TEDxEustonSalon 2016 was a jubilant reminder of the reasons why we are proud to be Africans!

I have always been a fan of “Walk the walk; don’t just talk the talk”. Given the number of Africans we have who take to stages daily, I am constantly amazed that we are still where we are as a continent. Between pastors, imams, politicians and the IMF ?, you would think we would be wallowing in wealth. But this is not the case. Instead, we have countries like India selling us stuff. India. I ask you. But I digress. In the midst of all of this despondency though, TEDxEustonSalon 2016 shone through like a beacon!

Eight speakers -six in flesh and two televised – wowed us while giving us cause for pause. Over the course of five hours, we got to re-engage with Africa on a very basic level: from people making the tiniest bits of change in their own little corner, to individuals changing things on a global scale. If they are anything like me, Ill warrant that just about every person in the room vowed to do a little bit more; even if that little bit was to actually pick up an atlas and familiarise themselves with the cities and countries of Africa.

You see, we were asked to play a game. Most people had a city attached to their name lanyard, and the odd person would have a lanyard with a corresponding parent country. The goal was to mingle till you found your matching cities and parent country. I have to say that I had heard of many of the cities but couldn’t tell you which African country they were in. But I know which country Sofia, Brussels and Gdansk are in. As they say in my country Nigeria: it is well.

TEDxEustonSalon 2016 showcased speakers from all over Africa. We heard from:

• Jorn Lyseggen, founder of MEST.
• Temie Giwa-Tubosun, founder and CEO of LifeBank Nigeria.
• Ebele Okobi, Public Policy Director for Africa at Facebook.
• Eddie Kadi, first black British comedian to headline at the O2 arena, and a Congolese brother.
• Caleb Femi, Young People’s Laureate for London.
• Lucy Quist, international business leader and CEO, Airtel Ghana.

Over the next few days, we will be releasing their amazing stories and what they had to share at the TEDxEustonSalon 2016. I was inspired; you will be too!