Point on Africa

Inspiring many Africans towards self esteem, without associating themselves with anything West is hard. First I'm all praise for younger African writers like Chika Unigwe, Stanley Onjezani, Binyavanga Wainaina who already are trying. Of course Obama has, massively, as well, by plan or default.

We Africans need to learn to appreciate the intellectual richness we produce and this way be responsible for whatever images we want the world to have of ourselves. Charity begins at home. We need to change tables and consume what we produce be it TV programs, literature, fashion, music etc. Before you say that made-in-Afica is not impressive, please take a tour of what this content has to offer. It will surprise you to meet others coming for what you brand unavailable, just because you haven’t explored. The excuse that Africans have no option but to become apprentices of the West and so present their minds to it for forging is just that; an excuse. A lame one.

From an individual experience lived over time, I am certain that appreciating Africa and tearing oneself away from low self esteem is a personal choice. It will never happen that the world changes its negative perception towards this continent. Foreign correspondents have to write whatever they write about us the way they write because back home, it makes sense of their commentaries on Africa. Relying on them to tell our story as we want it told, is truly sitting on the railway rather than hopping into the train to attain the destination.

Africans should voluntarily turn towards themselves and do a self examination to realize that unless they esteem their ‘Africaness’, foreign media will never build that. Not in the near future. The rest of the world will follow, if it ever will, the path that Africans will have beaten themselves.

Condemning foreign journalists for painting Africa negatively partly comes from Africa’s tradition of dependence on the West. We not only expect them to feed us, but to go ahead and tell everyone that there is still some light in the dark continent. Well, they have a responsibility not to be conformed to biased reporting but what if they chose not to? Are we doing anything to tell these success stories ourselves? Are we doing as much to light up the good images we have in various parts of the continent? Are we vehemently condemning those who paint us unlike we wish?

The challenge is to bring ourselves as Africans to embrace the great good and success that we have, and so give strength and voice to institutions that work day and night to tell our story as we want it told (Some African writers, bloggers, media, cultural institutions, NGOs etc).