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Corporate dialogue tasks youth on business success strategies

Feature Article Corporate dialogue tasks youth on business success strategies
JUN 9, 2016 LISTEN

Diligence, hard work, discipline and a commitment to excellence have been identified as vital virtues African youths aiming to establish and grow their own businesses successfully need to imbibe.

This advice was recently adduced by Citi FM’s director of news Bernard Avle and award-winning hip-life artiste Michael Okyere Darko, popularly known as Obrafour.

Avle and Obrafour spoke on the same platform, but separately, as joint-guests-of-honor at the Role Model Africa (RMA)’s third corporate dialogue session in Accra.

Role Model Africa is a mentoring platform created to connect the African youth to mentors and role models, who are well positioned to help the youth growth their businesses and replicate its success in other African countries and beyond. The main feature of Role Model Africa is a corporate dialogue which engages African personalities whose contributions on the continent and beyond are worthy of emulation. The dialogue seeks to host current and past African presidents, business leaders, respected religious leaders, African Inventors and influential personalities in the arts and other sectors of the economy. It is held quarterly to cover different areas of human endeavor. The dialogue normally unfolds in a story-telling format wherein a guest (role model) is engaged in a discussion by a host before a live audience. The interaction begins by delving into the personal history and experiences of the role model before bringing to bare the lessons and attitudes that are crucial to success.

The third dialogue, on the theme ‘Projecting New Frontiers in Media and Entertainment to Sustain the African Business’ held last May 22.

The dialogue started with Avle, whose appearance on the platform makes him the youngest guest yet to be featured on the distinguished platform of the Role Model Africa, sharing insights from his undergraduate days when he worked as a cub reporter with Radio Univers, a campus radio station. Avle encouraged Ghanaian and African youth to take the path of diligence and hard work, and tasked them to embrace challenges as they seek to make a positive difference in their society.

The Edward R Murrow Fellow of journalism urged his professional colleagues to seek to improve themselves in whatever arm of the media they are, describing the current situation of Ghana’s media landscape as ‘form over content’.

According to Avle, media houses must develop systems to weed out unprofessionalism.

For the economist-turned-broadcast-journalist, the media is so important and wields so much power that it must not be left for charlatans and quacks.

“Communication, in my view, is about conveying meaning,” he said.

On his part, Okyere Darko identified his greatest lesson in life to be sacrifice, saying his journey has been full of many sacrifices. The ‘rap priest’ regretted that his mother who was his major role model tragically passed away when he was a child, an experience that he said not only jeopardized his education but which effect also continues to impact his life.

Darko traced later his success in life to the upbringing given him by his mother and role model, and urged the youth not to take lightly the privilege of having exemplary parents. He later treated the audience to a few lines of rap, which earned him a standing ovation.

The corporate dialogue was moderated by Dr. William Okyere-Frempong, a certified leadership coach and member of Role Model Africa’s advisory board.

Dignitaries at the event include Role Model Africa’s advisory board members Martin Luther C. King and Genevieve Pearl Duncan.

King is a veteran international journalist, enterpreneur and President of Journalists for Regional Integration (JORIN), West Africa’s premier network of pro-integration journalists.

Duncan is a banker and an entrepreneur.
Others were Manasseh Azure Awuni, a senior broadcast journalist with Joy FM, Accra; Adjetey Annang, multiple award- winning actor; Papa Arkhurst, distinguished toastmaster; and, King Kojo Safo, chief executive officer of Firstcode Management Services.

Speaking, mentoring activist and co-founder of the platform, Samuel Agyeman-Prempeh tasked positive achievers in the society to buy into the vision of birthing a new positive African narrative by volunteering themselves to mentor young Africans across the continent.

“I am part of a group of young Africans who believe in the power of mentoring, are beneficiaries of the institution of mentorship and are advocates for Role Models in society to volunteer their time to mentor young ones. I represent a critical mass of young Africans who are convicted that the trajectory of Africa can be interrupted with the right spectrum of mentorship,” Agyeman-Prempeh said.

