A55 Podcast: The Pulse of Africa

Nii Akrofi Smart-Abbey

Frustrated by the one-dimensional portrait of Africa? This podcast is for you. Africa is a diverse continent with a rich and complex history. Its image, however, appears stuck in the past despite decades of progress. On this podcast, we'll strive to reflect the true realities on the ground today and discuss issues driving Africa's challenges and growth. Join Nii Akrofi Smart-Abbey for honest conversations about modern Africa. New episodes every other Friday.

  1. 11/21/2025

    Why Ballet is Becoming Accessible Across Africa

    Ballet has long been seen as elitist — foreign, inaccessible, and out of reach for many across Africa. But that perception is shifting. As the art form gains popularity, a new generation of African instructors is stepping forward: certified, committed, and determined to make ballet more inclusive. In Ghana, Vivie’s Dance and Theater Academy is leading the charge, offering training to children from all backgrounds. Founder and CEO Vivian Boateng shares why investing in both students and teachers is essential to building a space where every body can belong. Additional audio excerpts: Credit - 7News Australia, BBC Africa News, CBS Sunday Mornings

    34 min

  2. 11/07/2025

    Closing the Data Gap in African Education

    Calls for education reform across Africa are not new, but the one ingredient necessary to facilitate these reforms - data - is not readily available in many countries. The Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) has rolled out a five-year initiative aimed at transforming how education data is collected, understood, and used across the continent. Inyang Umoren, Project Manager of the Tackling Education and Skills Data Challenges in Africa project at ADEA, breaks down the challenges associated with collecting education data and how better use of data can help in decision-making and plans for education reform. Click here to read a UNICEF brief on the state of education in Africa. Additional audio excerpt: Credit - TEDxTalk (TEDxIUEA) and BBC News.

    32 min

  3. 10/24/2025

    The Cost of Africa’s Green Energy Dreams

    Africa's green energy transition is underway, but without dedicated funding, some countries may be forced to delay or abandon it altogether. Despite contributing less than 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, Africa remains vulnerable to the impact of climate change. Research Fellow at the Climate Policy Lab at Tufts University and IPPG, Seth Owusu-Mante, unpacks the burden of the green transition: the cost, the politics, and how some African countries are forging ahead with their own limited resources. Read the IPPG paper on emissions levy here. Additional audio expert: Credit - BBC News

    37 min

  4. 10/10/2025

    What Remains When Language Fades

    By the end of this century, your native language may no longer exist. Already, over 300 African languages are said to be at risk or have already disappeared. How do we ensure the rest survive? Nigerian writer and linguist, Kola Tubosun, joins us with some thoughts on preservation, the power of archiving, and what happens when we lose what we inherited from generations before us. Read his interview with the African Writer, Renaissance is Badly Needed in African Language Literature, here. Additional audio excerpt: Credit - TEDx Talks (The Power of Language)

    38 min

  5. 09/26/2025

    This No Be Broke Art

    Defining art may be difficult, but it is visible in nearly everything around us. For many of us, our impressions of art and artists have been ones of struggle, and at times being 'broke'. But today's generation of African artists has proven that art pays. So, what is with the hesitation many of us have about art? Essenam Dabla-Attikpo gives us an insight into the fascinating world of art and tells us how her organization, This No Be Art, is helping move African art to higher heights. Additional audio excerpt: Credit - DW

    31 min

  6. 09/12/2025

    Inside Africa's Literary Republic

    From its print origins in the mid-20th century to its digital rebirth in the early 2000s, African-focused literary magazines have helped propel the careers of many writers. But with many of the digital magazines operating without external sources of funding, how sustainable are they in the long term? We speak with Nzube Nlebedim, founding editor of The Shallow Tales Review, about his writing and the future of digital publishing of literary magazines in Africa. Read Nzube's essay When the Flutist Burns His Pipe: The Rise of Queer and Emigration Literature in Africa here. Additional audio excerpt: Credit - African Roots and Routes (YouTube)

    33 min
  7. On Sacred Ground: New York's African Burial Ground

    08/29/2025

    On Sacred Ground: New York's African Burial Ground

    While slavery in the American south has largely been documented in fiction including films and novels, the same cannot be said about slavery in the north of the country, especially in New York. Close to New York's City Hall is a monument honoring that tells the story of enslaved Africans who first arrived in the city in the 1600s. In this episode, we learn more about the African Burial Ground monument from Park Ranger, Kenrick Joseph and retrace the lives of enslaved Africans in New York. Additional audio excerpts: Credit - CBS Texas, WRNN-TV (YouTube), History (YouTube), InsideOut TV (YouTube)

    24 min

  8. 08/15/2025

    African Mythology & Futurism in the 'BrakoVerse'

    Since Black Panther's release in 2018, afro-futurism has surged into mainstream consciousness. But as that genre expands, creatives like our guest, Kwame-Michael Brako are pushing beyond it to tell stories that fuse African ancestral knowledge, cosmology, and futurism together. Kwame joins us to unpack this creative shift and share why after working on blockbuster franchises like the Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy, he chose to leave Hollywood behind to open his own visual effects studio in his native Ghana. Additional audio excerpt: Credit - David Kirkman (Youtube), BrakoVerseTV (Youtube)

    34 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Frustrated by the one-dimensional portrait of Africa? This podcast is for you. Africa is a diverse continent with a rich and complex history. Its image, however, appears stuck in the past despite decades of progress. On this podcast, we'll strive to reflect the true realities on the ground today and discuss issues driving Africa's challenges and growth. Join Nii Akrofi Smart-Abbey for honest conversations about modern Africa. New episodes every other Friday.

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