[SUCULTURE]

Pan African

Vloggers: Changing

the permanent

negative perception

of the African

Continent.

 

 

 

A significant amount of young people have permanent, distorted and stereotypical views of the African continent. 

 

Negative perceptions, and representations such as diseases, famine/drought, civil wars, corruption and greed, hardships, poverty, the lack of technological sophistication and underdevelopment, have been the defining themes of Africa, and Africans, in the minds of many outside of the African continent.

 

These stereotypes, sadly, have been perpetrated and reinforced by the mainstream media in Europe, the North Atlantic and elsewhere, including campaigns designed by Charity Organisations that employ negative imagery to engender compassion and donations, rightly or wrongly; as well as harmful narratives in Hollywood movies.

 

Racial theories during the 14th to the early/mid 20th century, were  developed  and expounded, to explain  Africa’s seeming backwardness, barbarism, and incapacity to progress itself; under the premise that “not until Africans came in contact with an apparent ‘more able and advanced race’, did Africa experience progress and civilisation. The perception by ordinary Europeans during this period, perpetuated by the merchants, the European bourgeoisie, and newspaper articles, was that the predominant business, or lifestyle of Africans prior to the arrival  of  the Europeans  was that of savagery and chaos, which was ‘providentially’ fixed by the Europeans, bringing civilisation to a people for whom salvation was a key driver to success. The implication of this is a resulting sense of distrust/chasm amongst the North–South divide of Africans in Africa, Africans in the wider Global Diaspora, and how Africans perceive themselves, and their surroundings. Added to this is the 21st century requirement to implement ideologically western neoliberal reforms, which satisfies specific economic indices.

 

Pan African vloggers:

 

Given this, as part of their collective and bold ambition to show the good side of Africa to the world, youthful African vloggers are travelling across the length, and breadth of Africa, to create cohesion, change perceptions and expose some of the hidden luxuries across Africa, including the impressive landscape’s of Africa.

 

Famous for its endless open savanna, the open plains of the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater, Botswana’s Okavango Delta, Mount Kilimanjaro looming majestically on the horizon, the Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove and the Maasai Mara, Africa boasts unrivalled concentrations of exceptional terrains and sprawling landscapes dotted with rich culture and people.

 

 

WODE MAYA:

 

 

WODE MAYA (Berthold Kobina Ackon) can be classified as the modern day Ibn Battuta (this time with the added benefits of technology), documenting accounts of his journey through YouTube – showcasing the beauty (and opportunities) of the African continent.

 

Beyond well-funded international media houses, like the BBC, CNN, and Al Jazeera, WODE MAYA employs extraordinary journalistic talent, and positive enthusiasm in cataloguing the contemporary history, entrepreneurship and changes on the African continent.

 

One of MAYA’s primary project, amongst other interests, is to provide a single resource for aspiring travellers around the world, to share the hidden histories of far-flung destinations, dispelling stereotypes, and celebrating the rich/arcane cultures of the African continent – a roadmap (identifying niche hubs) criss-crossing the North + South, East + West side of the continent, and a message which resonates with us at SUCULTURE.

 

 

2NACHEKI, by MICHAEL OMARE:

 

 

2nacheki (pronounced tunacheki) meaning ‘We Are Watching’ (Africa is Watching) in the Swahili language. 2nacheki has been instrumental in showcasing hidden gems, history and resource, information and news that educates and informs on everything Africa.

 

2nacheki provides a different perspective, on news, and the African narrative.

 

For SUCULTURE, 2nacheki is a repository for African history.

 

 

TAYO AINA:

 

 

Tayo Aina is Nigerian–based, and through social media has embarked on documenting his African journey across 12 African countries, and counting – filming, interviewing and introducing the lifestyle, venture’s, and stories of the people, and African continent.

 

Through this, Tayo co-founded SPACEBOOK, a peer-to-peer marketplace for individuals and corporations to book residential and commercial spaces for events, holidays and short-lets in Africa.

 

Tayo also created ‘THE YOUTUBE CREATOR ACADEMY’; a comprehensive tool on YouTube SEO optimisation and strategy for young enterprising African’s.

 

 

FUNKE OGUNKOYA:

 

 

 

Funke Ogunkoya (‘Sassy Funke’) is a travel editor, and vlogger, and the creator of the travel journal ‘Sassy Funke’ on YouTube.

 

The “Sassy Funke” platform follows the travel adventures of Funke, and is a source of insight for aspiring travellers to Nigeria and the African continent.

 

Funke has also curated a guide on what to do when in Lagos, Nigeria. 

 

 

 

MISS TRUDY:

 

 

Kenyan born Miss Trudy, is one of the most enterprising and phenomenal African travel vloggers. Through her YouTube platform, Miss Trudy has shifted the perspective of a generation of Africans, and Africans in the diaspora, on the beauty of Africa, and the ease/opportunities of travel across the African continent. 

 

Trudy aims to elucidate and educate on the hidden parts of Africa, and has been instrumental in showcasing different cultures, creating a trend for Africans to tell their own stories.

 

 

 

FARHANA OBERSON:

 

 

 

Like Miss Trudy, Farhana Oberson is a Kenyan YouTube vlogger utilising her platform to unmask, and explore the interiors of the African continent.

 

Recently, Farhana Oberson embarked on an ambitious road trip, from Kenya to South Africa, (through Tanzania, Malawi, and Mozambique), documenting her travel experience. Her journal provides first-hand insights into the customs of each country including visa/travel restrictions, driving permits/restrictions and associated cost for the Kenya/South Africa road trip.

 

 

 

PRINCE DYNAST ABEFE ADEWALE AMIR:

 

 

Born in the United States, and working in corporate America, Prince Dynast Abefe Adewale Amir’s first visit to Africa was in 2011. In Search of Uhuru, Prince Amir, discovered that his ancestry was part Yoruba in Nigeria, part Balanta of the Guinea Bissau people and part Mende in Sierra Leone.

 

Prince Amir has not looked back since his initial visit, and is on a mission to see the Global Black Diaspora discover their African roots, and reconnect with the Africa continent.

 

Notably, Prince Dynast Abefe Adewale Amir has assisted, coordinated and facilitated the path to citizenship, in Sierra Leone, for African’s in the diaspora.

 

Prince Dynast Abefe Adewale Amir has also established an online marketplace ‘Ile’ Amir’ which incorporates African Art and Interior Design, the sale of Fabrics and Apparels, Artifacts and Antiques.

 

For his work, Prince Amir was recently recognised, and crowned Ọmọ Ọba in the kingdom of Ororuwo, Nigeria, Western Africa.

 

 

 

VANESSA KANBI:

 

 

Vanessa Kanbi is a Scottish/Ghanaian Presenter, Videographer & Podcaster. Vanessa catalogues her perspective’s about Ghana on YouTube.

 

Vanessa is a contributor for BBC Scotland, alongside the scripting and editing of films for BBC – The Social.

 

Vanessa is also among the inaugural 2021 class of partners for the #YouTubeBlack Voices program.

 

 

For insights into the story and travel experiences of each vlogger, the tourism, real estate, economic opportunities, and beauty of the African continent click on each image.

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