Natural Language Processing

Vickie Remoe is in conversation with Ghanaian hip-hop artist M.anifest. They talk about what it takes to thrive as a hip hop artist when the ecosystem that supports musicians and the music industry's growth across emerging markets on the continent remain in the navy or despite all of the individual success, African artists still have to do all or most of the work to build a sustainable business around their artistry. A lot has changed for African hip hop and Afro beats musicians over the past decade. They're selling out local stages and international arenas. They're signing brand ambassador contracts with banks and telcos and International Development Organisation a mixing of corporate and entertainment in ways that we've never seen before on the continents. Even further still, a small select group of hip hop and Afrobeat artists have broken the glass ceiling once reserved for traditional African music legends like Alpha Blondie, Youssou N'Dour, and Ladysmith Black Mambazo to win that well-coveted world music category in US and European music awards.  The times are changing, thanks to a huge part to the communities of fans that artists have been able to build on their social media platforms. They drive streams and revenue and they help with breaking into new markets. This success is still for a very, very small elite group of artists. Most African artists no matter the genre, never master the crossover equation that allows for continent-wide recognition, global reach, and brand partnerships. To listen to "Confusion" by M.anifest: https://spoti.fi/3jBN5Eb

Vickie Remoe is in conversation with an advocate for the sexual liberation of African women, writer, and researcher Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah. They discuss the Sex Lives of African women For most of their lives, African women have been led to believe that men experience more sexual pleasure than women, that there were biological differences that made women want sex less. Society tells us that women are sexually passive and in the media, women are often depicted as the object of sexual desire there for the gratification of men, and never the other way around or rarely. They are made to believe that women just don't want or need sex as men do. This is a very big lie.  However, it has created inequity in who gets pleasure in the bedroom, women's sexual pleasure takes a backseat to men's across the continent. Many women even believe the myth around their own sexual desire. Religion social conditioning and customs promote a Madonna-whore dichotomy where women can either be saints or sluts. Pure virgins or bad and promiscuous. Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah has spent the last 15 years, documenting and dissecting the sex lives of African women to support women as they journey to their pleasure principle in the bedroom. To listen to "Mamie Na Power" by Zainab Sheriff: https://bit.ly/2Z6Vyrj

Vickie Remoe is in conversation with Language Processing expert Paul Azunre. They explore the costs of big data, the haves and have nots of AI, and his work using transfer learning to process Ghanaian languages to make it possible for Africans to communicate with computers in Zulu, Lingala, or Mandingo with the same ease and level of access that allows speakers of resource-rich languages like French, English, and Spanish to do today. To listen to "Jihun" by Cece: https://bit.ly/2YIMitQ

Vickie Remoe is in conversation with software developer, ICT policy advisor & cryptocurrency advocate Daniel Chaytor. They talk about what's fueling the rise of cryptocurrencies across the world, but especially on the continent, we're looking at African cryptocurrencies, and the barriers limiting blockchain-powered transactions across the continent. The rise of cryptocurrencies in Africa is a direct response to the traditional banking and money transfer issues that come when African consumers are trying to move money around, and where crypto in Africa is headed today. In just 12 years, Bitcoin, the world's first cryptocurrency has gone from the fringe and fantastical to a multi-billion dollar industry.  One bitcoin is worth over $59,000.59 early investors in Bitcoin have gone from speculators to overnight millionaires, in some cases, billionaires. To listen to "Pray For Me" by Innocent: https://bit.ly/3FioayB

Vickie Remoe is in conversation with sex education expert Leeann Mahota Rizk. They talk about comprehensive sexual education as a human right and as a matter of long-term sexual wellbeing. They also talk about sex education for children to reduce children's vulnerability to sexual abuse, sexual abuse, and sexual violence. According to UNESCO sexuality education is teaching about the cognitive, emotional, social, interactive, and physical aspects of sexuality, sex education for children is taboo in many families and communities. Because of the widely held belief that teaching children about sexuality,  encourages them to have sex, It does not. On the contrary, research has shown that those countries that implement quality sexuality education, see reduced teenage pregnancy rates, reducing the age of first intercourse, reduction in STDs. And when sex ed is done right, it also increases the use of contraceptives at first intercourse. Most times when people talk about sexuality, the focus is on reproduction alone. To listen to "Hannah" by Doniie Major: song.link/5CHJQ4n2v8Gt9

