Everyone loves the Christmas season. It is a great time to reconnect with family, and if yours is benevolent, a time to exchange gifts. The festive season is always special as my birthday falls on new year's eve and gives me extra motivation to think about, and implement, my new year's resolutions.

One such resolution of mine is to take mobile more seriously. The mobile devices of today have in-built specs that would dazzle anyone from 2-5 years ago and for social media enthusiasts and bloggers: they allow us to consume and produce content on the fly. Being an Apple enthusiast I'd bookmarked an iPhone 6 purchase - if for the very least, to sync with my MacBook and other devices that make my working life simpler and easier.

And then surprising happened...

I received my first Huawei device, ever. I almost feel giddy. It is not that I haven't owned an Android phone before, I dabbled with HTC's Dream G1 device, and even owned Samsung's Galaxy Two, yes there were a few before the new Galaxy 6s and Galaxy Edge were introduced into the market. And if you have been an ardent follower/reader of this blog there was the Samsung A5 and my thoughts on that here. But never have I owned a Huawei, until now; and I have been pleasantly surprised. I'll be more than happy to share with you the highlights and functionality of the Huawei P8 Lite, especially in our Dumsor-laden, expensive data Ghanaian environment in a bit. In the meantime, Afi hyia pa! Check out the pictures and the brief unboxing video on what's to come next.

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.

Thanks to +Amma Aboagye's timely email last year on Google Africa Connected competition, I was fortunate to share as one of the 20 success stories of young Africans powered by the web. +Funmbi ogunbanwo  & +Dan McCain  flew into Accra to record my story. I shared the video Mama Esi and my sisters they couldn't be more proud :



Google Africa Connected was an opportunity for the camera and crew to meet some amazing entrepreneurs in Accra: illustrators, coding geniuses, marketing gurus, broadcast & film makers. Through strategic collaboration, we get to use the +Mpwr  show as a springboard for #CollaborativeSuccess #AfricaRenaissance

One of the amazing things that inspires and continues to encourage me while in Ghana are the brilliant, absolutely ingenious young entrepreneurs in the country. From the first week I landed, I reconnected with my old schoolmate from Presec, Edward Tagoe, met his partner Kwame Pocho (with whom I've eventually partnered with on Team 1000 words) and the amazing Anne Amuzu. Anne is the the CEO of Nandimobile and after my contract with MEST was over a few weeks ago, I was excited to cross over the bridge to MINC & work on client testimonials for their soon to be relaunched website.

To brave, ambitious and successful Ghanaian entrepreneurs who support each other. We are who we've been waiting for:

Client: FC Beauty
FC Beauty - Nandimobile Testimonial from itake photos est. 1985 on Vimeo.

Client: Agape House New Testament Church
Agape - Nandimobile Testimonial from itake photos est. 1985 on Vimeo.

Client: HotJobs Africa Ltd

HotJobs Africa - Nandimobile Testimonial from itake photos est. 1985 on Vimeo.

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!

The culmination of the December elections has left supporters of the NPP disgruntled and crying voter fraud while the ruling party, and declared winner of the 2012 election, were in a celebratory mood throughout Sunday night.

Exclusive video footage at the New Patriotic Party national headquarters as well as the National Democratic Congress national headquarters in Accra hours before and during the Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Afari-Gyan's announcement as to the winner of the presidential elections. I was a member of the Ghana Decides team. Videography by Emmanuel A. Gamor

NDC supporter marching on Oxford Street, Osu, Accra.

Emmanuel A. Gamor for Ghana Decides

So I'm exhausted, not just emotionally like most Ghanaians about the ongoing contemptuous rhetoric in the political sphere, but physically from being harassed, praised and challenged to report on the ongoing election story in Ghana.

I am also excited and have been challenged as a journalist, in the past week I've gotten amazing videography footage that sheds light on what the past week has been like in Ghana. From Friday morning the early morning voters at Dzorwulu polling station for the West Ayawaso Wougon constituency, through the following day (Saturday Dec 8th) to the Christian Center polling station for the same constituency and finally interviewing the member of parliament elect. It is amazing to watch the democratic process in action from the perspective of a first time voter, to hearing the sentiments of the person who is elected by the people to serve the constituency.

Ballot officer at Christian Centre, East Legon counting votes.

Getting better at this.

The next update will be the reactions from supporters of both NDC & NPP after the EC commissioner, Afari-Gyan's declaration. Stay tuned.


Emmanuel A. Gamor for Ghana Decides

After all the festivities during the national rallies, hosted by the National Democratic Congress & New Patriotic Party yesterday, today seemingly started with much less fanfare on the streets of Accra. Shortly after mid-day the pouring rain, as if in attempt to wash away the posters and banners, left-over vuvuzela's and print-outs in town, cleansed the capital of all political campaigning paraphenelia on the final day before elections.

Sentiments about the elections have been heated, debates and national officials of either party are both guilty of raising the rhetoric to alarming levels of accusations and counter-accusations.
 "We are the peaceful party, watch out, the others are the more violent."
"We do not control the military or the police force, they do, but like the youth in Tunisia, we have the mandate of the people and the mandate of the people is the mandate of God."

If you spent time in either party's camp, ambushed by red blue and white (NPP), loud vuvuzela buzzes you would come out reciting the free high school education platform and accolades of Nana Akufo Addo; if you were overwhelmed by the white and green, mouth contorting slogan of "edey be kɛkɛ" you would be an advocate for the "better Ghana" incumbent initiative. Amidst the rhetoric what was more impressive was symbol of unity friends of both parties showed when as they walked side by side, hand in hand late night after the political rallies. Taxi drivers were cautious to share their political inclinations, most from either party hinted that the race may be too close to declare early victory for either party and progressive, foreign educated Ghanaian's lamented about the absence of a strong political campaign machine to support other choices besides John Mahama's NDC and Nana Addo's NPP; the likes PPPs Nduom and CPP's Sakara.

Napthaline Djokoto at East Legon, Accra photo credit: emmanuel a. gamor

The "Our Vote, Our Voice" campaign by Ghana Decides seeks to engage young people in the electoral process, by providing pledge cards and an online link to vote, the Ghana Decides team seeks to remind young voters the importance of their contribution during the 2012 elections. Most young people were registered to vote, when pressed on whether they would vote on Friday, however, some gave excuses that where they were registered was inconveniently far from where they currently work or reside in Accra and weren't as pressed to show up at the polling station come December 7th.

A good section of the people also expressed a sense of being fed-up with the political rhetoric the incessant name-calling, the intimidation of potential violence due to the accusations of the dominant parties of what the other might do. Yes the democratic process is important to most people, and you can engage in a lively debate by mentioning colors, slogans, political parties names or prominent politicians. You will very likely find an ardent fan or vocal opposition almost anywhere on the streets of Accra.
More importantly though, Ghanaians enjoy good music, we enjoy concerts both religious and non-religous and more importantly, Ghanaians have embraced peace.

May the best man win.

Emmanuel A. Gamor for Ghana Decides