A55 Podcast
Africa is a diverse continent with a rich and complex history. Its image however appears stuck in the past despite decades of progress. On this podcast, we'll strive to reflect the true reality on the ground today and discuss issues driving Africa's challenges and growth with experts and with individuals who are helping to reshape the narrative about Africa. Join Nii Akrofi Smart-Abbey for remarkable conversations with Africans at home and in the diaspora. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Fri, February 07, 2025
Trading Legal Briefs for Manuscripts
Discovering one's true calling in life doesn't always come easily. Awe Ogon learned that the hard way. She studied law to please her father but realized after a few years of practice that she was not as passionate about law as she was about creating art, so she quit law and left her home country, Nigeria. Now, the author of 3 books and a collection of poems, Awe talks to us about how she found her voice as a writer. Plus, an iconic New Zealand landmark has been granted legal recognition as a person. Additional audio excerpt: Credit - WION TV Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Fri, January 24, 2025
Crafting Box Office Hits in Nollywood
Before Nollywood came calling, Collins Okoh worked for Nigeria's Ministry of Health while nursing a dream of becoming a novelist. But that all changed when Nollywood actor, producer, and director Funke Akindele Bello invited him to collaborate on her 2020 film, Omo Ghetto: The Saga. Since then, Collins and Funke have churned out some of the highest grossing movies in Nollywood history including A Tribe Called Judah. All these movies have all surpassed the 1-billion-naira mark. Collins joins us to share his insights and his formula for writing box office hits. Plus, a Maryland resident trying to renew her driver's license discovers that she has been registered as dead though she is very much alive. Additional audio excerpt: Credit: FAANTV (Youtube), Galaxy NewsTV, NBC 10WJAR Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Fri, January 10, 2025
Conquering New Worlds with Esports
Esports is a multi-billion-dollar industry attracting young people from around the world. International and regional tournaments, including tournaments for university teams, offer players a pathway to becoming professional gamers. In Africa, esports is gaining grounds despite challenges such as the cost of accessing the internet and electricity cost. As many worry about the effect long hours of gaming may be having on the mental health of young people, insiders say there are some advantages to playing video games. President of Esports Association, Ghana, Kwesi Hayford joined us to discuss those benefits. Plus, a Michelin-starred sushi chain restaurant in Japan spends over a million dollars at auction for the first tuna catch of 2025. Additional audio excerpt: Credit - Esports Association, Ghana Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Fri, December 27, 2024
ECOWAS Splinter & West Africa's Shifting Political Landscape
On January 29, 2025, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will lose three of its members. Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger who have formed a new group known as the Alliance of Sahel States say their decision to leave the larger union is irreversible, yet ECOWAS says it will continue to engage their leaders until July 2025. Dr. Lassane Ouedraogo, a professor at Université Nazi Boni and a research fellow at the Center for Democracy and Development (CDD West Africa) joins us to discuss the impact of the ECOWAS splinter on the sub region and the Sahel states as well as why Prime Minister Apollinaire Joachim de Tambela was dismissed by Burkina Faso's military leader, Capt. Ibrahim Traore. Plus, we celebrate some outstanding African women for their achievements this year. Additional audio excerpt: Credit - France24 A55 podcast on YouTube ! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Fri, December 13, 2024
Curtain Up for Commercial Theater in Ghana
Ghana has a storied tradition of storytelling and a wealth of writers, yet the commercial theater scene experienced a lull between the 1990s and early 2000s. In 2008, playwright, James Ebo Whyte, affectionately called Uncle Ebo, reignited the passion for theater with his play, "Unhappy Wives, Confused Husbands," drawing crowds back to the playhouse. Since then, commercial theater appears to have been revitalized. So, what caused the decline of commercial theater in Ghana? Uncle Ebo shares his insights on the topic, the revival, and sustenance of a vibrant theater culture in Ghana. And a New Zealand Scrabble pro has won the Spanish world title remarkably without speaking Spanish! Additional audio excerpt: Credit - Roverman Productions (YouTube) A55 podcast on YouTube ! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Fri, November 29, 2024
Ghana's Election '24: What's at Stake?
