#AMAKAxAmplifyAfrica

Africa often lives in people's imaginations long before they encounter its reality. Growing up in the early 2000s, I was surrounded by the Bush era’s foreign aid policies and TV portrayals that painted Africa as a land plagued by disease, war, famine, poverty, and primitivism. The common images of children with flies on their faces and the continent as a barren wasteland were hard to ignore. But where did these perceptions come from? They were remnants of colonial depictions from literature like Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness or David Livingstone’s Travels and Researches in South Africa. These one-sided narratives shaped a global view of Africa that was far from complete.

But this wasn’t the Africa I knew.

Being born to Ghanaian parents, I was deeply connected to Ghana's true essence. I heard countless stories of what it meant to attend Adisadel College or Aburi Girls’ School and of the vibrant Christian fellowship community (fondly called Crife). These personal stories were complemented by conversations about Ghana's historical moments and politics. I vividly remember my mom’s stories about Ghana’s postcolonial period, Nkrumah’s leadership, and the significant coups that followed. These were monumental moments celebrated globally and etched into collective memory. I can picture old BBC 4 footage of an excited Kwame Nkrumah, clad in traditional batakari, declaring, “At long last, the battle has ended! And thus, Ghana, your beloved country is free forever!” Nkrumah’s words spoke of a new, hopeful Africa. Postcolonial leaders and thinkers like Nkrumah, Jomo Kenyatta, Julius Nyerere, Leopold Senghor, Patrice Lumumba, and Nnamdi Azikiwe were celebrated, their legacies complex but revered.

Studying West African film and culture and engaging with resources like Amy Sall’s syllabus on the “Visual Culture of Post-Colonial Africa and the Social Imagination,” I learned the critical role postcolonial visual culture played in shaping African identity, power, and self-determination. African photographers and filmmakers like Malick Sidibé, Seydou Keïta, and Ousmane Sembène challenged colonial imagery that depicted Africa in a primitive and disempowering light. These artists paved the way for future generations to shape Africa’s cultural narrative.

While we can't entirely erase negative perceptions of Africa, we can redefine them by sharing our true stories. Our culture, expressed through television, literature, music, and more, is a testament to our resilience and reality. The stories we tell today will shape how future generations understand and appreciate Africa. So, what stories will we choose to tell?

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