The Siblings are ready,
I see…

Sir Roger Banister, a medical student at the time, ran the first sub-4-minute mile on the 4th of May 1956. In a race in Oxford, England he accomplished the feat of running a mile in 3:69,5 seconds. It had been a feat that many athletes had been attempting since at least 1886. I have remained amazed by this feat as I have still not been able to run a sub-8-minute mile, yet, despite strenuous efforts. 

A year earlier, on 29th May 1953, Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay reached the summit of Mount Everest, world’s tallest mountain. They spent about 15 minutes at the mountain’s peak, and then began their descent. This was a feat that had followed many other adventurers’ in and had sparked a new adventurism in the British that were recovering their energies after the pains, losses and deprivations that followed the Second World War. Some writers have noted these athletic and adventure pursuits as being a spur to the British imagination that set forth a new national renaissance across Britain, its colonies and territories through the 50s, 60s and beyond. These attempts force people to innovate and push the limits to great attainments in personal and national affairs.

Earlier last year, we watched with wonder and pride, the Wanderlust Group decided to drive the 10,000km from Accra to London. They will not accept why they, like many European and American explorers, could not take on a great adventure like an intercontinental drive. And they made us proud! They drove from Accra all the way to London in their Ghana registered cars. 

I have been following, curiously, the Guinness World record attempts by Ghanaian and Nigerian chefs in the last year. The sibling rivalry between big brother Nigeria, and shinier, smaller sibling Ghana, has been intense, lively, and long standing. From cricket games between my alma mater Achimota School and Kings College in Lagos, to football between the Super Eagles and Ghana’s Black Stars, to the recent jollof wars that Ghana won at a sweet and easy gallop.  The contests continue to have a spirit of friendliness, and competition that pushes both forward! 

Lately, this rivalry has played out with music, particularly, the afro-beat genre. Big brother, Nigeria seems to clearly have the bigger global stars. Not a few arguments have broken over whether it is Burna Boy or Stonebwoy, or Shatta Wale or Wizkid. The late Mohbad has been compared with Ghana’s Black Sharif. These are recent examples. They are just the latest instalment of the preceding competition generations before, between Fela Kuti and his afro-beats bands and Osibisa, Ghana’s own global success. 

In the last year, the siblings were enraptured when Nigerian chef, Hilda Baci, set a new world record for the longest cooking time of 93 hours (since broken by an Irish chef, Alan Fisher). Of course, the younger sibling, Ghana enjoyed watching it, but was envious. We have now seen Afua Asantewaa try to set the World Record for the longest time singing. Her attempt ended at 126 hours and 52 minutes. The attempt was eventually certified by the Guinness World Records, but her valiant effort must be commended. 

In a matter of days another Ghanaian, Chef Abdul-Razak Failatu was after the longest cooking record first set by Hilda Baci but now held by Chef Alan Fisher. Her goal is to cook for an astounding 120 hours. All this sibling rivalry between the two biggest economies in West Africa and two of the most important countries on the continent are more than puerile social media engagement games they may seem. These are the desires and the energy in the youths of these countries, being demonstrated. I recognize, in this, the daring, world-beating drive and skills that the peoples of Ghana and Nigeria, otherwise severely bereft of opportunity, possess. I see the talents that abound in these two countries. I notice that hard work and great feats are no barriers to the young in Ghana, or Nigeria or across Africa. They are ready, prepared and desire to be world beaters! 

These are the expressions of youthful energy, not just exuberant, but purposely, seeking big goals and working to achieve them. 

On social media, the story is primarily what big brother Nigeria can do, younger sibling Ghana can do better. These social occurrences point to, generally, a national pang, and a hunger among the people of Ghana and Nigeria, and I dare say across the largely poor African continent, for better. The youth are breaking barriers, they want to strive to attain the global presence and adulation they have come to see they have the skills and competencies for. They will not sit to have their dreams doused any longer. They want to make the most of their human capacities and skills – and they possess them in spades – to get their work recognized and rewarded globally. 

Can these be tapped for more consequential goals and results? Yes! It will require that our elderly, and bungling leaders see and allow the potential, the dreams and the energies of Africa’s youth – more than 50% of the population is younger than 25 years – to flourish. What is lacking is a national consensus and the necessary environments that allow the ingenuity of all and any of Africa’s youth to be set free. 

A great demographic dividend is begging to be reaped. Good governance, and good sense will fertilise these, and let the millions of African youth blossom!