On December 7, voters in Ghana will elect a new president and members of parliament. The presidential race is a rather unique one because for the first time in the country's history, a former president and an incumbent vice president are vying for the highest office in the land. In October, the country nearly ground to a halt as organized labor (union workers) threatened to strike to protest illegal mining and its effect on the environment. Inflation in the country is above 20% and unemployment has hit a new high. In this A55 election special, we speak to voters and election watchers about the issues at the heart of this race. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Fri, November 15, 2024
Thriving in a Dynamic Business Environment
As the year draws to a close, businesses as well as individuals like to take stock of their activities in the year that's ending and find ways to improve in the coming year. For businesses, it also means finding ways to thrive in an ever-evolving business environment. But what does it mean to thrive in uncertainty and what does it take? Organizational transformation consultant, Benjamin Yaw Manu walks us through some tried and tested ways to get your organization ready to transform and thrive in spite of the uncertainties. And a Youtuber in Argentina makes a stunning and controversial debut in a premier league soccer match. Assess your organizational readiness to transform. Is your organization ready to thrive in a rapidly changing business landscape? Assess your organizational readiness to transform with the Nimdier scorecard! Find out where your organization stands and how you can position yourself for success. Take the scorecard now at: https://organizationaltransformationscorecard.scoreapp.com Additional audio excerpt: Credit - UCToday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Fri, November 01, 2024
How Ancestral Teachings Helped 'Find Lalla's Anna'
In African tradition, the elderly, especially ancestors are highly revered for their wisdom which they've passed down for generations through proverbs and even folktales. But in our modern world where patience for instance is more of a luxury than a virtue, relying on the wisdom of our elders may appear to be out of sync with our busy lives. Author and teacher of Malian ancestral traditions, Anna Dao, joins us to talk about how the traditional lessons from her grandmother aided her journey of self-discovery and healing. She also talks to us about her memoir, Finding Lalla's Anna , which expands further on her relationship with her grandmother. And Police in the German city of Dusseldorf bust a local pizzeria that sold more than pizza to its customers. Additional audio excerpt: Credit - Miguel Ammah (By the Fireside - YouTube) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Fri, October 18, 2024
Is There a Future for Archaeology in Ghana?
There's a 50/50 chance for students who gain admission to study a course in humanities at Ghana's premiere university, the University of Ghana, to be offered archaeology as a course of study. Fewer students out of the number minor or major in archaeology in their final year. It is one of the courses at the university many students would rather avoid. So why did Beatrice Darko-Yeboah (PhD) give up her dream of becoming a banker to pursue a career in archaeology to the point of becoming the second female ever in the University's history to obtain a PhD in the subject? Dr. Darko-Yeboah tells us about her journey and why archaeology appears to be an unpopular subject. And a Swiss court rules a luxury watch making company was within right to ask workers to clock-out when going to use the bathroom. Additional audio excerpt: Credit - Cooper's Ferry Site (YouTube) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Fri, October 04, 2024
Nigerian American Rep. Oye's Political Journey & Fight for D.C Statehood
Born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts to Nigerian parents, Dr. Adeoye Owolewa, popularly known as Rep. Oye , is leading the charge for America's capital city, the District of Columbia, to become the country's 51st state. Having moved to Washington D.C after his doctoral studies in Pharmacy, Rep. Oye made his first foray into politics on a dare which landed him in spot on the D.C Neighborhood Advisory Commission. In 2020, he was elected the D.C Representative to Congress, a position that puts him right at the heart of the fight for D.C statehood. Rep. Oye joins us to talk about the importance of statehood for his constituents and the other initiatives he's rolled out since assuming office in January 2021. And although the Earth is known to have one moon, a temporary "second moon" will be hanging out in our skies until about November 25. Additional audio excerpts: Credit - Now This Impact, France24, WQAD News 8. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sat, September 07, 2024
Get Ready for Season 2 on October 4
We're all set for the premiere of Season 2 of the A55 Podcast on October 4, 2024! Mark the date on your calendar and make sure you join us for the brand-new season of the show that connects Africa to the world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Fri, August 16, 2024
F.I.R.E-ing up the Youth for the Future
