The Vim Views & Versions - Blogs of a MIghTy African

I asked my friends to name their  top 5 songs  ever, from  South Africa . My South African alter-ego,  Siyabonga Andile Mthimkhulu , also contributed, thanks to all he has learnt around  Museke . I also asked  Google  Gemini (yes, not Meta AI, Chat GPT, Grok, Deepseek, or POE - because, I asked it through Google Sheets). You know it is my friend these days right? I also contributed my top 5, while reminiscing this  list from 2009 . My first time in  South Africa  was in 2011. But prior to that, I had been hearing a lot of South African music (not like circa 2011 though) on Ghanaian TV. I did not meet that many South Africans at  MIT . I got to know much more about South African music when me,  Phelele Fakudze,  and others started  Museke  in 2006. It was great to see some of my friends suggest songs that we were jamming to back in the day. I wanted to do a list of top 5, but there are too many song...

I have sang in a choir in my life, the Clerk House choir at Presec . I am not a great singer, I do sing tenor though. I did enough to get into the choir. One of the best all-time choirs - worldwide - is the Soweto Gospel Choir . Don't believe me? Ask the Grammys. Their albums Blessed, African Spirit and Freedom won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional World Music Album in 2006, 2007 and 2019, respectively. They have even been nominated for Oscars and Golden Globes.  I was first introduced to this choir by some Southern African friends while in MIT . Their music features heavily on my Sundays - including this blessed one.  African Dream - 2005 What is the African Dream ? The conversation has been had in some circles, but not quite discussed, decided and disseminated. Listen to the song, if you get lost in the voices and melodies, listen to it a couple more times.  I have tweeted about this several times, including the text below ( twice as nice ). "Cos in my African d...

Before I get into Lira 's music. I debated which artiste to feature in the last spot in my starting eleven. I just had to have someone from South Africa - the country which I believe has the best singers (globally, yes) and maybe the best range of music.  I have been searching for a special happy birthday song she did for Mandela. I loved it enough to blog about it . I have a story about meeting Lira for the first time. Yes, I blogged about it too . In fact, I like Lira's music and aura a lot. That when she followed me on Twitter, I had to write about it too o !  I have a couple of Lira CDs & a DVD even. I really adore how she records her concert and those are sold as albums. Every time I listen to those, I wish female Ghanaian musicians like Efya, Becca and Adina would do similar. The way Hamba is performed live, with the crowd singing it, is magical.  I said South Africa has lots of great singers eh? How come Lira though? Something Inside So Strong. Somet...

I get into a lot of discussion on Whatsapp groups these days. For good reason and good measure :-) I have blogged about some of those via these - especially about volunteerism due to a conversation I was part of in the NUGS Volta Women's Bloc . In April 2020, a video about Fred McBagonluri was circulating on Ghanaian Whatsapp. Fred went to MIT (my alma mater) , was the first Dean of Engineering at Ashesi (one of my favorite universities worldwide) and he now leads Academic City which is  also doing and growing well. Someone reacted to the video seeming to say Fred is able to do the things he does because he went to a top university abroad . I went to one of those and that is not the whole story. Africans who go to universities in Africa can also be world class. Let me expand upon my thoughts with actual submissions I made on the Whatsapp page - called South Tongu Business Hub . Those from Sogakope and nearby, what's up? KNUST alumni who are exposed and have educa...

'Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom' could become my most loved movie ever. And if I haven't even seen it yet. I can't wait. #Madiba . #Mzansi . — Siyabonga Mthimkhulu (@mightyafrican) December 8, 2013 Waving Flag by @KNAAN is part of the 'Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom' soundtrack? So says the trailer. Anticipation but not hype. #Madiba — Siyabonga Mthimkhulu (@mightyafrican) December 8, 2013 I met Anant Singh, the director of the 'Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom' movie this year in Cape Town. #Madiba should have seen this movie. :( — Siyabonga Mthimkhulu (@mightyafrican) December 8, 2013 So I've watched the trailer for the 'Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom' movie and @TerryPheto is not in it. Ayibo! Not lekker. #Madiba . #Mzansi . — Siyabonga Mthimkhulu (@mightyafrican) December 8, 2013 "A film by South Africans for South Africans & for the world as well".- @TerryPheto . 'Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom'...

Anyone could have guessed that something about Nelson Mandela was going to dominate Twitter as soon as it was confirmed that he had passed away . I won't be surprised if things about him continue to trend as the year comes to an end. He was adored and loved by many. Many a song has been sang for him . Here are a few tweets that show this. Switching to my South African alter-ego in honour of Nelson Mandela who just passed away today. Go well Tata! We love you #Madiba . — Siyabonga Mthimkhulu (@mightyafrican) December 5, 2013 Hamba kahle Tata. Hamba kahle Madiba. Safe journey Nelson Mandela. #Madiba #NelsonMandela pic.twitter.com/8K5ThrHprg — Siyabonga Mthimkhulu (@mightyafrican) December 5, 2013 "Our nation has lost its greatest son. Our people have lost a father". @SAPresident on @NelsonMandela 's passing. #RIPMandela #Madiba — Siyabonga Mthimkhulu (@mightyafrican) December 5, 2013 The World is in Mourning... 💔 #RIPNelsonMandela #LalaNgoxolo...

