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Springbok Women determined to topple mighty Canada
Springbok Women captain Nolusindiso Booi said her team will enter Loftus Versfeld with excitement and determination when they face Canada at 13:30 on Saturday.
Michael Djaba, Kwame Blay, and Alvin Nana Kwame Bekoe aren’t just playing in different arenas of media, business, and culture—they’re building the stadiums.
Their stories are steeped in grit, forged in purpose, and connected by a common thread: elevating Africa without compromise.
Michael Djaba: From BBC Teaboy to Global Media Powerhouse
Michael Djaba’s journey is the kind Hollywood scripts are made of. Except, this one’s real—and deeply rooted in a mission far greater than showbiz.
“I started out making tea at the BBC,” Djaba recalls, a glint of humility in his voice. “Back then, I just wanted to learn. I was hungry for every part of the process. That attitude opened doors.”
Those doors would lead him to London Weekend Television, where he directed visuals for Estelle and Mobb Deep, then to co-founding one of the UK’s first urban TV channels on BSKYB.
The platform didn’t just break new ground—it secured licensing deals with global giants like Sony Pictures and controversially aired The Boondocks, a culturally loaded move that foreshadowed his lifelong obsession with authenticity.
But Djaba’s return to Africa marked a new chapter. Through iFACTORYlive Africa, he built a creative empire delivering original content to platforms like M-Net, e.tv, Startimes, and Fox Networks Africa.
“Our content needs to be world-class, not just for African audiences but for the world,” he says. “We have the stories, the talent, the perspective—now we’re taking the lead in telling them.”
He’s backed those words with action. His producing credits include And Then There Was You with Garcelle Beauvais, Single Not Searching on STARZ, and musical spectacles like D’Banj Live from Wembley and Wizkid Live.
But it’s his docuseries Making of a Mogul—self-financed, cross-continental, and 150 episodes strong—that captures his ethos best.
“When I started, there was no network attached,” he admits. “But filming in Dubai, Ghana, South Africa, the U.S.—it’s been transformative.”
The U.S. edition, which features entrepreneurs generating over $500 million in annual revenue, now streams on Amazon Prime and Tubi.
Still, Djaba doesn’t measure success in numbers. He measures it in impact. He guided actress Omotola Jalade Ekeinde to the global stage, culminating in her recognition by TIMEin 2013. “I always tell the story of being at the TIME 100 event in New York with Omotola and Steven Spielberg,” he says. “That was full circle.”
And when he curated the Afro-Caribbean Weekend in Grenada in 2022, it wasn’t just music and yachts. It sparked political collaboration that led to bilateral agreements between Ghana and Grenada.
“Culture creates connections that move the world,” Djaba says. “That’s the power.”
Kwame Blay: The Strategist Who Moves in Silence
If Djaba is the mogul behind the lens, Kwame Blay is the cultural architect who rarely seeks the spotlight—yet whose fingerprints are everywhere.
“I spent 11 years in Sydney, Australia,” Blay shares. “I made it a point to come home once every year. Those trips through Dubai or South Africa helped me visualise what Ghana could become.”
Blay's style is rooted in quiet discipline. For him, culture isn’t just a vibe; it’s a compass. “Being African, and more specifically from Ghana, is the trendiest it’s been in modern times,” he says. “But for us, it's not a trend—it’s an identity.”
His brands span entertainment, festivals, and creative ventures with distinctly African signatures. And while others chase hype, Blay preaches disciplined consistency.
“In our part of the world, you don’t stay relevant by popping once. You have to show up over and over again.”
His interests—bonsai cultivation, ranked video gaming—are unexpected, but perfectly aligned with his deeper ethos: balance, precision, patience.
But make no mistake—he’s a realist about the stakes.
“The fear of poverty is motivating,” he says, candidly. “But the size of opportunities in Africa is hugely underestimated. The middle class is growing. Access to capital and information is increasing. We’re only just beginning.”
When asked what legacy he hopes to leave behind, he doesn’t flinch: “That I created globally impactful brands based on my African background—and showed it’s possible to do it from Ghana.”
Alvin Nana Kwame Bekoe: The Renaissance Builder
If Djaba is the lens and Blay the blueprint, then Alvin Nana Kwame Bekoe is the bricklayer—equal parts creative, legal mind, and business tactician, building platforms from the ground up.
“Initially, I wanted to be a lawyer,” Bekoe shares. “But after getting my degree, I felt that alone wouldn’t fulfill my purpose.”
Born into a family steeped in real estate, Bekoe’s roots were already entrepreneurial. But he craved something bigger. That hunger birthed BBnZ Live—one of Ghana’s most influential creative agencies and media platforms.
“BBnZ was formed to create the environment of support we didn’t have growing up in Ghana,” he says. “We wanted to propel Ghanaian creatives to the global stage.”
He wasn’t exaggerating. From co-owning Afrochella (now Afrofuture) to Aftown Music, Bekoe has been instrumental in reshaping Africa’s cultural exports. “Those brands made it cool to be African again,” he says. “They rekindled pride and identity.”
And with Enroute54, a travel concierge service reconnecting diasporans with the motherland, he’s making return not just possible—but magnetic.
“Afrobeats changed everything. People are no longer afraid to come home,” Bekoe says. “We help them land softly—and experience the beauty firsthand.”
Through Guide Radio and DGN TV, he’s taking on the continent’s media gaps. “We need to protect and amplify our own stories. Maybe one day Africa can have its own Disney.”
He’s also clear-eyed about infrastructure gaps: “Africa needs arenas to fully monetise its entertainment sector, and housing relief programs should be built into all policies.”
With the BBnZ Foundation, his philanthropic arm, the vision is clear. “We’re working toward a free school for disenfranchised youth,” he says. “To help expand their God-given gifts. That’s the ultimate goal.”
So what does he look for in collaborators? “Insanity,” he says, laughing. “You have to be crazy enough to believe in the impossible. We’re not here for a money grab—we want to build a sustainable Africa.”
And in curating experiences like Polo Beach Club or Afrofuture?
“Seeing diasporans from Brooklyn chilling with Kenyans in Accra—it’s a beautiful thing. That’s what unity looks like. That’s what power feels like.”
A New African Vanguard
In a world where narratives have long been told about Africa, Djaba, Blay, and Bekoe are flipping the script—telling stories from Africa, with global resonance. They aren’t waiting for permission or validation. They’re creating their own tables, building legacy over likes.
“Be intentional with your work,” Djaba says. “Travel. Collaborate. The magic is in movement.”
Blay nods to patience. “Do fewer things. Focus deeply. And stay rooted in who you are.”
And Bekoe sums it up best: “We’re not here for Africa for a week. We’re here to build Africa that lasts.”
Together, these three moguls aren’t just rewriting Africa’s story—they’re redefining its future. Bold. Intentional. Unapologetically African.
Issued on GQ South Africa by Luthando Vikilahle | https://www.gq.co.za/culture/meet-the-moguls-building-africas-future-inside-the-bold-vision-of-djaba-blay-and-bekoe-8de7f706-d1b1-4cca-8116-0ec8ea1439b0