Earlier while congratulating Avle and Obrafour for being chosen as role models, Role Model Africa advisory board member Martin-Luther C. King told them to see the honor done them as a clarion call for further efforts to engender a better Ghanaian society. He commended Avle for championing professional excellence in Ghana, and urged him to be part of the vanguard of professionals that are not only committed to excellence but also to being agents of peace in their reportage of Ghana’s 2016 crucial elections.

Managed by PM Media, Role Model Africa is an initiative by Invents, a mentoring organization that focuses on raising young people as leaders and entrepreneurs before they turn 25.

Since October 2007, Invents has been consistent in using personal leadership models and projects to reach out to millions of young Africans through its mentorship hubs on various tertiary campuses. Its flagship programs and projects include the She Magnate Project and the Role Model Africa mentoring platform.

These events have attracted illustrious personalities including the founder and presiding bishop of the Victory Bible Church International (VBCI), Bishop N.A. Tackie-Yarboi; chief executive officer of the HuD Group, Dr. Yaw Perbi; ex-World Bank official Dr. Samuel Onwona; pioneer of the hip-life genre in Ghana, Reggie Rockstone; founder and chief executive officer of L’aine Services, Dr. (Mrs.) Ellen Hagan; co-founder Legacy and Legacy, Comfort Ocran; and, Caleb Ayiku, co-founder of Rex Oil.

Avleleft, Dr. Okyere-frimpong centre And Agyeman-prempeh right Admiring Something Of Interest At The DialogueAvle(left), Dr. Okyere-frimpong (centre) And Agyeman-prempeh (right) Admiring Something Of Interest At The Dialogue

Bernard Avle Being Interviewed By Dr. Okyere-frimpongBernard Avle Being Interviewed By Dr. Okyere-frimpong

Bernard Avle Fielding Questions From The AudienceBernard Avle Fielding Questions From The Audience

Compere At The Event, Paul Agbai, Doing His StuffCompere At The Event, Paul Agbai, Doing His Stuff

Obrafour 1st Right, Ms. Genevieve Pearl Duncan middle And Mrs. Marian King Watching Wih Rapt Attention At The DialogueObrafour (1st Right), Ms. Genevieve Pearl Duncan (middle) And Mrs. Marian King Watching Wih Rapt Attention At The Dialogue

Obrafour Being Interviewed By Dr. Okyere-frimpongObrafour Being Interviewed By Dr. Okyere-frimpong

Obrafour Fielding Questions From The AudienceObrafour Fielding Questions From The Audience

Pic2-ghallywood Actor Annang Presenting Citation To ObrafourPic2-ghallywood Actor Annang Presenting Citation To Obrafour

Pic15-role Model Africa Advisory Board Member Genevieve Pearl Duncan And Role Model ObrafourPic15-role Model Africa Advisory Board Member Genevieve Pearl Duncan And Role Model Obrafour

Role Model Africa Advisory Board Member Genevieve Pearl Duncan Endorsing The DialogueRole Model Africa Advisory Board Member Genevieve Pearl Duncan Endorsing The Dialogue

Role Model Africa Advisory Board Member Martin-luther C. King Giving His Endorsement SpeechRole Model Africa Advisory Board Member Martin-luther C. King Giving His Endorsement Speech

Role Model Africa Advisory Board Member Martin-luther C. King Presenting Bernard Avle With His CitationRole Model Africa Advisory Board Member Martin-luther C. King Presenting Bernard Avle With His Citation

Role Model Africa's Oheema Nimako Giving The Vote Of ThanksRole Model Africa's Oheema Nimako Giving The Vote Of Thanks

Role Models Avle 1st Left And Obrafour 2nd Left In Group Photo With Role Model Interviewer Dr. Okyere-frimpong 2nd Right And Rma Convener Samuel Agyeman-prempeh1st RightRole Models Avle (1st Left) And Obrafour (2nd Left) In Group Photo With Role Model Interviewer Dr. Okyere-frimpong (2nd Right) And Rma Convener Samuel Agyeman-prempeh(1st Right)

Seasoned Journalist Manasseh Azure Endorsing The EventSeasoned Journalist Manasseh Azure Endorsing The Event

Section Of Guests At The DialogueSection Of Guests At The Dialogue

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