On my flight today I came across a similarly titled article in Msafiri (Kenya Airways in-flight magazine). I couldn’t resist picking a few inspirational pieces from it.
Ben Okri- An African Elegy
We are the miracle that God Made
To taste the bitter fruit of time
We are precious
And one day our suffering
Will turn into wonders of the earth
BRAND AFRICA
Africa has not been proactive in combating the negative images of the continent until very recently, says Thebe Ikalafeng, CEO of one of Africa’s most dynamic branding agencies, Brand Leadership, based in South Africa.
” We have allowed others to monopolise our story to such an extent that we have begun to see ourselves in those images. We have come to believe that we are indeed as powerless and backwards as we are portrayed. This is sheer nonsense. We have to regain our confidence and tell our story in our own words and images. We must stop looking for validation from outside. We need to take a unified approach to brand Africa, because what hurts one, hurts all.”
Look at the car being advertised, Africa, aren't we worth it all?
As a brand Africa has everything, fabolous landscapes, seascapes, unlimited resources, wonderful towns and cities, am astoundingly rich and diverse culture and fabolous people. We have to believe in what we have and what we are, not how others would want us to see ourselves. India and China have more poor people than Africa combined, but what image do they project? They project success, technology, growth, culture, wonderful scenery and entertainment. They have taken control of their own image.
My challenge today and for this year, is what image will I portray of my country and ultimately my continent? The choice is mine and the consequences whether positive or negative, mine alone as well.
Fly high people!
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