When Emil Acolatse founded the nonprofit, Free Inspiration Reaching Everyone (F.I.R.E) , the goal at the time was simply to expand upon his passion for helping others. He wanted to help young people discover their passion as they prepared for the future. Nearly a decade on, the nonprofit's focus has expanded to include providing a range of resources for young people in different communities in Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia, Jamaica and Philadelphia where it all began. Emil Acolatse talks to us about the expanded focus and the new initiatives being rolled out to help young entrepreneurs in Africa. And we look back at the golden moments for Africa at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Audio excerpts: Credit - NBC Sports, LetsRunDotCom, CitiusMag A55 podcast on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Fri, August 02, 2024
Planning Your Next Steps as an International Student
Thousands of Africans leave the continent annually to further their education in Europe, North America, Asia, Australia among others. But as immigration around especially in the United States becomes a thorny issue, International Students are struggling to stay abreast of immigration regulations and how they impact their job hunt upon graduation. What should new and prospective students know about studying in the United States? We spoke with Dr. Eric Karikari of Towson University (Maryland) for some tips and asked how studying in the U.S has changed for international students since he went through the process over a decade ago. And the Olympic Games are in full swing in Paris but not without some controversies. We have a roundup of some of those controversies. Audio excerpt: TVC News, Nigeria, NBC Sports Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Fri, July 19, 2024
Creating Safe Spaces for Learning
For close to a decade, Aisha Diori has been supporting education in West Africa through her nonprofit organization, Africa Everything . The organization has over the past eight years provided scholarships to students in schools in five countries across West Africa, renovated school buildings and provided school supplies to students. With a unique twist, funding for the projects comes from the annual Africa Everything Afro Chic event organized by Aisha Diori for members of the African and Carribean communities in the US. But how successful is this approach to fundraising? Aisha Diori tells us more about that and the goal for this year's Afro Chic event set for July 28. ( Click here for tickets ). And a South African restaurant serves up a 9-foot-long popular Cape Town sandwich known as the Gatsby. Audio excerpt: Credit - Samuel and Audrey (YouTube) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Fri, July 05, 2024
Fighting Misinformation: Why Media Literacy Matters
As concerns grow around the world about the spread of misinformation and disinformation, one of the tools to combat the trend - media literacy education - appears to be lacking in Africa. A study by the University of Westminster's Communication and Media Research Institute revealed that media literacy, even in its broadest sense, was barely taught in six out of the seven countries studied. A report by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies earlier this year, indicated that there's been a surge in disinformation campaigns targeting African information systems. So, what is media literacy education and why isn't it taught in schools on the continent? Executive Director of the Media Literacy Development Foundation , Ismail Akwei, tells us about the efforts his organization is making to improve media literacy and how he's building a community for budding journalists to learn the ropes of the trade. Audio excerpt: Credit - Channel 4 News Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Fri, June 21, 2024
Reggie Rockstone on Hiplife & New Pursuits
Thirty years ago, a young Reggie Rockstone, having been involved in the hip hop movement for years, returned to Ghana to start a new movement he named hiplife - a fusion of hip hop and Ghanaian highlife music. From the mid 1990s to mid 2000s, hiplife music dominated the Ghanaian music scene. Even as the sound continues to evolve, it's having to compete with newer sounds from Nigeria and South Africa which now dominate the Ghanaian music scene. We speak with the godfather of Hiplife music, Reggie Rockstone about the future of his movement. Audio excerpts: Credit - CNN African Voices, New Scientist (YouTube). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Fri, June 07, 2024
Time to Rethink Democracy in Africa?
As concerns about the fate of democracy especially in the West, continues to increase, we dedicate this special episode of the podcast to talking about democracy in Africa. Nearly 20 countries on the continent are scheduled to hold elections this year but two countries, Burkina Faso and Mali, have indefinitely postponed theirs even as pressure mounts on their military leaders to do so. Dr. Lassane Ouedraogo , a research fellow at the Center for Democracy and Development (CDD West Africa) and an assistant professor of Communications at the Université Nazi Boni in Burkina Faso, talks to us about the challenges to democracy in Africa and offers some suggestions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Fri, May 24, 2024
South Africa Votes: Could this Election End the ANC's Dominance?
