freddy Ahiabor  and  +David Nikoi . Big game ahead of us #blackstars #gh...