There is a video going around where a group of girls were asked what was the first thing that came to their minds when they think of Africa. And their reply was “less food, no water, and poor”. As an African living in the diaspora, I wasn’t the least bit shocked. It was expected because many westerners seem to think that Africa is synonymous with poverty, hunger, diseases, and illiteracy. And this is not a Jab at the girls, they’re just an example out of many.
I too used to believe the media when it presented European and North American countries as the best places in the world, with no significant issues just wealth and peaceful living. You can imagine the shock I felt when I witnessed poverty after migrating to the U.S. You mean to tell me there are these many people homeless in America? The land of Milk and honey has people living in the streets and begging for money? Thousands of people unable to afford healthcare due to structural issues? My African self was flummoxed! It can’t be. I thought poverty only existed in Africa.
I remember a day in high school when a girl was playing with bottled water. Another girl confronted her and told her to quit wasting water because there are people in Africa who don’t have water. There were some chuckles and giggles that followed. I was confused because we lived in Patterson New Jersey. The irony of being with sins and still casting stones.
The Dangers of Stereotypes
The problem with the media’s misrepresentation of Africa is that it creates a single story about a continent with 54 countries. And with these incomplete stories, stereotypes are formed, perpetuated, and reinforced.
My favorite author and storyteller Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie said it best, “A single story creates stereotypes. And the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete, they make one story become the only story”
Africa is a diverse continent filled with abundant resources, wealth, and riches. To call Africa poor is to overlook the role of colonialism, neocolonialism, bad governance, and corrupt leaders with no accountability.
When I tell people I am from Nigeria, they often look at me with pity because of the assumption that I come from poverty. They look at me cautiously because they associate being Nigerian with being a fraud (419). They speak to me loudly and slowly because they’re unsure about my English and level of literacy. You’d be surprised how many people gasp when they hear me speak English “Wow! Your English is so good.”
This would be the same for me stereotyping America with police brutality and gun violence while dismissing the role of racism and gun laws in America.
Many Nigerians may not know how to speak English, but the English Language isn’t a measure of intelligence. Not to talk of the fact that we have over 500 languages in Nigeria.
Yes, there is poverty in Nigeria and other African countries but that’s not the only story. We have some of the most intelligent, hardworking, passionate, innovative, and talented people. There is a reason why your favorite Hollywood musicians are making afrobeat features. Despite the state of the nation and the kind of leaders we have, we still strive for excellence.
I say all this to say that no one place is free of faults, but to stereotype a continent, country, and people based on a single story is dangerous. As I said in my previous post about things you shouldn’t say to an international student, when in doubt use google. There is a plethora of resources available through the internet for us to still be making judgements and assumptions based on a single story.
I blame our African leaders. Greedy bunch of old men