Each week Bristol Business News gives a prominent member of the city’s business community the last word on its weekly e-bulletin. This week Poku Osei, founder of Babbasa youth empowerment project, answers our 10 questions.
Film you watched? The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire, which is actually a docudrama based on the book written by the English historian Edward Gibbon. I initially watched it about five years ago and decided to watch it again. It teaches a lot.
Book you read? I’m pretty awful at finishing books. I recently started reading Richard Branson’s biography, but the last one I finished (re-read) was Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends And Influence People.
Music you bought or download? I’m not sure which one was the last, but I’m currently listening to Melody Gardot (My One and Only Thrill), Ayo (Joyful) and Drake (If you are reading this it’s too late).
Sporting event you attended: Besides going down to the City Academy sports complex to see or join some of our young people play football, it must be when I went to see Chelsea play Liverpool a couple of years ago. I’m a Chelsea fan!
Holiday you went on: I tried the campervan experience this summer, driving to the beaches of Cornwall with my family. It was a beautiful experience. The sun was hot and bright as in the afternoons like West African weather, and wet and cold in the evenings like you would expect in England. It was fun.
Restaurant you went to: Surakhan. I highly recommend it. It’s a South Korean restaurant on Park Row. They certainly take pride in how they prepare their food. The owner is exceptionally passionate about eating healthy and very welcoming too.
Thing that annoyed you: A recent social media interaction.
Thing that made you laugh out loud: Tom Parfitt’s article in The Times about the whole Elton John-Putin prank call. Every paragraph made me crack up.
Piece of good advice you were given: “The only real luxury we have in this world is time. Hence human beings will judge you by what you do with their time.” UT Holdings CEO Kofi Amoabeng. It’s been an incredible piece of advice.
Poku Osei is the founder and programme director of the social enterprise Babbasa. Babbasa inspires and support young people aged between 16 and 25 from Bristol’s ethnically diverse inner city communities, to pursue their professional ambitions. It also provides services including event management, professional mentoring schemes and recruitment support for local businesses, to sustain what they do. Babbasa is organising its third intergenerational dinner and networking event Ask About Me on Saturday October 24 at the Bristol Hotel. For inquiries, sponsorship or tickets, contact Poku on 07930 147193 or email poku.osei@byep.org.uk