The Vim Views & Versions - Blogs of a MIghTy African

  My journey didn’t begin in a living room with a famous or successful business man or politician in Ghana . It traces back to the vibrant, intellectually charged environment of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology ( KNUST ) campus in Kumasi , Ghana. Growing up, my parents were senior lecturers , and I was immersed in an academic ecosystem that felt both comfortable and, in a way, predetermined. There was an unspoken expectation—the path of least resistance—that I would follow in their footsteps, attend KNUST , and continue that cycle. This reflection comes after an insightful conversation I had with Kwame Boateng of Africa Capital Connect , where we dug deep into the origins of my entrepreneurial path [ 03:10 ]. You can watch our full, wide-ranging discussion on the Africa Capital Connect YouTube channel here: But there is a specific kind of entrepreneurial spirit that is often forged in the fires of teenage rebellion. At that stage in my life, I felt an i...

I always say: I am from Elmina , I grew up in Kumasi , I live in Accra , I care a lot about Ghana and I love Africa . But for a decade, I was living in the USA. Even then, I always say, I had one foot in Ghana all throughout. What took me there? What brought me back? What grazing in colder pastures? Where is your American accent? Let’s dig in, thanks to a conversation I had with Frank Bentum , on Ghanaian students choosing Western higher education and how this impacts human capital development in Ghana, with findings informing policy recommendations.  Motivations for Studying Abroad (Push Factors) My decision to study at MIT was primarily influenced by a role model , Arthur Musah. Arthur finished Presec in 1998, just before I entered the green grounds of Presec-Legon . He had emerged as the second best (WA)SSCE candidate in this year and he was being duly celebrated. I learnt that he had also played a major part of the Presec Drama Club. I looked up to him. In 2000, when I was...