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More Than A Story
More Than A Story is a podcast that brings Africa’s hidden histories to life through powerful, narrative storytelling. Each season, we dive deep into real events that shaped the continent — stories of survival, resilience, betrayal, belonging, and becoming.
Season One follows the gripping true account of the 1782 Grosvenor shipwreck and the survivors' epic journey along South Africa’s Wild Coast. Told with cinematic detail, rich character insight, and historical context, this is not just a history lesson — it’s a lived experience, retold with empathy and imagination.
Whether you're a history lover, a curious traveler, or someone drawn to the untold, this podcast invites you to walk the forgotten paths of the past and hear the echoes still carried by the land.
New episodes every week.
www.morethanastory.co.za
More Than A Story
Lane One: John Akii-Bua and the Weight of Gold
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In 1972, a 22-year-old policeman from northern Uganda ran 47.82 seconds around a track in Munich and broke the world record in the 400 metre hurdles. His name was John Akii-Bua, and that race gave Uganda its first Olympic gold medal. But this isn't just a story about athletic greatness. It's about what happens when a regime needs a symbol, and an ordinary man becomes one. Akii-Bua trained under British coach Malcolm Arnold, refined his stride on dirt tracks and police compounds, and mastered one of the most technically demanding events in athletics. He did it with discipline and quiet precision, not spectacle. But he did it inside Idi Amin's Uganda. And the country that cheered him in 1972 would eventually force him into exile. This episode traces John Akii-Bua's life from the plains of Lango to a podium in Munich, and asks what it really means to win when the nation pinning its pride to your chest is already coming apart.
A big thanks to SergePavkinMusic for providing the soundtrack. You can access his music library here:
https://www.youtube.com/@SergePavkinMusic/featured
I also featured music from Ebo Krdum. Please check out his awesome library on the various streaming platforms.
To get in touch, see references and access additional media and content - visit:
https://www.morethanastory.co.za