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KNOW AFRICA AND MAKE CHANGE FROM THE BUTTOM-UP.

Feature Article KNOW AFRICA AND MAKE CHANGE FROM THE BUTTOM-UP.
NOV 6, 2010 LISTEN

As jubilant fists flew mid-air and piercing voices chanted slogans during TV Africa's quiz-' know Africa' a couple of weeks ago, my eyes could not help but swallow the memories of two most heated moments of tension that gulped down my heart during South Africa 2010; now FIFA's barometer for hosting the world's biggest football festival. The flash back were that of the former Brazilian soccer premier, Diego Armando Maradona, whose lips could not afford to be enslaved by the cauldron of sound from the vuvuzelas that saturated the stadium, nor did his legs believing in freedom of movement, pay homage to the lines which were only the preserve of the players. And of course what most Ghanaians would not like to hear; how Suarez, now a household name, took the ball out of the net and hindered us from getting into the semi – finals of the football competition. Sorry if I have inflicted wounds or happy tension (as my grandmother calls hypertension).

It was really exciting and fun to learn new things about our continent and cheer the contestants.

The importance of pan-African education in grooming the next generation of African leaders cannot be downplayed at all. It has become imperative for the youth to gain adequate knowledge about Africa, by picking cues from yesterday in order to influence tomorrow. Educating the younger generation about Africa will help to shape the thinking of tomorrow's leaders in order to create drastic change and impact.

A word for TV Africa
TV Africa certainly deserves a pat on their shoulder for such initiative which seeks to reflect on the history of our continent. However I believe that it will be very good if they also begin looking at how to groom leaders for the continent by tasking students to undertake projects and programs that will impact and influence their communities and rewarding their efforts. In this way, we will be exposing our future leaders to what goes into handling a real world business, project or program. Aside, the leaders tomorrow will gain knowledge about the problems that confront their country and continent in general, in order to start proffering solutions to such problems that confronts them. For as Albert Einstein said; “Imagination is more important than knowledge”

A word for the youth
“You have the power to hold your leaders accountable, and to build institutions that serve the people. You can serve in your communities, and harness your energy and education to create new wealth and build new connections to the world. You can conquer disease, end conflicts, and make change from the bottom up. You can do that. Yes you can. Because in this moment, history is on the move” (Obama -speech to Ghana's parliament, Saturday July 11, 2009.)

The knowledge that we acquire about our continent certainly has the capacity to shape us into changing things in our country. Let us begin to take the future of our nation and demonstrate the spirit of dedication to public service which is unparallel in the history of our country-not even the 20th century youthful agitation for freedom. For as the above quotation suggests: “Yes we can”

The writer is the leader of Orange Education Ghana and a member of the African leaders' project of the African leadership Academy based in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Learn more: oeghana.blogspot.com email:[email protected]

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