The media and movies are part of the reasons why a lot of non-Africans believe a lot of absurd myths about Africa and Africans. The image of Africa portrayed through and by the media is often negative.
The real Africa is complex, extremely beautiful, vast and interesting. The media has stereotyped Africa and has made a lot of people to believe certain myths about Africa. It is necessary to debunk these myths and change the narrative.
“AFRICA IS A COUNTRY”
AFRICA is the second largest continent in Africa and definitely not a country; Home to the oldest university in the world, home to the famous desert Sahara, longest river in the world Nile, home to beautiful islands, cultures, about 2000 languages and Africans are the most receptive humans in the world. Home to 54 independent countries and 1 billion humans – there’s no way Africa can be just a country! No way!!! It is vast, and the cultures that exist within it are even more.
“AFRICA IS A DEN OF HORRENDOUS EVENTS”
The big question is, where in the world can boast of absolute peace without fight, protest, war, insurgency, crime, etc.? These events are as common in other parts of the world as they are in Africa. It doesn’t mean all African countries are war zones, no!!! These are cheap lies to misinform the world and fix Africa in a box.
They defined Africa as a zone, coloured with famine, war, disease, illiteracy, crime, e.t.c., but that is a complete opposite of what is been portrayed in the media.
If Africa is horrendous, why then is Botswana, Namibia, Malawi, and Ghana some of the most stable on the continent, while Morocco, Kenya, and Tanzania have been huge tourism hubs for years. Think!!!
“AFRICANS ARE NOT INVENTORS”
Since Mathematics and medicine were invented in Africa, then this myth isn’t the truth. Africa has the world’s oldest record of human technological achievement: the oldest stone tools in the world have been found in eastern Africa, and later evidence for tool production by our hominin ancestors has been found across Sub-Saharan Africa.
In 295 BC, the Library of Alexandria was founded in Egypt. It was considered the largest library in the classical world; these are few inventions. Recently, Africa is at the forefront of solar technology, with Morocco building the world’s largest solar power plant.
“AFRICA IS HUNGRY”
This is a funny myth about Africa and the belief must be changed. The lands are green in Africa and Africans are renowned farmers and producers of foods. Different types of African foods are exported out from Africa to other continents. It makes one to wonder, if Africa is an expert in farming, and exporter of foods to other continents, then how can this myth be considered a fact?
“AFRICA IS CHEAP AND NOT HABITABLE”
Getting to Africa is a huge cost with flights, generally a lot more expensive than to other regions of the world.
Tourist and dwellers from other parts of the world, still troupe into Africa, to either dwell or tour, so what makes it uninhabitable continent? A lot of foreigners relocate to Africa and refuse to leave, because of the respect and warm reception they enjoy in Africa. So where is the uninhabitable nature of Africa?
Are these myths about Africa and Africans the truth? Of course not, but mere myths from imaginations, and a product of years of stereotypical portrayal of the continent.
