It's crazy how time flies. I checked on this blog (unabashedly from my last 2016 post finding an okada in Osu) and realized the variety - and blessings of growth - I have experienced over the last 24 months: from my one-year sabbatical teaching Entrepreneurial Leadership at African Leadership University & attending the African Leadership Network summit in Mauritius. Yes, I was living in beautiful Mauritius, specifically at Port Chambly a few minutes from the capital Port Louis for 12 months curriculum designing, facilitating and engaging with students from over 40 African countries... #TeacherGamor

To my enrolling in a Masters in Management, Innovation Studies program at University of Witwatersrand Business School, where I have been: 1. Awarded a Post-Graduate Merit Scholarship 2. Featured in the Business School Management Degree program (page 5)! #Mastery



O then my former ALU colleague and co-founder Zinhle and I started and Ed-Tech start-up edu Kanea that is based in the continent-renowned Tshimologong Digital District in Johannesburg, South Africa. On Africa Day, I shared my thoughts on what the pursuit of mastery, my 2018 mantra, means and how has permeated and informed my decisions and life-choices in making a big bet on my own growth and professional development. The essence of what I was sharing besides the pursuit of deep knowledge and mastery in our chosen career fields in living purpose-driven lives; was to also acknowledge what my mother aptly shared as being intentional! May you live successful life of intentionally. #MosquitoClaps

More recently, as a Global Shaper I was invited to moderate the opening sessions of the Ghana Tech Summit hosted at the Accra International Conference Center.  I was the opening moderator for "Ghana - The Silicon Valley of Africa" session and a speaker on Innovation during "Africa As the Final Tech Frontier: Rise of Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, Space" sessions on day 1.

Ghana - The Silicon Valley of Africa. Accra International Conference Center. June 2018

I was even featured in the Live GHOne broadcast thanks to the current Global Shapers Accra curator Patrick Stephenson. My good friend & blogger Yaw Obeng shared a detailed post of proceedings here.

Moment of honesty: I actually stopped posting on this photoblog that I started almost a decade ago to share my journey as a photographer and for the faithful blog readers (check out March of 2009 posts here), if you recall my first photo-book...sheesh! Why? Well a young avenger and graduate from my first Apprentice program, Justice  Okai-Allotey now has all my photo equipment and has grown to become a phenomenal man and Wikimedian in Ghana (yes, there are amazing volunteers who populate our digital space with content that is Wikipedia) and he is one of them!

Check out Justice' photo stuff at @owulakpakpo photography

What's next: Well besides the occasional bridal fair appearance I rep with the day one team 1000 words crew; I'm saving up to get back to photography and curate an exhibition annually...but I don't know exactly when that shall be. If you're following @eagamor on social media you'll probably notice my stories cover two predominant themes: exploring culture through travel and exploring culture through food. More deets as I have it, promise. Until then...

As a multimedia story teller & content creator, one of the projects that brings me immense joy is the YouTube Creator's Huddles at +iSpace Foundation . *Check out vibrant online community of huddlers, YouTube Creator's Huddle GH, here*

Dusted off my photoshop skills, thanks UF #GatorsAlways

Simply put: YouTube Creator's Huddles are open, collaborative, learning space for imaginative and hardworking young people to tell stories. The platform of choice being YouTube.  It has taken a few months to take off, but it has been an amazing journey thus far... words of inspiration that always resonate whenever I host a Thursday huddle are these: amazing happens when you truly collaboratively create with others, our successful output is exponentially rewarding...

Emmanuel Agbeko Gamor, YouTube Project Manager, Google Ghana

The launch of the huddles were beautifully photographed by +Michael Dakwa, Team Lead of team1000 words.

+Timothy Adei put together this really quick yet impressive video montage, for which I'm grateful. #YouTubeGH #HuddleGH #CollaborativeSuccess #team1000words

Plenty thanks to the Vim Squad, Google Ghana team members too.

You've seen me post #teamworkdreamwork #teamisbetterthanone fairly often over the past year and a half. Usually it is in reference to the my affiliation, as the red shutter, to the creative super group: team 1000 words.

#OccupyFlagStaffHouse happened yesterday. For those who need to catch up, check out the Concerned Ghanaians for Responsible Governance page and for those interested in still taking part, sign the petition here.

In the meantime, check out the pictures from the team 1000 words by clicking on the image below, #MosquitoClaps:

Two days ago I sent Samuel Darko - a fellow political commentary wonk who is a committed member of the Rotaract club in Andenta - an email to support a blood drive the club is organizing this Saturday. A day later Edward Tagoe - a blogger/entrepreneur and another school mate from Presec - brought up support for the same blood-drive and asked if I would be interested in joining the Blogging Ghana photo-walk for the event. I thought I'd do one better; create an honest, gimmick-free, compelling video why you should donate blood at Legon this Saturday.

Donor card | A friend watching the video I just made

So at Florida, my line brother and I, were awarded by LifeSouth for recruiting the most African American males to donate blood in one afternoon during a fraternity drive. They were super eager to offer us LifeSouth jobs. I was a serial donor as well as bone-marrow registrant and through Sammy & Eddie, I am interested in getting plugged in donating in the country as well. What I learnt from their testimonials was that, unlike LifeSouth, the need for blood donations is much dire than anyone could imagine. Maternity mortality rates attributed to blood loss was 50% in 2011! If two women were pregnant in a hospital bed, one would NOT make it alive. Check last August's MyJoyOnline News article for more shocking statistics: http://edition.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/201110/74774.php

Decided to share on social media through team 1000 words to create as much of a buzz as possible. If you're in Accra, come through:

I'm sure a lot of readers are used to  the itake photos est. 1985 brand & mantra. Early this year, however, I did something that I've been wanting to do for many months. Collaborate & partner with like-minded, progressive team of creatives who are just as passionate about photography as I am. team 1000 words is a group of young Ghanaian men and women who want to set the standard on wedding photography and videography in the country and beyond.

Each photo/video man has a super hero pseudonym that helps identify his work among the team. Mine is...wait for it... red shutter. I always 'acted' as the red ranger when we played Power Rangers as a kid. Go figure.

My first installment with the team is this valentine's day video to you all (see below). Happy valentine's day to you and yours! I pray that you find your group of team members who can truly help with your collaborative success!

 

Do you notice my profile pictures blended in the background? Credit: Timmy

 

At Pajohn's in Kanda. Photo Credit: Enam

Click to watch my first video as the red shutter!