Kobina Aidoo
in context
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So you Googled me. In the words of the bad guys from the old James Bond movies, "I've been expecting you." Frankly, I've probably Googled you too. I think it’s irresponsible not to. So I always assume myself Googled. I hope you too do. People who have arrived at this site have described it as cool, creative, interesting, strange, egotistical--I've heard it all. If you've arrived here as part of some professional research, I'm afraid you'll have to read to the end. But it all ties together, you'll see. This, after all, is a social experiment.
So Why this? Why have this cool, creative, interesting, strange, egotistical...site? Well, you, of course. You're here aren't you?
But, seriously, it's not that serious. This right here is just my forethought in the past. I figured someone might want to Google me at some point in the future--like now. As a communications professional I wanted to ensure that when that future did arrive, as it evidently has, I would be on top of the story. In this era, you can't always control what's out there about you--but you sure can shape the narrative. As a businessman I'm controlling real estate. I figured if I'm truly Google-worthy, someone could purchase and resell my own name to me at my maximum willingness to pay. Besides, 'Kobina' is quite a common name. It is the name given to a male born on Tuesday among Ghana's Akan people. My back-of-the-envelope calculation says at least 100,o00 Kobinas out there. Of course, the vast majority of them don't have the need, means and skills to get a domain name in their name, but you get my point. Who knows, I may be the one to sell this at a premium to a more Google-worthy Kobina. The biggest risk I foresaw, however, was that someone could-God forbid!--use my name in vain; hence, my ownership of this page--as well as kobina.wordpress.com, twitter.com/kobina and kobina_AT_gmail.com (first mover advantage, you see.) As a public service-oriented person I'm helping you with your research. I thought I’d save you the trouble by putting everything you could reasonably want to know about me in one place. Some find it indelicate to Google someone who isn't exactly a public figure. I disagree. I think it's expected. In this era would you really trust someone who isn't Googleable? Like many people my age, I've grown up online and my footprints are all over the place--You have to understand I went to college in Miami. College! Miami! So I have to shape my electronic footprints with my fingerprints. You will also find some pretty offbeat and (attempting to be) funny pieces that I've written over the years. I look back and laugh and appreciate how much I've grown. I hope you see it the same way. At least, laugh. When I first acquired this domain I was a student, so I had much leeway in what to do with it. Now, as a professional, I'm a tad more limited. I considered closing it down, but that would have gone against the very aforementioned purposes for which I acquired it. So I guess I'm stuck with it. But rather than transform it to present the professional me, I've decided to keep it as the me me. In this goal-setting, networking, back-stabbing world in which I abide, think of this as the Happy Hour me. At least you know there's a real person under the suit, and I will not apologize for him.
So who is the professional me? Search me! Through a series of luck, choices and missteps I have ended up at the place where I've always been coming and needed to be: I take complex business and public policy issues and make them coherent and digestible. You know, subjects like structural economic transformation, extractive industries governance and corporate social responsibility (CSR.) I do that by working with corporations, governments, think tanks and NGOs on writing and strategic communications. On my own, my writing leans towards the satirical, because sometimes, in order to wake people up, you have to tickle them (blogs and tweets) I bring that same for drive to make complex issues simple and coherent to my documentary filmmaking, in which I seek to look at complex issues through multiple lenses. In fact, I consider myself a public policy analyst with a camera. My first documentary explored how African and Caribbean immigrants in America negotiate their identities between been immigrants and been seen as African Americans. In my current project, I'm bringing together an athlete, a sculptor, a plastic surgeon, a bioengineer, a sculptor, a pastor, and a sexologist to re-design the human body from their respective perspectives.
And who is the me me You can call me one of a million. I believe in teamwork; that’s what makes us beings. And that’s how great things get done. You can also call me one in a
million. I believe in originality. I believe that’s what makes us human beings. That's what makes me me and you you. If I ever have the pleasure of meeting you in person, please feel free to bring this up in conversation. Remember, I'll assume it anyway. I know these things can be uncomfortable to talk about in person, but who are we kidding? Really. Besides, it will be a good conversation starter, won't it? So go on, click away. It’s okay.
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