We continue our series where we seek to trace the paths of some of West Africa's most talented individuals over the last thirty five years. What has happened to them? What contributions have they made? To the world at large? To their native West Africa? Is early academic achievement (for this will be our sole selector) a reliable predictor for later success? What differences can be identified in outcomes between the 'early' scholars (say before 2000) and the later scholars (after 2000)? For example, are later scholars more likely to be working in their native country or region? What differences can be identified in outcomes between the different nationalities? For example, do the brightest Ghanaians achieve more success than the brightest Nigerians in later life? What do we mean by "success"? What professions have these individuals pursued? Have they worked predominantly in the STEM areas that development experts tell us are critical for developing countries or have their talents gone elsewhere? And which fields within STEM are most popular? What about gender? What effect does it have on outcomes among this category? Do the brightest girls do as well as the brightest boys in later life? What about the educational systems in the various countries? Can we glean anything about this from our results? We hope to at least begin the answers to these questions during the course of the series.

As our selector we use the results of the West African Examinations Council, WAEC, school leaving examination. Since 1985, WAEC has awarded prizes to the top three candidates in this exam. We shall attempt to trace the progress of these individuals using only publicly available information. No doubt, in some cases, despite our best efforts we will be unable to identify individuals or we will misidentify individuals, but through careful examination of the available evidence we should be able to glean accurate enough information to be able to form a reasonable overall picture. We will remain open to correction by our readers throughout the series. The "VERIFICATION" entry for each listing below indicates the criteria used to determine, or at least infer, that the individual whose details we have pulled from the public (internet) record was indeed the individual of the same name who excelled in the WAEC examination. A first name and last name match is a prerequisite.

WAEC, of course, conducts examinations only in English-speaking West Africa, so this series is necessarily limited to these areas. Before 1998 GCE 'A' and 'O' level examinations were conducted by WAEC, and it appears the top three candidates were in most if not all years selected for award from the 'O' level list.  In 1998, a new examination, the WASSCE, was introduced and quickly replaced the earlier school-leaving examinations.

We continue with the the fifteen award winners between 2006 and 2011. In 2010 no award was given.

2006:


Oluwabusola O. Majekodunmi B.Sc. Economics, Univ. of Birmingham, 2011, MS, Management and Economics, 2012, faculty, African Leadership Academy, South Africa. 15 Linked-In articles. VERIFICATION: Linked-in page, age, WASSCE award, Nigerianbulletin web page.

Aman Arora: No verification

Oluwadeten E. Oyedele: No information found


2007:


John Yusufu USAP student, B.Sc. Mech Eng, Harvard, 2012, M.Sc. Engineering Management, Tufts University, 2017, Technical Product Specialist, Harvey Performance Company, Boston, USA (2012 to present). VERIFICATION: Linked-In page, USAP page, naijatechtalk website.

Kwame Akoi  MD, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, 2014. Medical Officer, Agogo Presbyterian Hospital, Ghana. One research paper, SIOP, International Society for Paediatric Oncology.  VERIFICATION: Facebook, Linked-In pages, Ghanaweb website, SIOP download

Mary-Ann Juma USAP student, B.A. Economics, Mathematics, Amherst College, 2012, MBA Harvard Business School, 2017, Business Development Manager, Sonos Inc, USA, One research paper - Bachelors degree thesis. VERIFICATION: Linked-In page, USAP page


2008:


Priscilla Asafo-Adjei (now Priscilla Abrafi Opare-Addo) MD, KNUST, 2015. Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Ghana. VERIFICATION: Facebook page, Ghana gazette, MDC Ghana, secondary school attended (St. Louis SHS).

Josephine Tsorgali (now Josephine Oduro Tweneboah) MD, KNUST, 2015. VERIFICATION: Facebook page, MDC Ghana, secondary school attended (St. Louis SHS).

David Kofi Nyarko MD, KNUST, 2015. VERIFICATION: Facebook page, MDC Ghana, middle name, secondary school attended (Adisadel SHS)





2009:


Frank Adu-Poku. At KNUST medical school, class of 2016. VERIFICATION: Facebook page, secondary school attended, shsandcolleges blog

Maame Afua Otua Ofori, Bachelor of Arts, Engineering Sciences, Dartmouth College, USA, 2014, MBA, University of Pennsylvania, USA, 2019, 1 joint research paper. VERIFICATION: Linked-In page, secondary school attended (Holy Child SHS), UPenn 2019 commencement program, full name

Fathia Karim, MD, KNUST, 2016. Senior House Officer, Ministry of Health, Ghana, to 2018. VERIFICATION: Linked-In page, Graphic Online, secondary school attended (Wesley Girls), shsandcolleges blog

2010: No winner

2011:


Ann Antwiwaa Sakyi.  MD, University of Ghana, 2017. VERIFICATION: MDC Ghana

Hameed Irbaz: No match found

Christanah Opeyemi Adeloye:  Enrolled as medical student, University of Ibadan,  to 2018. VERIFICATION: Osun.gov, UIMSA web sites




  2006- 2011 SUMMARY
(For nationality (WASSCE location) and percent contributing to the written public record, figures are percentages of the total (15). For other categories, figures are percentages of the total identified in that category)

By Nationality:                                                                             Nigeria - 40%, Ghana - 60%
By Gender:                                                                                    Male - 38%  Female - 62% (8 of 13 identified)
Percentage achieving at least first degree:                                 100% (12/12) 4 years medical school assumed equivalent of first degree
Percentage achieving graduate degree:                                        83% (10/12) Balance two continuing education
Attained first degree in West Africa:                                           67% (8/12)
Percentage working in Stem:                                                        82% (9/11)
Percentage currently living in West Africa:                                 73% (8/11) * includes one currently in South Africa
Percentage whose career has been centered in West Africa:     70% (7/10)     
Books published:                                                                            0
Peer-reviewed research articles:                                                   3, (1 joint)
Patents:                                                                                           0
Other professional articles:                                                            15
Percent contributing to written public record                                27% (4/15)      *Book or article or patent

There are noticeable shifts in this time period compared to earlier periods to (1) higher female success rates (2) Greater study and working contributions in West Africa (3) Preference for medicine as a career (8/12).