Kojo Baffoe

Finding Your Moments of Quiet Amidst The Cacophony

Dec 6, 2016 | Commentary

Last year, I was asked by Glenfiddich whiskey to speak at a series of events they were holding with their consumers. The brief was to speak about ‘charisma’. The Cambridge dictionary defines charisma as “a special power that some people have naturally that makes them able to influence other people and attract their attention and admiration.” This was difficult. How do I speak on something that I find indefinable, especially when positioned as an ‘expert’ on this? Instead, having, at the time, recently read Susan Cain’s book, Quiet – The Power Of Introverts In A World That...

The Jameson Irish Whiskey Nation

Nov 14, 2016 | Lifestyle

The debate on who invented whiskey/whisky, between the Scottish and the Irish, has raged for years, including spelling. You have Irish whiskey and Scottish whisky. Most use the Scottish spelling and the greater attention has been on them but Irish whiskey also has a place. South Africa is a top market for Jameson, in particular Jameson Special Reserve. I would, however, contend that, with the rest of the world also producing great whiskey/whisky, the taste of the liquid, and your palate, are more important. Trained as an engineer, Brian Nation is Master Distiller at the Jameson Midleton...

Forbes Africa: School Radio Taking Back The Air Waves

Nov 10, 2016 | Articles, Social

Over the last year, I have been doing a bit more freelancing writing with different publications. As editor of Destiny Man previously, I was not able to contribute to more spaces and it has been fun exploring a broader range of topics now that I can freelance. The reality, however, is that, it can be extremely difficult building a life solely as a freelancer so the approach I have taken is to write about subjects that are of interest to me and/or have a positive impact on the society. The Children's Radio Foundation is doing some great work with children continentally, using radio not only...

Mercedes-Benz, In Search Of A New Narrative

Nov 3, 2016 | Lifestyle, Social

On the 11th of February, 1990, at 16:14, I was sitting in a hotel room – our house was being renovated - in Maseru, in front of the telly with my father and siblings. This was the date and time that Nelson Mandela finally walked free. This was an occasion that had significance not just for South Africans but Africans as a whole. The 26 years since that day have been marked with positives, negatives and the blurry areas in between. It is also easy to get caught up in the challenges the country faces, which can be a very dark place. "An arrow can only be shot by pulling it backward. So when...

The Fast Lane At Ferrari World, Abu Dhabi

Oct 23, 2016 | Lifestyle

We develop perceptions of ourselves as we grow. And, as we experience different aspects of life, we sometimes discover that these ideas of self are slightly off the mark. As a teenager, and into my twenties, I always saw myself as a ‘gung-ho’ alpha male-type. I wanted to try skydiving, bungee-jumping, luge and everything in between. Then, one day, with a group of friends, I went rap jumping, off the top of The Parktonian Hotel in Braamfontein, Joburg. Rap jumping is essentially abseiling but you go down face first. Although I did four jumps, I was terrified. For the first jump, the...

Vodacom NXT LVL Putting Footballers Through School

Oct 10, 2016 | Social, Sport

Having played various sports as a child and teenager, as well as watching my nine-year old explore different sports, including rugby and football, I sincerely believe that participating in sports can have immense benefits for a child growing up. At my son’s football sessions, the coaches are fair but don’t allow for messing around. They expect discipline, the desire to work hard, the understanding that it is about team work and having fun. I have seen introverted and/or shy children, including my boy, come into their own on the training field and, in talking to other parents, we see it carry...