The story the world CHOOSES to engage with when it comes to Africa is often the redundant “Poor Africa” we’ve all been fed since our hands could hold the TV control.
Although I would have loved to have a pet Zebra galloping around in my back yard as a little girl, this set up would not be practical, logical or legal in any African home, or even in any home on earth. I would have had to move to a zoo or a game park, where wild animals tend to reside in modern day society.
Yet year after year the same story is told about Africa through different camera lenses. Surely there’s more to an entire continent and it’s inhabitants, than elephant herds and the same unclothed child with flies as friends; but even the African who isn’t living this narrative is telling this story, why?
What about the other side of Africa? The side that speaks of Africa’s strength, Africa’s progress, Africa’s victories and veterans. Don’t get me wrong, nobody is turning a blind eye to the socioeconomic injustices that still persist on our continent, every continent has their issues but somehow we seem to know more about the positive aspects of other continents than what is wrong in them. Why is this different for Africa?
The world needs to know that there’s more to Africa than wild animals, poverty and the mentality of poverty that now, even Africans unconsciously identify with. We need to believe that being African does not have to look the way it’s always been depicted in every media platform out there.
There is an Africa who does NOT tick the barefooted - disease stricken - child soldier box the world has confined her to. There is another side to Africa and it's going to take Africans to embrace her with pride!
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