‘We have to be able to tell our own stories’

Think “Africa” and it’s most likely that the first pictures that come to mind are the wildlife, starving children, and war. R&B sensation Akon is having none of that. The American born Senegalese musician/actor has been fighting to break the stereotypical images of Africa. At a Youth Connekt Africa Summit held this year, he urged African countries to work on their image the way the United States has. Recalling the way the US has created a brand for itself, he called for African youth and media to create and share their own heroes, those closer to their roots. “You look at the US today and they’re showing Superman, Batman…where’s our Superman? Shaka Zulu should have been a superhero today!” The musician went on to expound on the need for the youth and media in African nations to take control of their narrative, to build their own brand, and to dispel existing (backward) notions about the cultures in these nations. He seems particularly frustrated with the whitewashing of coloured history. “I mean, even Jesus Christ is white!” he quips, to laughter. Akon has been involved in development projects across Africa – from those that provide electricity to promoting self sufficiency in the youth. “One thing I’ve realised about Africa is that only the organisations that involve Africans themselves are successful.”  Source: AJ+