← Konnected Minds Podcast with Derrick Abaitey
Konnected Minds Podcast with Derrick Abaitey
Segment: Every Decision You Make Affects Three Generations - Stop Thinking Small.
00:08:55
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Transcript23 lines
- [00:00]
A
Because if that wasn't the case, then human knowledge, which wasn't written, would have disappeared from the face of this earth. Why do you go to some of these traditional homes, traditional rulers, they still have some of this tradition going on because it was spoken to them and showed them, and they pass it on from generation to generation.
- [00:15]
B
Doesn't it become like Chinese, Chinese whispers, where, you know, you keep telling one person and over time it loses his value?
- [00:20]
A
That's what they tell us. It's not true. It's not true because at some point in time the education will come in and it will be written down. And then we put it to scrutiny to make sure what is being done is the right thing.
- [00:31]
B
And then you traveled abroad?
- [00:33]
A
Yes, sir.
- [00:33]
B
To go to school?
- [00:34]
A
Yes, sir.
- [00:35]
B
If your parents were doing so well here and you know, they wanted you to also start something, you know, as part of the family tradition, why did you have to go abroad?
- [00:44]
A
Because general, generally in this economic structure that we have, it is technically run from the Western perspective. So if you want to grow your business, you need to go to the west, if possible, and learn. I think that was the reason why they did that. And it's seen all across the globe. When we were in Canada, I had classmates from India, China, almost everywhere, because that has become a melting pot of people from all over the world. So the education from the Western, like going to Canada, the education was one. But also I think the network was invaluable because now as I'm sitting here, I have friends from all over the world. If I need something, I can call somebody in China on my phone. A classmate in Japan, a classmate in Australia, a classmate in mention. I think that was the. That's the most valuable thing I learned, I got from going abroad, networking. And then also now the mystery of the white. You are not the white man doesn't. You are not mysterious anymore. You live in their system. You know what their capabilities are. So if I think it was, I think it was the right decision hindsight that they took me there. Because also, let me tell you something. This is history. Back in the days, back in the days when audition or a nest of king is born. If you want to defeat your. Let's say the person who rules over you, what you used to do is you take. If you say Derek, let's say, you are my son, I'm the ruler, I want to defeat, let's say the one who rules over us. I take you to go and study their ways, how they do things. And then you bring the person back because now he understands how their machination works. That's the only way you can defeat them. But where we as Africans we fell shortest when we went. Majority of us didn't come back. And that's where the Chinese I think they've done. They did a tremendous job of it. Those descents, a good chunk of them went back and Turkey are doing the same thing too. Those they sent to Germany, a good chunk are back in Turkey. That's why now you see Turkish products are all over the place. But our people, unfortunately we got went there and got caught up.
- [02:53]
B
Why are we not coming back?
- [02:55]
A
People like you know, human beings generally will take the path of least resistance. It's human nature. It's not a race thing. But for some weird reason our people like the path of least resistance. Derek, I for one the challenges we've gone through doing this business, I'm a different man from when I started this 2014. But most people are not built withstand these challenges. So they're like I know here I have a job, have a nice home, can drive my Porsches. Why do I have to come here and come and stress internal as I stay here and live our life. So that's why I'm saying the upbringing and the fact that ownership for my family was the reason why I said I can't stay here and just work my whole life. I have to own something.
- [03:38]
B
Wow. So if you had something to say to the young man who has acquired so much skills. Yes. And is stuck abroad, what would it be?
- [03:49]
A
Fellow gentleman? Fellow lady. Ghana is a fantastic country. Don't let anybody lie to you. I've had the opportunity to drive as far out to Atwabu. Atwabu gas terminal that's in Western region. Gone as far as who? Gone as far as Tamale. And wherever you go, people treat you well. And Derek, I'll be driving 2am at night. Maybe there's naivety. I'm not afraid that somebody will rob me or anything. And when you come here initially there is a lot of there's some challenges. But if you're able to ride the challenges. Derek, as I'm talking to I never knew. Look at the sort of people you've had sitting in your chair, the caliber of people you've had sitting in your child. Never thought I'd be sitting here in under three years. So if you want your name to be out there for people to feel the impact of what you have learned, look back home wherever you are. Not just Ghana, Togo, Benin, any other African country that's where your impact will be felt.
- [04:40]
B
You have such an impressive thought process. What? The way you, you. You put your words together. I think I'm here, but I'm coming back here.
- [04:47]
A
Yes, sir.
- [04:48]
B
You know, that's, that's, that's.
- [04:49]
A
That's.
- [04:49]
B
That's a very good way of, you know, summing this. I. I really want to understand. Are you doing this for yourself or for your family?
- [04:59]
A
Doing it for myself and my family. Nobody does anything in vacuum, Derek. What you are doing is not for yourself. It's for yourself and your family. Because you are a chain. You were. People came before you. This is your turn. You're doing it for yourself. And then your children will bend it will take it from where you are and then continue. So it's for yourself and your children. That's how people are supposed to think. Everything that you do. Look, people underestimate the power of decision. Human beings are all decision. Human beings are all decision. So everything you do at times sit down and look at if the decision that I take, how is it going to affect me and the people before me and the people to come after me? Things will be easy for you.
- [05:41]
B
Every decision, that's the correct path of living life?
- [05:44]
A
Yes. Every decision is for the people before you, you and the people to come. And not just you, your cousins. Because that's how Africa we've lived. Nuclear families was just introduced by a foreign power. We've always been extended family. That's why, like Akans, we don't have a word for cousins. Mimiya, we don't have that. My Misawa, my father, a female father. My aunt. My mom's male. My. My male mom. We've never had this thing.
- [06:16]
B
Let me stop you here for a minute. We are on a journey of changing the minds and the lives of people. So if you haven't subscribed and become part of the family, please hit the subscribe button and turn on the notification. Thank you. Now, let's carry on with the conversation. You've done great educating yourself abroad. And then finally you made a decision that I want to come back. Who made you or what reason did you have?
- [06:40]
A
Okay. First and foremost, in 2010, for some real reason, I started to do more research on African history around 2010. So there was this professor. He passed away 2015. His name is Professor Yusef Ben Yekanan. He said one of the topmost Egyptologists. African Egyptologists. So I started to research on him. So it was when I started reading his books, I realized that we've been lied to for all these years, from religion to engineering to science, I was like, africans are really great, you know? So I was still reading his. And then one time when I got my second job, my dad asked, oh, so, Fred, this job that you're doing, what do you do? And I told him, I do. We'd make this, this, this and that. My father is a very big Afro optimist. He believes in the promise of Africa. He said, there's no place greater than Africa. Like, oh, Fred, this thing that you know how to make, you know, to be of better value for Ghana and beyond. So think about bringing this business or know how to Ghana. And that's what started this journey. And we've been at it, different versions. You come here every year. Our raw materials. You know how every environment is different. The west is quite dry. Ghana is very humid. So the way you process raw materials in the west is different from how you process it in Ghana. So I started coming, try and error, try and error, try and error. It will go to market. It won't work. To go to market. It won't work. While we're preparing to build our factory. So by 20, we had bought a prefab. Prefab is prefabricated warehouse. We bought it from China, brought it here, and then my business partner, who is also my brother, called Kofi, came to Ghana, built the prefab, and then we ordered our equipment, raw materials, we bought everything. Then my senior brother, who I think I said that, shared that story. Yep. Yes. He was the one who sacrificed his schooling that. You know, Fred, I think you have something. You are greater than I am. So you go, and then I'll stay home and work and pay your rent and stuff like that. So he came with me, and then we came and set up the factory. And then we started production Connected Minds podcast.