Africa to an African

Quiz: How many countries do we have in Africa? (Answer will be at the end of the post).

When people think about Africa, especially those that haven’t been, I often wonder what comes to mind. Over the years, there have been different perspectives about what Africa truly is like, with mostly, the negative and weird standing our front and center. While acknowledging that every continent has its share of the unusual, and the weird, Africa is so much more than all of that.

While we have often as Africans had to shrug off the sometimes — unfair descriptions and wrong views of our continent, here at Okikisola, we have decided to do some more. We have decided it’s time to share our Africa with you — not just the bad, but all the unique beauty and splendour that the African continent represents, from the food to the fashion and lifestyle.

I reached out to a few Africans based in the diaspora, to ask what they think about Africa. Here are a few views including mine, but will definitely share more as we move along:

“Africans are happy people but highly undervalued”. — Tife of @Okikisola

“Africa is a society where people hustle and work hard, but the society finds new ways to make life harder for its people” — Ngozi, Nigerian/Canadian Dentist, and Youtuber (IG: @theamadasuns)

“When I think about Africa, I think about its amazing food, rich culture, and discipline”. — Moyo, Creative Director (IG: @brandsbydesiree)

“A continent that is well documented; blessed with resources, but we lack good leadership. The continent has refused to move on from the things that affected us in the past” — Femi, Customer Success Advisor.

“Africa might be known for its sight-seeing but for me, it’s more than that. It is the land where humanity is priceless, and unity is limitless in time of need. Despite your background, religious belief, or status, every single person comes together and reaches out for the sake of helping and bringing each human to a decent way of living. The African community is the synonym of warmth, conviviality, and a very family-oriented spirit that I have never seen before, where everyone is embraced without prejudice or expectation in return”. — Asmaa (Morocco).

“I think of people who are luminous and vivacious. We have beautiful, dynamic landscapes and sceneries. We are a continent filled with people who approach each day with a unique sense of humour. When I think of Africa, I think of life, energy, and vigour”. — Dara (Cotonou)

“I see a teenager with so much talent and capacity for greatness but rather than take responsibility for her future, she has decided in the continuous blame of her adopted parents that was filled with hardship, intimidation, and segregation”. — Efe (Ghana)

“I believe it is underappreciated by its people and misused by others” — Onyeka (Nigeria).

When you think about Africa even if you have never been, what comes to mind? We would like to know.

Quiz Answer: 54

Related posts:

Youth sports can be both fun and competitive. While competition can be healthy, it can also create immense pressure on young athletes. It’s important to understand how to deal with this pressure to…

I just found out the hard way that you cannot use *.dev domains in Google Chrome, otherwise it will redirect you to the HTTPS version of the site. There is good reason for this, .dev is a real TLD…

I will sum this article up in 1 sentence. If you judge people for color, sexuality, gender identity, status or religious preference you are an ass hole. This morning I had a conversation that ignited…