Welcoming our new readers joining us from Italy!

Quote(s) of the Week!

“The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls looking like hard work”…

“Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration”.

Thomas A. Edison

My Journey of Self Discovery - Introduction!

Growing up, I always had a passion for creative writing and poetry. I just loved the way a story, thought or idea could come to live through the use of words.

This is because writing, storytelling and poetry have a way of capturing our inner most thoughts and feelings, putting it across in a way that makes it compelling to the mind of reader.

I remember winning my first poetry competition aged 12. It was Young writers competition and thanks to the boarding school I attended, I heard about the competition and submitted a poem on AIDS; the first poem and the last I ever wrote.

So I stopped writing and just focused on school work – I was such a NERD, still am by the way and I love it!

My last school semester in Form 3 (8th grade), I received two prizes, one for literature and the other for physics and that’s when things got really interesting.

Moving into Form 4(9th grade) when students get to choose their specializations, I found myself doing mostly science subjects as is expected of nerds I guess. My subject list was as follows: Maths, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Further Maths, Economics, Geography, History and then English, French and Religion which were compulsory.

But then I would always find myself talking to the Accounting teacher, wanting to learn more about his profession and about the subject. I also found myself on more than one occasion peeking into the literature class.

When I had finally had enough, I replaced Physics with Accounting and Further Mathematics with Literature. Some may call it quitting but I wasn't quitting because I loved Physics.

I call it being true about what you really want to do versus what people and society want you to do or what is perceived as cool or en vogue and having the guts to actually do it.

After 6 years of not engaging in any creative writing, I finally rediscovered my passion for words through the writing class at the African Leadership Academy.

It is this rediscovery that led me to write the speech I delivered at the African Leadership Academy Grand Opening Event http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iVjv-WbBhQ.

It also led me to start a blog whilst enrolled at the London School of Economics. But being the nerd I am coupled with the maze of LSE and London, I gradually lost my fire for writing and rather focused on other things (school work and internships) I felt were more important.

What I didn’t realize was that your passions are an important aspect of your life because they help you realize the essence of who you are - your raison d’être.

But as fate would have it, the universe has once again positioned me in an environment where I am encouraged to nurture my passions.

Thus through madellekangha.blogspot.com, I am using my love for written word to positively influence others to follow their passions…

"The heart of human excellence often begins to beat when you discover a pursuit that absorbs you, frees you, challenges you, and gives you a sense of meaning, joy and passion".

Pandemonium on and on!

Na ngeen def,

Welcoming our new readers from the lovely country of Senegal...

Ba beneen.

Changemakers around the world - Khalida Brohi

On Monday, I  had the privilege to be acquainted with an amazing young woman - Khalida Brohi. Turns out we had met at a party the previous night; she is one of the most humble people I have ever met.

Khalida Brohi is a 24 year old Social Entrepreneur from Balochistan province in Pakistan.

Starting her career at the age of 16, she stood up to fight the custom of Honor Killings in her community, later running the campaign "Wake Up" against honor killing and her current initiative a nonprofit organization in Pakistan called Sughar Empowerment Society.

Sughar (English translation: Skilled and Confident Woman), aims to create a society where women are not killed for Honor but are Honored and given equal status. Sughar provides Socio-Economic Empowerment to Tribal Women in Pakistan and using their traditional skill of embroidery as source to help them launch businesses for them.

With the successful take off of Sughar, Khalida plans for the next 10 years to change the lives of 1 million women in Pakistan.

Khalida has been named among Newsweek’s 25 under 25 Women of Impact as well the 100 Women Who Matter in Pakistan by Newsweek and Awarded Woman of Impact Award by Women in the World Foundation, Women Excellence Award by National Government of Pakistan, Young Champion Award by University of Singapore and the Unreasonable Institute Fellowship Award. Along with her roles as Social Entrepreneur and Activist, she is the sister of 8 siblings and a practicing Sufi.

A close friend of Malala Yousafzai (another inspirational changemaker), Khalida was en route to and just addressed world leaders and entrepreneurs like Muhammad Yunus, Mo Ibrahim, Cheryl Sandberg, Bill Clinton and President Barack Obama at the 13th annual Clinton Global Initiative meeting.

What more can I say really?

Meeting Khalida and listening to her amazing story served as a reaffirmation that our generation can make a difference in our world today.

As anthropologist Margaret Mead wrote:

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has”.

Good to Great

So I just started reading this awesome book called Good to Great :Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't by Jim Collins. 

This is by far one of the best books I've read to date and totally a must read.

And don't be put off by the title of the book because although Collins is a management consultant, this book has a universal application especially in our everyday lives. 

Three lessons/concepts/insights I have garnered thus far:

“When [what you are deeply passionate about, what you can be best in the world at and what drives your economic engine] come together, not only does your work move toward greatness, but so does your life.”

“Good is the enemy of great. And that is one of the key reasons why we have so little that becomes great. We don't have great schools, principally because we have good schools. We don't have great government, principally because we have good government. Few people attain great lives, in large part because it is just so easy to settle for a good life.” 

“For, in the end, it is impossible to have a great life unless it is a meaningful life. And it is very difficult to have a meaningful life without meaningful work.” 

TEDx Boulder

Thanks to the incredible crew at Watson University, I got a chance to attend TEDx Boulder over the weekend.

The theme for this year was fear and loathing – learning to face and overcome our fears.

We are all born free but society teaches us how to fear! 

What closet are you hiding in?

Be bold, lean into your fear, embrace change - uproot the status quo!

Pandemonium On...

Aloha to our new readers joining us from Hungary and Indonesia!

