African time

These were some of the headlines that made news 5 years back. Africans at each others throat again. President XYZ stages a coupe to oust the incumbent government. War leaves many dead and gives rise to acute hunger. Oil pipeline explodes somewhere because the residents of the town pierced the pipelines to siphon oil. If it wasn't someone fighting another for power, it was someone drunk on power and belching misbehavior on us all. It was one bad news after another. The continent seemed to be breeding all the world's problems.


Fast forward 5 years and the headlines read. 3 African countries make it to the world software challenge. Ghanaian software company is only African company to win awards at ABC innovation challenge. Young boy makes one billion need-I-mention-the-currency-something-shillings from his mobile apps. Software company finds innovate ways to help farmers have better yields. For once the headlines about Africa are not just wars and rumors of wars. There is plenty of good news though we still have pockets of wars here and there. Like a snake, Africa is shedding off her old skin. New things are happening. Africa is rising. All eyes are on Africa. It's our time to shine. Our new meaning for African time.

I remember when the first technology boom happened in the west. I was too young and very non tech savvy - just beginning my tech carrier. After hearing how the tech boom in the West gave rise to companies the likes of Excite, Yahoo, Lycos, Google and Napster, I wished I was more tech savvy then to travel to the states to take part in the boom. Well, God heard my prayer and this time brought the tech boom right to my backyard or doorstep. Like the African proverb goes "Even a mad man will not allow you to step on his penis twice", which translates to, "no wise person makes the same mistake twice". If I missed the first boom I definitely won't be silly enough to let this technology boom in Africa pass me by. It's a great opportunity for all of us in technology to take advantage, get innovative and build sustainable technology-oriented businesses. Those not in tech can also come up with innovations and partner with technologists to build businesses.

If you are a developer and haven't started building something to take advantage of this boom, your dad will need to take your name out of his will. For those who have taken the path of wisdom I have only two things for you.

Let's be competitive: A competitor is an enemy. Whaaaat? Did you read the book upside down? A competitor is never an enemy. Don't stop talking to your friend because he built a competing product to yours. Competition makes us better. It brings out the best of our creativity. Let's embrace it. In getting competitive the sky should also be our starting point not the limit. You and I use Facebook, google search and twitter today because those apps broke free of the boundaries of their continents. You can do same and should aim at it and work towards it. 

Don't be fooled by short lived media hype: The pen they say is mightier than the sword. Well, that statement is somehow flawed if Achilles is holding the sword but mostly true if a seasoned journalist is holding the pen. Journalists can make mounds appear to be mountains. They can hype your not-so-good product till you even get confused and wonder if that's really your product they're talking about. Have a plan of what heights you want to take your product. Don't be complacent when the headline says wow you have one million users. No. We are so many billion people in this world. You should weep instead of stomping the streets like a raging caterpillar when all you raked in was one million users out of 14 or so billion people in this world. Don't relent till you've reached your zenith. 

Death to the African time you and I grew up to know. African time has been redefined.