First Gentleman with Wilson Orhiunu
Email: babawill2000@gmail.com Twitter: @Babawilly
I cannot remember why or how but I found myself on Youtube.com watching Bishop TD Jakes of the Porter’s House in a church service recorded on the 24th of July 2011 with a guest minister called Tudor Bismark from Zimbabwe preaching.
The title of Bishop Bismark’s sermon was ‘Don’t Choke’. He started off his sermon the usual way; he greeted the host, said a prayer and read from the Bible (Matthew 14:22 and Numbers 11:14)
Then he said the following: “I want to recommend a website to you if you are not already acquitted with it yet. The website is TED.COM and on TED.COM you can find every subject in the world; it’s generally free, every subject in the world, lecturers from across the world that will speak to you on every conceivable subject.”
I wrote down the words Ted.com and continued to listen.
That day marked a change in how I spent my spare time as I have grown to love watching Ted videos. I once tried to keep a log of what I was watching but could not keep up with myself. The Ted talks usually last anything between five to 20 minutes and I tend to go through about one or two a day.
(Ted Conferences are not to be confused with Ted, the 2012 American movie starring Mark Wahlberg).
Brief history of Ted
TED stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design and was founded by Richard S Wurman (DOB 26-4-1935) and the first conference took place in 1984. Annual events started subsequently in 1990.
He handed the organisation over to Chris Anderson of The Sapling Foundation in November 2001. In 2005 Ted Globals events were organised in various locations around the world including the TedAfrica conference in Arusha Tanzania.
Independent Tedx events
Tedx are events organised under licence from TED by any group of individuals worldwide who agree to adhere to TED’s core principles. Events are non-profit and speakers are not paid to speak. Ike Anya and Chikwe Ihekweazu both attended the TedAfrica event in Arusha in 2007 and came back to the UK with a passion to organise something similar in London. They founded TedxEuston in 2009.
I would strongly recommend these events (especially for Africans) due to their inspirational nature. (There is only so much ‘Skelewu’ and looking for both ‘Caro’ and ‘Johnny’ that a man can take; with due respect to Davido, Whizkid and Yemi Alade).
TedxEuston
I have attended two main TedxEuston events so far and one Salon (a smaller event in the summer). I don’t really need to go into much detail as the TedxEuston site speaks for itself.
I was quite excited going to my first event though. That was on the 7th of December 2013 and I drove with my wife from Birmingham to London early that morning. Mandela had died two days before and it felt like he was in the room with us. There was a video tribute to ‘Madiba’ as one would expect but the atmosphere really came alive when Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala asked for all to rise in a celebratory dance to honour ‘Madiba’. She asked for dance music and the ironic choice was ‘Chop My Money’ by P-Square. We all danced but I knew what the critics on social media would say. Finance Minister of Nigeria dancing to ‘Chop My Money’!
Someone actually told me she should have known. I explained to him that it was an impromptu jig but he was having none of it. (Nigerians love to complain; with good reason though).
My first Ted was absolutely great. Highlights for me were the talks by historian Emeka Keazor and satirist Ikenna Azuike of What’s Up Africa. Funmi Iyanda did a very good job of keeping us entertained.
I was back in the summer of 2014 for TedxEuston Salon whose slogan was ‘Ripple Effect: Education and the Next Generation’. A cosy affair held at the British Museum. (My wife was pregnant at the time so I got three for the prize of two!).This was a venue that housed important Benin, Ile Ife and Lagos cravings. I enjoyed the evening immensely particularly the talk by Kunle Adeyemi about his Makoko floating school.
In December 2014 I was back for the main TedxEuston event at the Mermaid Theatre in London. The speakers were all great and there was the usual opportunity of networking with bright minds. Talks by Sunday Oliseh, Zan Asher, Kene Mkparu and Fatima B Muhammad made it a most memorable day. Chioma Omerua aka Chi Gurl was in her element and had us all in stitches.
Finding the time
Time is precious and I love my Ted-habit so I simply load up Ted videos on my I-pod and listen to them while out running or working out in the gym. Multitasking? Oh Yes!
Benefits of Ted
- The ideas you pick up along the way enhance your life.
- Live events beats any Videos watched on line. There is the energy a live audience generates that cannot be replicated at home.
- Networking with great people.
- Inspiration from all kinds of people
- Photo opportunities with guest speakers who usually hang around to chat with delegates. I found Sunday Oliseh particularly gracious.
I will end with a quote by Babawilly: “A TED a day keeps ignorance at bay”.
References: www.TedxEuston.com