Quote of the Week!

"Procrastination is like a credit card: it's a lot of fun until you get the bill." 
Christopher Parker

The Pandemonium continues...

Welcoming our new readers from Qatar, the Cayman Islands and Tanzania.

A blessed week to you all.

My Journey of Self Discovery - Prologue!

I was born on a certain Tuesday in January 1990. I like to think my birth was a herald of greatness as barely 11 days after I was born, Nelson Mandela was released from jail after 27 years.

That same year my country took its place in the world of global football or as the Americans call it, soccer. Cameroon became the first African country to reach the quarter-final of the World Cup in 1990.

                       A headline on June 09, 1990 by the Chicago Tribune read:

 “Cameroon Surprises World Cup Champs!”

      One fervent Cameroonian journalist Dibussi Tande who recounts the events puts it thus:

Remembering the "Miracle of Milan": How Cameroon Beat Argentina and Changed the Face of World Football

But football wasn’t the only area in which Cameroon was soaring. New oil discoveries were made off the Cameroon coast, the first political opposition party was formed and the economy was thriving. 

Sounds like a bed of roses so far right? But sooner than later did the thorns creep in and in the twinkle of an eye the story changed…

In the late 1990s Cameroon experienced a recession as world prices in oil, cocoa and coffee dropped. And coupled with the ambivalent political situation, this economic crisis led to “Operation Ghost Town”, a peaceful strike turned violent that left my country at the brink of war...

                                                Fast forward to today - 2013!

A country that was once the pride of Africa is now plagued by obscurity. Most people don’t even know where Cameroon is.

But who’s to blame really?
From being called Cameroes by the Portuguese, to Kamerun by the Germans to British Cameroons to French Cameroon and finally Cameroon/Cameroun; this tiny country which oscillates between West and Central Africa has had its fair share of change – an identity crisis in some respects.

Notwithstanding these changes, one immutable fact remains which makes me always proud to be a Cameroonian – our national culture and heritage. That is not to say that cultures are bounded and unchanging; that would be foolhardy - especially for an anthropologist like me.

Through time and space, Cameroonian culture has remained and will always be an amalgamation of the traditions and customs of the people witnessed in the language, literature, music, art, religion and cuisine of the country.

In fact, Cameroonian music best embodies our culture, through its unique genres of makossa and bikutsi. Makossa is a type of funky dance music, best-known outside Africa for Manu Dibango; whose 1972 single "Soul Makossa" was an international hit. 

The lyrics of our music, tell any listener our past and our future aspirations as a nation. The melodies celebrate our diversity, food, culture, football victories and beauty. And the rhythm, mesmerizes the listener...                                                                    

                               Cameroonian music celebrates our unity amidst diversity!

Global Pandemonium

Just as citizens are to a country, so are readers to a blog/blogger.

This is a shout out to all my readers around the world.

From Cameroon to Nigeria, Namibia, Belgium, South Africa, Togo, United Arab Emirates, Netherlands, Germany, Canada, China, France, Singapore, Denmark, Ethiopia, Japan, Russia, Morocco, Sweden, Finland, Ghana, Thailand, India, the UK, to the USA.

Africa - Europe - North America - Asia - the Middle East - 5 continents reached, 2 more to go...

Thanks to you all! 
Merci a vous tous!

Watson Wombats!

As I mentioned in my previous post, I am currently enrolled at Watson University, an immersive experience to launch university-level student innovators, leaders, entrepreneurs and dreamers.

It has been two weeks into my experience at Watson and besides my new found love for Boulder, Colorado; this place is bursting with inspiration, incredible people and lifelong lessons.

In the Social Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Class, I am learning business models in social enterprise, change-models and impact-scaling.

Through the Transformative Action class, I am getting extremely valuable insight into what true leadership means and what it takes to win in life. I am learning how to and the value of transforming enemies into allies.

At the Watson lab, I am provided with a physical and mental space to work on my ideas, ventures and projects.

And based on the notion of “return on relationships” which is a key principle at Watson, the most amazing part of my journey has been working with 17 other incredible scholars; talk about amazing. These bright minds together with the team of mentors, professors, teachers and preceptors, make every moment of this opportunity worth its while.

Over the next couple of months, I hope to share my experience with you all, so that we can all be empowered through this very creative new model of higher education.

Finding Joe - Finding you - Finding your bliss!

Aloha to all of you out there,

You probably have noticed that the name of the blog has changed… or maybe you haven’t. Well it has!

I am currently enrolled at Watson University (an immersive experience to launch university-level student innovators, leaders, entrepreneurs and dreamers) and as part of my incredible experience; we had an opportunity to screen the movie "Finding Joe". We also got the chance to chat via Skype with the writer, producer and director of the movie - Patrick Takaya Solomon.

Inspired by the great mythologist Joseph Campbell, Solomon interviews notable authors, teachers, and athletes who each explore the concept of the hero’s journey - the journey of self discovery.

Over the next couple of months, I will be embarking on my journey of self discovery and I encourage you all to come along and do same for it is a truly liberating process.

In a nutshell, this movie which I totally recommend is about finding your bliss.

Bliss is often defined as perfect happiness, great joy but I believe it can be summarized in the following quote:

"The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are." Joseph Campbell

That is because in today’s world, we are often too busy and spend time following conventional cultural and societal norms.

And now some of my favorite Joseph Campbell quotes:

“We must be willing to get rid of the life we have planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us”.

“We’re not on our journey to save the world but to save ourselves. But in doing that you save the world. The influence of a vital person vitalizes”.

“Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls”.