By Adeniyi Ifetayo
Perception like they say is everything, it determines how we are perceived. Marketing the African Continent to the rest of the world has over decades been a daunting challenge as negative stories and narratives have continued to dominate the media space thereby portraying the continent and its potentials for strength and growth in bad light.
This negative narrative by western media has cost Africa economies $4.2 billion dollars annually according to a recent study posted on instagram page of earn your leisure.
Even more worrisome, Africans themselves are purveyors of these negative aspects about the continent to the rest of the world in the name of making movies, story telling and others. Narrative of diseases, corruption, bad leadership, war, poverty and hunger dominated the media space about the continent.
These narratives inadvertently or advertently portray African to the rest of the world as a miserable environment in films and propagating negative stereotypes as a nest of poverty and problem thereby undermine the continent potentials and scare would be investors on the continent rather than projecting it huge and abundant potentials across sectors such as economic, Agriculture, tourism, culture and also harnessing it huge population.
However, peeved, by the negative narratives about the continent, His Royal Majesty, the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, and his wife, the Queen Consort of Warri Kingdom, Olori Atuwatse III, founded the ‘Elevate Africa’ project to change and promote positive narratives about the continent.
It is worthy to note that part of the mission statement is to Elevate Africa’s self image and global perception, fostering a dignified and collaborative Africa that stands proud of the global state.
To spotlight and empower a new generation of Africa leaders and indigenous solutions for shared African issues, enhancing collaboration within and beyond the continent to drive socio-economic advancement and narrative transformation.
Setting the tone for the two days robust ‘Convening’, attracted notable personalities not only from the Africa continent but across the globe, the vision bearer of Elevate Africa, the Queen Consort of Warri Kingdom, Olori Atuwatse III, harped on the power of storytelling and how it impacts in shaping and portraying who we are as a person and continent.
Olori in her speech presentation before guests and personalities noted that despites daunting challenges confronting the African continent a ‘convening’ of the best brains across the continent can begin to cross fertilize ideas with the sole aim of proffering solutions in addressing Africa challenges.
She further stressed that the event was not just a gathering of eggheads but a platform that will stimulate and challenge minds to be innovative and find African ideas, African solutions in solving issues across education, gender equality, economic growth, decent work and climate action.
She posited, ‘One Nation cannot thrive alone. Elevate Africa is Pan-African because history has shown that our divisions are our downfall, “When Africans unites, Africa wins.” We elevate not a country, but a people—a people not bound by the commonwealth of their problems but a people bound by potential and destiny.
“And so in Elevate Africa we want to crowdsource ideas, fund solutions and showcase Africans’ brilliance. For years, we’ve been itching to do something to change the narrative about Africa, but we didn’t just wait around. We started right in our community and scaled up from there.
“The moments where we find hidden gems like the 24 year visually impaired innovator in our kingdom, peace oghenetejire, who invented a tech solution for blind people to read eBooks! These moments where we find the undiscovered light in our people are electric, they’re not just life changing for the individuals, it creates a ripple effect that touches countless others around them.
“Through the work we do, it has become obvious that we need dedicated home-grown spaces across Africa and its diaspora to incubate ideas, to proffer solutions to our regional problems and to tell our stories. We need to tell our stories – not just the stories of African outliers and unicorns but of everyday innovators making a difference.
“Elevate Africa is not just a mission, elevate Africa is not just a movement, elevate Africa is a mandate: TO ELEVATE AFRICA! It is a call to action. It is time to elevate our solutions and reclaim our stories. It is time for Africans to show the world just how brilliant, innovative and unstoppable we are as a people in Africa.
“Our organization stands on three transformative pillars: Convenings, Fellowships, and Media. All three will work together to promote African solutions to African problems. Our Convenings such as this will gather the brightest minds from across the continent and its diaspora – government leaders, CEOs, community builders, tech innovators, social changemakers. We are not to chase titles we are chasing impact. Our focus is on great ideas and even greater actions. This isn’t just another dialogue, our convening are a breeding ground for solutions.
Expressing strong optimism on the program noted, “In years to come, it is our hope that the solutions and stories from our three agencies will make life much more prosperous for Africans everywhere. It is our hope that A boy in Ethiopia will know without a doubt that he’s just as valued and worthy as his counterpart in any global city. A researcher in Chad will have access to the tools to do groundbreaking work. We’re here to do our part in making that a reality”.
Apparently corroborating the submission of Olori Atuwatse III, the co-convener behind the project, the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwaste III gave historical and spiritual perspective on the potential that God has blessed the continent and noted that what is expected for Africa is to harness all the God given potentials to the continent.
The Majesty in speech posited, “God has perfectly set up this African continent for greatness and success. 7 great & mighty rivers. Two of them in this country.
Look for Part (2)
Continuing story
Championing new narratives, identity, through Eelevate Africa project (2)