Vickie Remoe is in conversation with senior expert trade in Services in the Department of Trade and Industry at the African Union, Beatrice Chaytor. They discuss the benefits of the African Continental Freetrade Area for medium-size businesses across the continent. Three years ago the Africa union launched AfCFTA to create a more unified African market. AfCFTA top objectives are to facilitate inter African trade reduce tariffs, promote industrialization, sustainable growth, create jobs, and reduce poverty. So far the African Union 54 member states have signed the treaty, making AfCFTA the largest free trade area in the world by the number of participating countries.  January 1st this year was the official first trading day under AfCFTA but to realize the benefit of AfCFTA we have a long way to go. While countries are still ratifying the agreement, AfCFTA potential impact on Africa's growth is undeniable according to the world bank it has the potential to lift 30 million Africans out of extreme poverty by 2035. They talk about what needs to happen at the national and enterprise level to speed up AfCFTA's impact. To listen to 'Tell Me Wantem' by Emmerson & Star Zee: https://bit.ly/3tD8Ln4

Vickie Remoe in conversation with Somatic and Wellness expert Tamu Thomas. They discuss wellness, somatic coaching, and entrepreneurship. According to the African Development Bank, 22% of the confident economically active population are in business or their entrepreneurs, African women are twice as likely to start a business than anywhere else in the world. While entrepreneurship has its rewards starting and operating a business is a grueling undertaking, even for those who have startup capital and family support, building a business comes with great sacrifice that can take physical and mental tolls. This is a means of survival and this mode of operating continues to drive the way we run our businesses, even when we achieve success, we treat business like a do or die. With so much at stake for African entrepreneurs, especially during the kind of crisis the pandemic has brought on, how can we find a healthy balance between growing sustainable businesses and personal wellbeing? Listen to "Anything" by Markmuday: https://spoti.fi/2Yy7l1O

Vickie Remoe in conversation with procurement expert Franklin Ibemessie. They discuss public expenditure on the procurement of goods and services. Public expenditure is the money that governments spend on social services infrastructure, education, health, public wages, etc. We know what the government will spend based on what they present on its annual budget most African countries have a national development plan and the expectation is that the government will spend on things that will bring it closer to achieving the milestones in the plan. In countries like Ghana and Sierra Leone, the biggest expenditure is wages or salaries paid to government staff like teachers and the medical core.  Vickie engages Franklin in a conversation about the spending that government does to procure goods and services so we can understand what policymakers need to do to avoid waste, inflated prices, corruption, and to make the process of government procurement of goods and services more open and competitive. To listen to "Aw fo do" by Drizilik: https://spoti.fi/3mIOE5A

Vickie Remoe in conversation with ICT expert Tamba Lamin they discuss the Internet of Things or IoT and its benefits, issues around access to the internet, data protection in light of recent events on the continent. Governments in Senegal, Uganda, and Congo were in the news most recently when they shut down citizen access to the internet to limit connectivity. And now in Sierra Leone, parliamentarians are about to introduce a cybercrime law that will give the police and the government unlimited access to personal data on computers and mobile phones, and other mobile devices. To listen 'Brighter Future' by Famous: https://spoti.fi/2WlUvmk

Vickie Remoe in conversation with Public Health Expert, Nana Kofi Quakyi, MPH. They talk about the first year of the pandemic and its impact on public health on the continent. Ghana's COVID-19 response vaccine rollout vaccine fears and what you need to know today to continue to protect you and your community during the pandemic. To listen to 'Joanna' by Solo's Beats: https://apple.co/3jMn58p