17-year-old champion racing driver Lewis Appiagyei, a UK born Ghanaian, who has captured the imagination of the entire continent of Africa, is steadily carving out a meaningful career as an up-and-coming global superstar.
Lewis, who was named the youngest on the prestigious Forbes ’30 under 30’ Africa list last year, has the aim to become the first Formula1 champion of African Heritage and is pleased to announce that he has accepted to become the patron of the Ghana e-sports Association.
His rise has been on an upward curve for over ten years. A recognised child racing protege in the UK, Lewis made history by being the youngest person in the world to set a motor racing simulator Gran Turismo Guinness World Record at a tender age of 10. A record which is still unbeaten to this day.
Ghana’s e-sports gaming is on a steady rise with grass roots organisations like Ghana esports Association taking the initiative to encourage amateur gamers in Ghana to transcend through to a professional level.
Ghana e-sports Association’s move to secure a high-profile sportsman such as Lewis Appiagyei could be one of the best moves Kwesi Hayford (President: Ghana e-sports) has made to date to raise the profile of e-sports in Ghana and accelerate its growth on the continent. Hayford understands the potential of the medium, which can transcend well beyond the realms of virtual gaming into packed arenas.
The potential of e-sports has been fully acknowledged in the UK by universities now offering degrees in this field. In Ghana too, visionaries like Hayford are at the frontline of this global revolution and are now set on also educating the youths to the great potential of e-sports, which covers a broad spectrum of real opportunities beyond the games console.
Lewis Appiagyei is on a mission to help raise the profile of Ghana e-sports on a national and international level. His credentials are impeccably suited for the role as the patron of Ghana e-sports. At 17 he is already a youth ambassador for the biggest youth sporting event in Europe, the London Youth Games, which is sponsored by sports-wear giant Nike.
The exponential growth of e-sports around the world in recent years hasn’t gone unnoticed by forward thinking CEOs of companies, who now have their own e-sports teams flying their corporate banners in big money global competitions.
“I am excited for the gamers in Africa whom I’ve already played a number of friendly games with, There’s nothing stopping Ghana being an e-sports power house, with game centres awash with talented gamers, such as 14 year old Gran Turismo sim racer Eyiram Ashiagbor and Nii Saki Quarcoopome from Dark Horses e-Sport, ready to take on the world,” said Lewis.
The recent announcement from the IOC (International Olympic Committee) to include five e-sport games in this year’s Tokyo Olympics which includes the Gran Turismo racing sim should be a real wake up call to those who are totally oblivious to what’s going on in the gaming industry, which raked in far more money than actual sports last year.
Consider this: the global film industry reached US$100 billion in revenue, while the gaming and e-sports global market generated US$159 billion in revenue in 2020. It is forecast that e-sports is well on its way to become bigger than music and movies combined.
Entrepreneurs and corporate players in Ghana, as well as the government should seize the opportunity this presents and lend their financial support to those that can represent the country in the area and Lewis Appiagyei is looking forward to playing his part.
