Echoes of Innovation: A Spoken Word Poem
Baobab Summit 2018
The 2018 Baobab Summit’s themes are collaboration and innovation. We asked Scholars to share their ideas, in essays or poetry, on how youth can collaborate and innovate to fuel Africa’s social and economic transformation.
From the echoes of Ancient past
The footprints of mother Africa lasts
Not in the sounds of corruption and a begging bowl in hand
But in that of innovation by the sweat of her brow she stands
in-ovation
Carving novelty on the conscience of humanity
Not with gouges or knives but sharp edges of renascent minds
That was Africa
An Africa whose cry is accompanied by local therapy not foreign aid
Stood tall like the pyramids of Giza
And strong like Vibranium of Wakanda
From Egypt to South Africa, Liberia to Rwanda
She was home of world civilization
From the colorful coverings of the West African Kente
To the unparalleled architecture of the Egyptian pyramids
She sat at the power seat of global transformation
Now her kids wet the Mediterranean with tears
To seek a life, she gave with ease
This makes me freeze
Today we beat the drums of change with the scene of agency,
Yes, today no reluctancy
As we create a new Africa
Then we can regain our seat at the dinner table of innovation
Not as a waiter, but a dinner
With the mantra of unity and self-belief
Pulling ourselves out of darkness by rolling up our sleeves
Until then, we remain a priceless gem but worthless in value
A dinner to be eaten and site for raiders all in the name of trade
Reopening wounds of our past not by strangers but by us.
Come, come, come let’s initiate the crusade of innovation
Harnessing the power of energy which we sit upon
Seizing the bolt of discovery in the thundering ghettos of technology
And identifying the imploding power of our younger generation
For there is no place greener than Africa.
About Benjamin Obeng
Benjamin Obeng is a Mastercard Foundation Scholar at Arizona State University. He is pursuing his graduate studies in Mechanical Engineering.
