On the evening of February 23, 2019, the Accra International Conference Centre filled quietly with close to two hundred students and young professionals—many from Roman Ridge International High School, the University of Ghana (Legon), and Ashesi University—drawn not by spectacle but by a promise. The banner read Inspire: The Coming African Renaissance. The 6 speakers represented the 6 factors of society Eric Kwapong Jr. believed would usher in the renaissance: Entrepreneurship, Citizenship, Technology, Faith, Music, and Culture. The brief was spare. In a country where conferences can often sprawl, this one, convened by Eric Kwapong Jr., co-founder of the young people’s leadership movement The Josiah Leadership Movement (J-FORCE), favored utility: short talks, plain language, and directions a student could act on by Monday. As Eric Kwapong Jr. would later put it, echoing Nkrumah, “We face neither East nor West. We face forward,” and on that Saturday at the AICC “young people from all walks of life came together to start a movement of a renaissance across Africa.”
What emerged over three hours was less a rally than a working session for a generation impatient with platitudes. The co-founder of Afrofuture argued for a renaissance that refuses to choose between heritage and modernity. John Armah (Entrepreneurship) treated the hall like a boardroom, pressing students to build firms with clean books and measurable demand. Akpene Diata Hoggar (Citizenship), Miss Universe Ghana ’18, tied personal agency to public standards. Dr. Ayokor Korsah (Technology) framed code and computation as literacy, not luxury. Joshua Obeng (Faith) spoke of conviction as infrastructure—quiet resolve that outlasts trends. Cwesi Oteng (Music) situated the creative industries within national strategy, insisting African music can become a global standard. The night, Eric Kwapong Jr. noted, “was carried by changemakers from faith, technology, entrepreneurship, culture, music and citizenship—facets of society that, when pushed to their highest potential, can only bring about systemic change on this continent.”
The subject was the renaissance to come; the method was specificity. After keynotes, the programme broke into compact roundtables led by Lord Quaye, the artist Midichi, and others. Students took notes on granular matters: who to email for a campus permit; how to cost a pilot; why documentation—photos, minutes, receipts—builds trust. A remark passed hand to hand like a dare—“No one really believed in us. Others thought we were crazy”—from the Afrofuture co-founder, and it landed with the force of recognition: ideas sound unreasonable until they are executed. “At the Inspire Conference,” Eric Kwapong Jr. reflected later, “a movement was birthed of young people who will bring this continent to where it needs to be… young people who are just crazy enough to believe that we can change the world—and young people who do.”
The effect of the evening was cumulative. AICC lent institutional weight; the cross-campus mix supplied reach; the format—six pillars followed by questions that refused jargon—kept the conversation near the ground. Eric Kwapong Jr. worked mostly offstage, insisting on tempo and restraint. There were no promises of overnight transformation, only the argument that Africa’s “renaissance” would be built the old way: with schedules, budgets, and the courage to begin. And, as Eric Kwapong Jr. added, “the best part—we’re only just getting started.”
From Service to Sustainable Impact: Six Bold Phases
Situated as Phase 3 in J-FORCE’s early arc, the Inspire Conference sat within a broader, multi-year initiative of six distinct, action-oriented phases:
Phase 1: Project Feed Agbogbloshie (2018)
A bold act of service emphasizing leadership through direct community engagement.
Phase 2: School Tours (2019)
Recognizing a gap in leadership education, J-FORCE Ghana conducted tours across Ghanaian secondary schools and universities, establishing vibrant student clubs, igniting youth activism, and fostering future leaders.
Phase 3: Inspire Conference — “The Coming African Renaissance” (2019)
Uniting entrepreneurs, artists, technology leaders, and cultural advocates, this conference galvanized youth action, setting a visionary path toward Africa’s renewal.
Phase 4: Influence Town Hall (2019)
Featuring influential national figures like Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams and Hon. Dr. Zanetor Rawlings, this town hall bridged generational divides, encouraging young Ghanaians to actively participate in civic life and national dialogue.
Phase 5: J-FORCE Garden Party (2019)
In an informal yet impactful setting, this networking event fostered lasting connections between young entrepreneurs and changemakers, laying foundations for collaborative young people-led initiatives.
Phase 6: We Are The Change Series (2020–2021)
A flagship international series drawing renowned Ghanaian leaders like Dr. Mensa Otabil, Kennedy Agyapong Jnr., Pastor Joshua Obeng, and Bishop Eric Kwapong Sr., these conferences solidified diaspora partnerships and strengthened J-FORCE Ghana’s global vision.
What’s Happening Now (2021–Present)
Since then, J-FORCE Ghana has organized several other programs at universities including: a virtual town hall with the then sitting Minister of Information Hon. Oppong-Nkrumah, Project Feed Agbogbloshie 2.0, Leadership Fireside series chats, and more.
Reflecting on Bold Leadership and Lasting Impact
Today, J-FORCE Ghana proudly commemorates its ongoing mission of empowering Ghana’s young people through intentional leadership, bold service, and strategic action. What started as one transformative summit in Agbogbloshie has grown into a nationwide young people leadership network, shaping lives in schools and universities throughout Ghana. Eric Kwapong Jr. puts the measure plainly: “it is young people who are bold enough to believe that we can change the world and it is young people who do. And the best part? We’re only just getting started.”
In a season loud with self-promotion, the modesty is deliberate. The renaissance, if it is to deserve the name, will be recorded in transcripts, job offers, voter rolls and businesses that survive their first audit.
Stay tuned for J-FORCE Ghana’s next event and become a member of J-FORCE Ghana by using this link: https://t.me/jforceofficial
Source: ameyawdebrah.com/
