Seasoned Journalist Yaw Ampofo Ankrah to pen The Audacity Of Dreams
Ghanaian media personality Yaw Ampofoh Ankrah to write a memoir chronicling his two decades of adventures in the world of media. The book will be titled The Audacity Of Dreams.
Mr. Ankrah recalls that somewhere in 1997 in the prime of his youth, he met “this great man Kwesi Kyei Darjwa (KKD) aka His Royal Blackness, himself a media mogul and one of Ghana’s most outstanding broadcasters and accomplished Master of Ceremonies who sowed the seed that helped grow me into what I am today.”
As he described what prompted their meeting, Mr. Ankrah tells TheAfricanDream.net that KKD was in the process of recruiting talent to build his formidable radio station at the time, “so when I met him and the opportunity presented itself to work, I told him I wanted to be a radio presenter and work for his station which was Sunshine Radio at the time, located in Ghana’s capital city of Accra.”
Even though Mr. Ankrah had no prior formal training, experience or background in the broadcasting field, he felt emboldened to give the opportunity a shot. His lack of qualification at the time did not invite judgment from KKD, neither was there any negative questions. In his own words, He tells TheAfricanDream.net that “between KKD and myself was no pretense, just straight up genuine willingness to give each other a shot.”
“I sensed it and I took my chance. Of course, at the time, all I had was a voice, a dream, a prayer and lots of faith. As I look back on that adventure today, some would have called it wild, unrealistic and crazy dreams for success without a plan or a formula. I now call it The Audacity of Dreams” — Yaw Ampofo Ankrah.
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So what was Mr. Ankrah’s dream really about? Well in his own words he describes it: “I dreamt of traveling the world, meeting extraordinary people, royalty, Kings, and Queens, Preachers of God’s word, world leaders, and achievers. My dream didn’t stop there as I also dreamt of working at the top media corporations in Ghana and around the world like the BBC and Sky news of the United Kingdom and CNN of the United States among others.”
As a blossoming reporter and soon-to-become journalist at the time, Mr. Ankrah’s energy and drive fuelled him to embrace life fully by making a positive difference wherever he could. He learned as much as he could this way and as his energies started to align he started to make it not solely about himself, but rope others in by working to become a positive impact in the lives of all around him.
Fastforward to the turn of the millennium and the man Yaw Ampofo Ankrah says “a lot of what seemed like crazy and wild dreams so many years ago have actually became my reality because deep down inside me I believed. I. Really. Did. BELIEVE!“
He goes on to say he has not and will never stop dreaming, “why should I, not after what The Audacity Of Dreams has taught me. God bless KKD and others who said YES by opening doors for me, by teaching me, by picking me up when I was down and not discouraging me.”
“I cannot say thank you and bless you enough. The experience has taught me to try and do same. And to those who said NO to me, or doubted, ignored, blocked and even mocked my crazy dreams, I say thank you still. It is human nature that makes people judge and feel insecure about others’ quest to fulfill their God-given potential. Thanks for all the nativity, it made me focus on the sole and ultimate source of positivity which is God“, said Yaw Ampofo Ankrah.
When TheAfricanDream.net asked the acclaimed veteran broadcast journalist and soon-to-be Author what fans and readers can expect from his memoir when it is published, he simply smiled and assured that it was going to be a story for all. He disclosed that there will be lots of candid experiences that he hoped all can relate to as he seeks to instill The Audacity Of Dreams in as many as he possibly can.
“We are all guilty at times and no one is perfect,” said Yaw, “but I hope that when my full story is told, I can inspire others just as KKD and others inspired me because dreams do come true no matter how audacious and unrealistic they might first appear to be, so… DREAM ON!”
Source: TheAfricanDream.net
Oral Ofori is Founder and Publisher at www.TheAfricanDream.net, a digital storyteller and producer, and also an information and research consultant.
