Featured Essay
Go Tell It Everywhere — Christmas Belongs First to the Poor
A Pan-African civic reflection on dignity, responsibility, and the moral demands of leadership.
Essay•Dec 2025•10–12 min read
Featured Conversation
Conversation is hospitality, and memory is responsibility.
Kola Nut Conversations (KNC) documents reflective conversations with public servants, educators, artists, elders, youth leaders, and everyday citizens—preserving Africa’s lived experiences and civic lessons for future generations.
Watch / Listen
Conversations distributed across digital platforms and broadcast partners throughout Africa and the diaspora.
Stories
Long-form reflections on leadership, dignity, justice, and African public life.
Episodes
Browse by theme or search by guest/topic. (Coming Soon!!!)
About KNC
About the Kola Nut The kola nut is native to the rainforests of West Africa and has been part of community life for centuries. Rich in natural caffeine, it was carried by travelers and traded across the region long before European contact. But its true importance has always been cultural rather than commercial. Across Liberia and much of West Africa, the kola nut is offered at weddings, funerals, peace talks, and family gatherings — often served with seasoned pepper — as a sign of welcome, respect, and truthful conversation. In many communities, meaningful discussion does not begin until kola has been shared. Women and men, elders and youth participate together; the ritual belongs to everyone. As Chinua Achebe wrote in Things Fall Apart, “He who brings kola brings life.” During the colonial era, Europeans entered the kola trade and experimented with kola in tonics and early soft drinks, but its deepest meaning remained African — a symbol of hospitality, connection, and continuity across generations. Kola Nut Conversations (KNC) draws from that tradition. Just as kola is offered to invite people into dialogue, KNC creates a modern space where stories are welcomed, memory is preserved, and conversation becomes a way of building community.
Mission
To document and share meaningful conversations that explore identity, leadership, public service, and history across Africa—using dialogue as a civic practice.
Vision
A trusted Pan-African platform that strengthens public culture, preserves lived experience, and nurtures thoughtful leadership across generations and borders.
What philanthropy enables
- Independent Pan-African storytelling
- Youth access and civic learning
- Long-term digital archiving
- Thematic series across regions
Guiding principle: Conversation is hospitality. Memory is responsibility.
Profiles
Hosts and contributors of Kola Nut Conversations.
George Kronnisanyon Werner
Host • Public-sector reform leader • Education & institutional development
George Kronnisanyon Werner is a public-sector reform leader with senior experience in government, international philanthropy, and institutional transformation. His work spans education reform, civil service modernization, and global policy advisory roles.
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Senior Advisor, The Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF)
July 1, 2018 – Present · London, United Kingdom -
Minister of Education, Government of Liberia
2015 – 2018 -
Civil Service Agency, Liberia
June 1, 2011 – June 5, 2015 · Monrovia, Liberia
Public service reform and civil service modernization
Education
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University of Pennsylvania
Studies in public policy and related fields
Gregory Stemn
Software Developer • Certified Kotlin, Apple (iOS), and Python Developer
Gregory Stemn is a software developer focused on building reliable, accessible, and human-centered digital platforms. He works at the intersection of technology, media, and public-interest storytelling, translating editorial and civic ideas into functional systems that people can trust and use.
- Core development: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and modern front-end architecture.
- Certified platforms: Kotlin (Android), Apple technologies (iOS/macOS), and Python.
- Public-interest & NGO tech: Websites and platforms designed for clarity, accessibility, and durability.
- Design-to-code execution: Turning editorial vision into clean, maintainable, production-ready software.
Support KNC
KNC is public-interest media, not commercial broadcasting. Partnership ensures independence, access, and long-term preservation of Africa’s civic stories.
- Underwrite a thematic series
- Support production & editing
- Enable archiving & regional outreach
Contact
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