The It's Morning In Africa Podcast

Africa sometimes seems to lurch from crisis to crisis with much scope to improve outcomes with greater consistency. Could applying some more rigour in governance and management across Africa better the odds of success? My guest is Dr. Nana Dadzie Ghansah, a Cardiac Anesthesiologist based in Lexington, Kentucky and he shares some perspectives on how to improve the certainty of outcomes in Africa and to reduce reliance on chance.

Acknowledgments:

Signature Music: Dano Songs ( Feelings of Sunlight)

In the pursuit of rapid growth and development, Africa often succumbs to the temptation to jump straight to efforts to desired outcomes  while skipping perhaps intermediate past opportunities and outcomes that are achievable. Episode 15 introduces the concept of “Adjacent Possibilities “. Adjacent possibilities are the set of possibilities available to individuals, a community or institutions at a given point in time of their evolution. Successful societies evolve over time by exploiting and mastering possibilities that are adjacent and within grasp which includes solving current problems. Over time new possibilities emerge and become the new adjacent possibilities. They are mastered once again and development takes shape. Africa can develop if it patiently and competently takes advantage of its adjacent possibilities in a consistent manner.

Acknowledgments:

Signature Music: Dano Songs ( Feelings of Sunlight)

As calls for Africa to reestablish an industrial base,  it is also prudent to look at the fundamentals and whether they can support industrialisation sustainably. Agriculture presents an “ adjacent possibility “ to Africa. It is a sector that remains within touching distance and waiting to be developed to become globally competitive. Yet Africa continues to rely on food imports to supplement local production. Episode 14 discusses how to transform agriculture in the continent into a credible foundation for industrial takeoff. Controlling competitive production of the raw material base creates capacity to develop supporting processing facilities. This raises agricultural income and also creates downstream employment opportunities.

Acknowledgments:

Signature Music: Dano Songs ( Feelings of Sunlight)

More than 4 decades of maintaining liberalized regimes has led to staggering levels of unemployment and continued reliance on primary agricultural commodities and mining, with very little by way of value-added activities. In a post-pandemic world, there are concerted efforts in many countries to localize supply chains through shoring productive capacity. Africa should not be left behind. Africa has attempted industrialization before but it ended abysmally. Any attempts to reindustrialize should be propped up by more than sentiments and ideology. Episode 13 discusses some of the options available to better the odds of success for Africa.

Acknowledgments:

Signature Music: Dano Songs ( Feelings of Sunlight)

The time has come for Africa to reimagine its destiny and its future. Time and experience are essential ingredients of ultimate success. We are enduring the time in Africa but we also have to apply the experience gained with the benefit of hindsight and new knowledge gained to transform the continent. To transform the continent's fortunes requires bold vision, good execution, and transparency with citizens on the reality that comes with change.

Acknowledgments:

Signature Music: Dano Songs ( Feelings of Sunlight)

What kind of leader do you want to be or if you’re a leader what kind of leader are you.  Veronica Munro takes us through headline leadership qualities that better the odds for success. Veronica is an executive coach and has worked thousands of senior leaders in different industries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East for over 2 decades. Desirable outcomes do not happen by accident. They occur with good leadership and stewardship of affairs.

Acknowledgments:

Signature Music: Dano Songs ( Feelings of Sunlight)

On March 6, 1957, Ghana officially became an independent nation state and no longer a colony of the United Kingdom. Ghana was the first African nation in SSA to achieve this feat. On the eve of independence, the incoming Prime Minister, Kwame Nkrumah stated that Ghana’s attainment of independence was meaningless unless the rest of Africa also became liberated from colonial rule. On May 10, 1994, this goal was finally achieved with South Africa attaining majority Black rule after it’s first free, fair and inclusive general elections. Nelson Mandela became its first President. This episode, is the Part 2 of  of “13,000 Days “ which unpacks Africa’s independence and post independence odyssey.

Acknowledgements:

1. Ghana’s independence speech ( Kwame Nkrumah) : YouTube 

2 South African independence speech ( Nelson Mandela) and national anthem: YouTube 

3. Shosholosa by Drakensburg Boys Choir: YouTube 

4. Signature Music: Dano Songs ( Feelings of Sunlight

On March 6, 1957, Ghana officially became an independent nation state and no longer a colony of the United Kingdom. Ghana was the first African nation in SSA to achieve this feat. On the eve of independence, the incoming Prime Minister, Kwame Nkrumah stated that Ghana’s attainment of independence was meaningless unless the rest of Africa also became liberated from colonial rule. On May 10, 1994, this goal was finally achieved with South Africa attaining majority Black rule after it’s first free, fair and inclusive general elections. Nelson Mandela became its first President. This episode, 13,000 days in 2 parts which unpack africa’s independence odyssey.

Acknowledgements:

1. Ghana’s independence speech ( Kwame Nkrumah) and national anthem: YouTube 

2 South African independence speech ( Nelson Mandela) and national anthem: YouTube 

3. Signature Music: Dano Songs ( Feelings of Sunlight

Experts describe a gloomy and daunting picture of the consequences of global warming if we fail to halt and reverse the emission of greenhouse gases. Water security, food security and a hostile environment could render some parts of the planet inhabitable leading to potential displacement of large swathes of people. Michelle Adleman recommends that we think about the impact on our health and on the climate as we make food choices. This enables us to reimagine and repurpose agricultural production in Africa to be more regenerative while solving for food security, health and well-being and raising the level of prosperity for Africans.

Africa is expected to bear the brunt of climate change through more desertification, erosion of the coast line and extreme weather conditions. In this episode, we discuss Climate Actions for Africa, it’s financial implications and the cost of inaction to one of the biggest existential threats to humanity with Ame I. Odaro of the Green Climate Fund in South Korea.