South Africa holds it seventh general elections on May 29, 2024. Since the country's first democratic elections in 1994, which saw Nelson Mandela elected president, the ruling African National Congress (ANC) has consistently won the majority in parliament thus getting to form a government. But 30 years on, the party has been criticized for failing to deliver on its promises to improve the lives of South Africans, especially its Black population. Amidst the rising levels of unemployment, power crisis, and perceptions of corruption, can the ANC still win power? Journalist Kenneth Mokgatlhe joins us with some thoughts. And, a 17-year-old teenager graduated from the Arizona State University this month with a PhD, making her the youngest to ever graduate from her program. Audio excerpts: Credit - SABC News, GMA (ABC), Fox 5 Atlanta, CBS, WGN Morning News. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Fri, May 10, 2024
LOATAD: Curating Africa's Literary Heritage
Sylvia Arthur grew up in England. During her years working in Europe, she bought and read books - over 1,000 of them. When Sylvia packed up her life in Europe and moved to Ghana, she opened up her personal book collection to the public. Her move was inspired partly by what she said was the lack of books by Ghanaian and other African authors in bookstores in the country. Sylvia Arthur's personal collection has since morphed into what is today the Library of Africa and the African Diaspora (LOATAD). The library which doubles as an archive is on a mission to collect and showcase rare and first edition books authored by Africans and people of African descent. She tells us why curating this library is important. And, the town of Fujikawaguchiko in Japan is constructing a fence on a stretch of a sidewalk to block the view of the iconic Mount Fuji. Audio excerpts: Credit - LOATAD/TEDx Euston (YouTube), Associated Press (AP). Royalty-free music by Slip.stream . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Fri, April 26, 2024
The Art of Bamazi Talle's Flying Calabashes
As a young man growing up in Togo, Bamazi Talle discovered he had a talent for art so he learned all he could from his uncle. In the mid 1990s, an invitation to the United States set him on a path to learn more about art. Today, he's a renowned artist whose work has been featured on PBS and in other art magazines and new media. He is also the founder of KIACA , a gallery in Columbus, Ohio, that helps budding African and African American artist hone their craft. He tells us why he founded the gallery and the importance of investing in art. And, Nigerian chess champion, Tunde Onakoya completed a 60-hour chess marathon in New York City's Time Square in his quest for a Guinness World Record. Audio excerpts: Credit - WOSU PBS, CBS News, Elizabeth Rukky (YouTube). Royalty-free music by Slip.stream . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Fri, April 12, 2024
Iwájú: A Journey to the Future
After years of reading comic books by non-African writers, Olufikayo (Ziki) Adeola, Toluwalakin (Tolu) Olowofoyeku and Hamid Ibrahim set up Kugali Media to create their own African comic books. In a 2018 interview with the BBC, Hamid called out arguably the world's top animation company, Disney. Today, Kugali Media and Walt Disney Animation have partnered to create an African sci-fi miniseries Iwájú . The series is set in Nigeria's popular city Lagos, one hundred years in the future. Hamid, Tolu, and Ziki tell us more about creating the show. And, an Irish woman loses her $800,000 insurance claim after photo emerges of her competing in a Christmas tree throwing contest. Audio excerpts: Credit - BBC Stories, Walt Disney Animation Studios, The Movie Times. Royalty-free music by Slip.stream . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Fri, March 29, 2024
African Art Renaissance
There's been a surge in demand for art by African artist in recent years. 2023 was a particularly good year for African artists whose works according to research firm ArtTactic exceeded a combined annual auction worth of $72 million. Gameli Hamel , a Writer and Art & Culture Journalist, summed up the record setting year for African artist in this article for ARTnews . Gameli joined us to explain what's driving the interest in African art around the world. And Zimbabwe's Law Society is urging newlyweds to rectify a mistake on their marriage certificates. Audio excerpts: Credit - BBC, Vox, New York Times. Royalty-free music by Slip.stream . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Fri, March 15, 2024
Shining a 'Brief Tender Light' on African Stories
Thousands of Africans leave home each year to pursue higher education abroad. They embark on these journeys with their own dreams and often with high expectations from families and friends. Arthur Musah captures the challenges and daily struggles faced by four young Africans on their quest for world class education at the renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States in his moving documentary Brief Tender Light . And, Google restricts its AI Chatbot, Gemini, from answering election-related queries in countries holding elections this year. Audio excerpts: Credit - Brief Tender Light, NewsNation, Bloomberg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Fri, March 01, 2024
What Next for Senegal's Postponed Elections?
Senegal was billed to hold an historic presidential election on February 25, 2024. Then on February 3, the incumbent president, Macky Sall, postponed it citing a dispute over candidate list. Mr. Sall has promised he will step down on April 2, 2024, when his term ends. But where does that leave Senegal? Dr. Rama Salla Dieng , a lecturer of African Studies and International Development at the University of Edinburgh, UK, explains the crisis in Senegal and the way forward. Read her paper on land grab in Senegal here . Audio excerpts: Credit - France24, Reuters, AFP Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Tue, February 20, 2024
Ready to Roll!
After months of preparation and research, we're ready to launch the a55 Podcast on March 1, 2024. Mark the days on your calendar. Join every other Friday after March 1 for brand new episodes! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Thu, February 01, 2024
Hello World!
Hello and welcome to the a55 Podcast! Africa is a continent with a rich and complex history. But over the centuries, its story has been told through a myriad of lenses, many, not African. The result is an outdated perception of the continent. From this March 2024, the a55 podcast will strive to tell the story of a contemporary Africa and its place in the modern world by engaging experts and Africans who are helping to reshape the continent's narrative. Join us for these remarkable stories and conversations from the continent and the African diaspora. Speak soon! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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