Images of Africa shown in the west are often a gross misrepresentation of real Africa. They often only show basic or poor living standards & conflicts, which of course are racists stereotypes
Despite the countless contributions of African culture to the world, including–fashion, technology, food, and more, the continent; which includes 53 countries, is still plagued by stereotypical images of extreme poverty, corrupt governments, and people living in jungles.
Africa is not the malnourished child, the war-stricken country, the untamed, under-developed continent. Africa is majestic. Africa is diverse. Africa’s beauty is unparalleled.
In the early hours of February 4, 1999, an unarmed 23-year-old immigrant named Amadou Diallo was fatally shot by four New York City Police Department and later claimed to have mistaken him for a rapist just because he was black. In 2020, George Perry Floyd Jr. died just because of black stereotypes and the list goes on and on.
In 2016, I met a woman at the Marital Mohamed International Airport on my way to Ghana and she said and I quote:
Africa is actually beautiful, I came here for the wild animals but on getting here, I have seen beautiful architectural works and lovely set of people. I am glad that I came.
I felt really sad that in 2016, someone was still thinking about Africa to be filled up with wild animals. Then again, I concluded that it was the stereotype that was speaking and not her and this singular incident gave birth to my 2017 School project titled: The Distorted Images Of The African Continent.
I know there is so much more to Africa than the poverty, ethnic wars, and the disease that the Western Media has been portraying. The world deserves to know there is something more about Africa beyond the stereotype. The results are too beautiful not to share. Find below some beautiful pictures of Africa shared online by different people online.
Sam Obi Olawale
