The December 10th blog post titled Abɔdam so ne ho mfaso nye dɛn? (tr: Is there any value in craziness?), ended with the following paragraphs:
Can one live a normal life their whole lives and then end up becoming extraordinary? Something's gotta get your juices flowing and I don't see that this [Ghana] life as we know it is it. Please correct me if I'm wrong and provide me examples of times when Ghanaians have really bought into a bigger idea or notion and lived it out in our lives. Are we just a boring people? I'm dying to be part of a generation that shakes things up and I see no outlet for all this energy. Was I born on the wrong continent and a wrong time? It looks like someone locked us in a room and put a sign on the door saying: No craziness here. hehe.
I know exactly what I need. A space. About six people who like to talk, about Ghana, and life. Six people completely unlike me. Something to learn, something to teach. Young people, maybe an old person or two. Confused about life, living on the edge, creating art, music, businesses, anything, where they're making something that didn't exist before they showed up, failures, why do i get the feeling this would be so easy to find in Paris or even Italy? People who challenge me. People who own books like "bu me bE" I need to find the people who aren't so put together. Who haven't already figured it all out. Not already on the "success track". I know i'm looking in the wrong places, but I just don't know where to look.
Then someone called Michael posted contributed the following comment :
I think there are loads of crazies around...they exist in randomness. These are spots of brilliance surrounded by a suffocating blanket of ignorance...in the picture called generalization, we miss these spots of brilliance; all we see is the darkness and the ignorance! There should be a rallying voice that cries out 'COLLABORATION! COLLABORATION!'...our collective brilliance is what will illuminate our continent. So when you seek six, know you have already found one!
Contagious Accra
7 months later, i'm convinced we have a blog that's seeking to be exactly the kind of space I was seeking and very similar to the solution Michael proposed. It's about Accra, and for once, this is an initiative for people in Accra, by people in Accra! Which means if you find that you have similar ideas to someone on the site, you can hook up with them and do interesting things! Yaaaaaaaahoooooooooooooo! The blog is called Contagious Accra and here's what Contagious Accra says about itself:
Contagious Accra is a space for people who have ideas that can change the conversations about Accra.
If it’s positive and inspiring, we’re talking about it.
If it’s fresh, bold and undiscovered, we’ll get there first.
If it’s misunderstood, we’ll set the record straight.
If it’s an idea that can change things for the better, we’re all over it.
If it’s dope... heck, Accra’s so dope, even Obama’s visiting.
What can I say? It's refreshing to hear people in Ghana say this about Accra. Go ahead, enjoy, and see you on Contagious Accra, 'cos I'm going to be hanging out there plenty.
PS: look out for my 1st ever article about Obama tomorrow. It's titled: Obama's Real Hope for Ghana.
PPS: In other news, the first issue of Time Out Accra is on newstands. Go get your copy. And look out for Contagious Accra there too.
Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeletethanks for passing on the word and the links...
ReplyDeleteIm loving contagious Accra (i think i see your writing in there...especially the hangouts..?) and also plan to visit often. I think what you were looking for back in December what many of us in Ghana, but also elsewhere, are looking for? Friends who are not just caring but also interesting, outright weird and preferably well-read.
ReplyDeleteGood luck in your continued quest!