The Vim Views & Versions - Blogs of a MIghTy African

Yesterday, TEDxOsu happened. You can read a recap here . But if social media (especially Twitter) is your thing, you can read a recap right here. I had made some notes on what I was going to talk about at TEDxOsu via my phone. My Samsung S2 was dying as usual as I headed to the event so I had my phone on airplane mode, because I am so fly. Hehe. I blogged about my speech here . Anyway, I couldn't get to live-tweet the event but I knew my digital native friends would. So here's what happened at TEDxOsu as captured via Twitter. TEDx Osu event is at the Passions Cafe in Osu, Accra has commenced #TEDxOsu #TWA — Tech World Africa (@Techworldafrica) June 1, 2013 TEDx Osu is sponsored by the Acumen Fund #TEDxOsu #TWA — Tech World Africa (@Techworldafrica) June 1, 2013 Theme is 'Envisioning Ghana's Future' #TEDxOsu #TWA — Tech World Africa (@Techworldafrica) June 1, 2013 Attending @ tedxosu #TEDXOSU at Passions in #Osu twitter.com/MsJeannormil/s...

Yesterday, I gave a talk at TEDxOsu on "Envisioning the Use of Technology for Social Change". This was my third one. I first gave a TEDxTalk at TEDxAccra 2012 about ‎"Why I do what I do and why I am so 233% passionate about Ghana and Africa". Not to worry, a blog post about this will come soon (I'm still looking for a video :-D). The next one was at TEDxKNUST where I talked about "Converting passion into opportunity and business". That was a story about Museke. This time, I talked a little more about the GhanaThink Foundation . For my talk, I decided to touch on different technology and internet trends from yesteryears to today. I started out talking about the story of the GhanaConscious MSN group - made up of mostly Ghanaian students in the US and UK who were homesick. These type social groups were nodes for people to come together via technology. This GhanaConscious group (circa 2002) featured conversations around 'where to get waakye over...

Sometime in May, I received a call from my friend Marc. TEDxOsu is coming on June 1st and we'll like you to speak. I didn't see that coming at all. Interestingly enough, we had just started talking about TEDxCapeCoastED (yup, TEDx is coming to Cape Coast - Oguaa). I accepted to give a talk and later on, the topic of choice was "Envisioning the Use of Technology for Social Change". TED Talks excite me, like many other people. I count Patrick Awuah and Ory Okolloh as people I really look up to and this is reinforced by TED Talks I've seen them given. I was excited to give a TEDxTalk. And I pray that one of these days, I will give an actual TED Talk too :-) For this TEDxTalk, there was no doubt in my mind that it was going to be about the GhanaThink Foundation somewhat. However, I never prepared my speech until about 2 hours and 33 minutes to the actual event. Because I didn't have the time to do so. Once I set my mind to it, the stories I needed came fa...

I have blogged about Patrick Awuah countless times. In fact, as I write these words, tears well up in my eyes. Tears of joy. How is getting you to hear and watch Patrick Awuah speak not a joyous moment? At the recent Barcamp Ghana event at the university he founded - Ashesi University - Patrick Awuah said “There should come a time that citizens in Africa will not desire to migrate to Europe or the USA”. Watch this video - Training our next leaders: Patrick Awuah on TED.com video Is Patrick Awuah on Twitter? Erm, not to the best of my knowledge. The man is so unassuming and humble, I doubt he even wants a Twitter. So far as he will continue to honour speaking arrangements, like at Barcamp Ghana events, we won't need him to have a Twitter. We will be documenting everything he says.

When we were looking for keynote speakers for the very first Barcamp in Ghana , we thought George Ayittey was a perfect fit. He is a distinguished Economist in Residence at American University in Washington, DC. From his TED.com profile His influential book Africa Unchained has helped unleash a new wave of activism and optimism -- especially in the African blogosphere, where his notion of cheetahs-versus-hippos has become a standard shorthand. The "Cheetah Generation," he says, is a "new breed of Africans," taking their futures into their own hands, instead of waiting for politicians to empower them. (He compares them to the previous "Hippo Generation," who are lazily stuck complaining about colonialism, yet doing nothing to change the status quo.) Since I am on a TED Talks roll, let's watch his TED talk titled "Cheetahs vs. Hippos" Follow him on Twitter @ayittey Watch the video

Before BarCamp Accra happens on October 2, you should attend TEDxAccra as well. It is one of the TEDxChange events which are happening all over the world on September 20, 2001. The Accra event will be held from 9am to 7pm at The African Regent Hotel at the Nhyiemu (what a cool name huh?) Conference Hall, 237/238 Airport West, in Accra. See the programme at this link . You can join the event here . Partners for the event include Google, AfricaGathering, BBC World Service, Spot One Global Solutions Group and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. One of our favoritest people, Estelle Sowah is listed as a speaker. On September 20, 2010, more than 150 of the world’s leading thinkers and doers will come together in New York for TEDxChange. Convened by Melinda French Gates on the 10th anniversary of the Millennium Development Goals, this event will explore what the future holds for health and development around the world. What changes have taken place in the last decade? And what more need...