Part 1: 40 things that I feel proud of having achieved

On the 6th of January I turned the big 40 which seems to be a pretty significant age. Surely by now I can no longer be considered a ‘small girl’ although I believe that the AU defines youth as ’40 and below’ so in some quarters I may still be able to pass for a young person until the end of this year. I feel pretty good about my new age, and have used this particular turning of age moment to reflect about the things that I feel particularly proud of having achieved. Here’s part 1 of a list of 40 things that make me think, ‘you did it girllll’.

Photograph of Nana by Yinka

1. When I resume work next Monday I will step into a new role as Director of Communications and Media at the Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID), a leading feminist global organisation with over 5000 individual and institutional members. I am super excited about the opportunity to play a leading role in this organisation filled with so many inspirational feminists that I admire.
2. Prior to working at AWID, I worked as a communications specialist with the African Women’s Development Fund which will forever hold a part of my heart. I feel so proud whenever I think of some of the amazing programs that I was able to lead in that organisation including our first non fiction workshop for women writing on social justice. So many talented African women writing and holding incredible feminist spaces took part in #AWW14. Just check out Timehin Adebeye’s incredible TED Talk and HOLAA Africa co-curated by Tiffany Mugo for a sampling of our #BlackGirlMagic
3. In November 2009, my sister and I launched MAKSI, a ready to wear fashion label inspired by our love of print, Ghana and the continent. We have decided to close down that business so we can both focus on our other interests. On that note check out my sister’s healthy eating business Clean Eats (they deliver so holla at them!)
4. I’ve always had a full time job and a side hustle. Always, always, always. And I work darn hard for those who pay me. With that disclaimer aside, let me tell you about MAKEDA PR, my boutique communications consultancy which supports the women’s rights, artistic and creative sector. I am particularly proud of our work with clients like the Gender Based Violence Prevention Network which does exactly what it says on the tin — works to end the scourge of violence which plagues the lives of women and girls everywhere. We’ve been saying #MeToo forever, you all just need to listen!
5. By now you probably think I am all ‘work, work, work’ (said in a Rihanna voice) but no, I definitely strive for balance in my life and for the most part I am also an amazing daughter, supportive sibling and partner, and there for my extensive network of friends. I know this because on my 40th birthday I asked those gathered around me to tell me one amazing thing about myself, and all the affirmations I got nearly made me cry.
6. Some people know me as a ‘sex blogger’, another thing I feel very proud of. In January 2009, my longtime BFFFL (Best Friend for Freakin Life in case you were wondering) Malaka and I started ‘Adventures from the Bedrooms of African women’ as a collective space for African women in all our diversities to document, share and learn from one another about sex and sexualities. Go check out our blog right now if you are not already a regular.
7. Over the recent holiday season, my 13 year old God daughter and her 11 year old sister spent 2 weeks on holiday with me. They told their mum that it was their ‘best Christmas ever’. I who has never looked after a child or young person for more than a day did this. *brushes dirt off my shoulder Jay Z style*
8. In 2016 I got to take part in the prestigious Hedgebrook residency on Whidby Island, just off the coast of Seattle. That writing residency was everything. I had been working on a book project for about a year before I got there, and I did more on my book in 3 weeks than I had done the year before. I want to shout out Ugandan writer, lawyer and activist Bwesigye Bwa Mwesigire who not only told me about this workshop, but constantly encouraged me to apply and introduced me to Barbara Mhangami-Ruwende, an alumni of the residency who supported my application. We are nothing without our networks people.
9. The first writers program I ever got into was the Farafina 2012 residency led by the indomitable Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche with Binyavanga Wainaina, Rob Spillman, Aslak Myhre and Jeffery Allen — all luminaries in the writing world, and so incredibly generous and supportive. That residency gave me the confidence to think of myself as a writer, and the lessons I took away from that experience still inspire my writing today.
10. And we did a thing as a result of the Farafina workshop, a number of us came together and created ‘It Wasn’t Exactly Love’ an anthology of stories about sex and sexualities. Also ready Yemisi Aribisala’s Longthroat Memoirs for some of the backstory behind the creation of this anthology. Plus you should buy her book anyway, it was one of my fav reads of 2017
11. The best story I have ever written to date is published in the FEMRITE anthology The Pot and Other Stories. Do you need any other motivation to buy it? Nope? Please go ahead then.
12. Over the past 2 years or so I have been interviewing African women from different parts of the continent and Diaspora for a book project. Fingers crossed that this year I get to publish some of this content.
13. Writing helps me to process my thoughts. Check out my bylines in the Guardian, open Democracy, and This is Africa
14. I want to diversify the formats in which I produce content. For that reason I feel really proud of my video profile of Kobina Graham aka The Funky Professor which I co-created with my talented partner Francis Brown of Animax FYB.
15. Last year I spoke at universities including SOAS and Cambridge in the U.K. I enjoyed the opportunity to share my thoughts on African feminisms and sexuality with young vibrant minds, and definitely want to do more talks at universities in the future

16. A few years ago in Ghana I felt a desperate need to have a community of feminists with whom I could meet, chat and be myself without having to constantly explain my every thought. I just wanted sisters who would get me. That led to ‘Fab Fem’ a network of fabulous feminists living in Ghana. Although we don’t meet anymore, the bonds created through those initial years of gatherings have remained long lasting

17. Over the past couple of years, I have co facilitated several face to face conversations about sex and sexualities in countries like Ghana, Uganda, Rwanda. Many of those have been organised with my boo of life Paula Akugizibwe whose TED Talk ‘Between the lines’ is one to watch.

18. In 2013, I facilitated ‘What’s new for African feminisms’ with my inspirational friend Jessica Horn, talented musician Meklit Hadero, the life giving DJ Rita Ray and activist Pontso Mafethe

19. In 2017, I took part in a panel on ‘Africa: Feminism and the Future’ with Jessica Horn and Fatimah Kelleher

20. I am super excited by the ongoing visual illustration project that I have been working on with Tiffany Mugo of HOLAA, and my co-blogger Malaka. Check out the illustrations we have released via ‘Adventures’ drawn by the talented Mr Brown (yes, I take all the advantages of being in a relationship with an award winning animator filmmaker and artist)

Art by Francis Brown