Was listening to South African music today. :-( RIP Nelson Mandela. You'd be fondly remembered, #Madiba . pic.twitter.com/VZDODhbbCx — Siyabonga Mthimkhulu (@mightyafrican) December 5, 2013 This morning, I thought to listen to gospel music. The first song I played via the #vimride was Asimbonanga/Biko . It's one of my favorite songs to listen to these days. Later on during the day when I was thinking more and more about International Volunteer Day , I switched to my Southern Africa playlist and listened to a lot of Mzansi music . Funnily enough, I haven't listened to any songs from my favorite Lira , not even once today. That is going to change in a hurry. Because I need to listen to some Madiba music. One of my heroes, Nelson Mandela , has passed away. I have blogged about Nelson Mandela many times. I have a label for him on this blog. I wrote a blog post to mark his 92nd birthday 3 years ago . I love the song that was the subject of that blog post so much that I ...

It was today. Earlier today, one of the people I most admire in life followed me on Twitter. I've been talking about Twitter a lot eh? I was so excited that I tweeted this. You know the times you get excited and you want to tell everyone but you are afraid what you are excited about might just disappear. Yeah. — Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@Abocco) November 15, 2013 My buddy Kofi Yeboah took extra liking to this tweet and replied with .... @Abocco You know the times when you get people so anxious to know something and you refuse to say it? Nooooo!!! — Kofi Yeboah (@kofiemeritus) November 15, 2013 sdBy the time I was replying to this tweet, some good time had elapsed. My memory had expired, oh no, wait, it was pending. Inside joke. I finally remembered but I was not spilling the beans yet. I'd tell you why in a minute. I had some ridiculous reason why. @kofiemeritus lol! for a second, I had forgotten what I was even going to say o! I have remembered now. I am excited again :...

I really miss South Africa. I think it's why Lira's CDs dominate what plays in the #vimride these days and why South African gospel dominates what blares out of my Samsung LED TV on Sundays. While in South Africa in May, I learnt a lot about Mzansi. I'd like to share a few thoughts. I also found my South African alter-ego, Siyabonga Andile Mthimkhulu . From my trip to Khayelitsha , where we visited the Grassroot Soccer initiative , I came to understand how people in South Africa (especially blacks) really support the local football teams. While there, we were all asked which football teams we support and I kept on thinking in my head ' Manchester United '. After most of the volunteers at Grassroot Soccer talked through Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs , I had to cheat and say Accra Hearts of Oak in addition to ManUtd . Many black South African play football and enjoy it more while many white South Africans enjoy rugby. Rugby is also a very well funded spor...

My favorite album right now is whichever selection of Lira songs I am playing in the #vimride these days. Talking of vim, none of Lira's songs gives me 'vim' quite like this one - The version I listen to a lot (and on repeat) is the live in concert version, which includes the audience reaction and people singing along, with the backing vocals and all the lovely instrumentals. The version you would listen to here is lovely but it just doesn't do the song justice like this one does. So, go get that album - Captured Tour (A Concert Film) . I have a signed copy of the CD and then the  DVD too. So I decided to write a blog post sharing the lyrics. You can find the lyrics for the original in many places, but you can find the lyrics to Lira's version in a few places . And now, here, on the MIghTy African blog. The higher you build your barrier The taller I become The farther you take my rights away The faster I will run You can deny me You can decide to...

Due to Nelson Mandela's 95th birthday falling on Thursday, July 18, I started listening to South African music a lot. I even changed my Twitter name to that of my South African alter-ego, Siyabonga Mthimkhulu . I listened to some house, kwaito, hip hop, jazz, R&B and gospel music from Mzansi. Heavy on the rotation was music from Lira. Yeap, the one I met in South Africa . She's simply the rockas. My father is also in town and he's been listening to me rock Lira in the car all the time. Yesterday, I made him watch Tsotsi , my favorite movie of all time. But these occurrences didn't drive me to write this blog post quite like what happened this morning. I was listening to Lira's Captured Tour CD along with my father on the way to work. And then the song started --- "I have a dream, a dream that lives in me. A gift that is given to the uniqueness of me. There is a path, a path made just for me and I walk it faithfully, though not certain where it leads...

It's a glaring fact that African women are not as much involved in the tech space as much as their male counterparts. In this #VimTechList , I'd like to recognize some African women who are doing a lot to drum up interest in technology locally and elsewhere on the continent. They are developers, content creators, and thought leaders. These are a few I know about. Let me say I am disappointed in myself that there's no one in this list from Lusophone Africa. I need that Angola trip. Anyway, on to the people who must be celebrated. Tech Needs Girls in Africa. And it's just because we want more women at tech events in Africa. We need to embrace & create more technological solutions on the continent. We need influential women across the board. Here are the bubbling  +Ory Okolloh s,  +Estelle Akofio-Sowah s, and  +Nnenna Nwakanma s. Doris Anson-Yevu - Ghana : I've known  +Doris Anson-Yevu  for a long time, I am not sure I remember where and how I met her. Sh...

It's been a long time since I did regular posts on things related to technology. Thanks to a recent Facebook post and some comments from friends, I am expecting to birth a series. We're calling it the "Vim Tech List". Yup, it has a hashtag too #VimTechList . You know what Vim is already from regularly reading this blog or from here. Tech is tech, list is list. For the first instalment, I want to delve into games. I'd list 5 great games you can get from the Google Play Store which are all built by Africans. Say #morevim to that. I've always used an Android phone since December 2010. Once I joined Google, I became more interested in using apps that were African. Thankfully, the Android Developer Challenge  (ADC) was concluding and many great African Android apps had been built. The Android Africa Challenge  (AAC), led by tech community leaders on the continent, also followed. When I got my recent Nexus 4, I wanted to download even more new African Android a...