Demystifying Myths: The Hidden Truths About Africa

The many generalizations and fallacies perpetuated through popular culture and media about Africa are the very reason most people miss out on getting a realistic perception of the continent. In his 2001 speech in Goteborg, the then president of the United States of America, George W. Bush, remarked that “Africa is a nation that suffers from incredible disease, and it suffers from poverty, as well.” Yet, reducing the world’s second largest continent into a poor, single nation is not the only negative image portrayed about Africa. Yes, Africa has its fair share of challenges, but malnourished children, poverty, tribal wars, and corruption are not reflective of the continent. Thankfully, programs, such as the National Geographic have gone a long way in promoting the rich array of Africa’s biodiversity. Yes, Africa is not just what it has been made out to be! This article will shed light on the misconstrued ideologies about Africa by sharing some hidden truths about the continent.

Myth 1: Africa is One Big Village

Too often, people from outside Africa reduce the continent into a single country or, as some call it, one big village. Firstly, Africa is not a nation, and neither is it a village. As a matter of fact, Africa is the second-largest continent on the planet, comprising 54 independent countries. Each country has its own government, flag, currency, identity, and a wide range of cultures. Geographically, the continent is over 30.3 million square kilometres, hosting up to over 1.2 billion people. No village or single country suffices such dimensions!

It is even more impressive when you think about Africa linguistically. There are over 3000 ethnic groups and more than 2000 languages spoken in the continent. This is far beyond the 300 languages spoken in Europe, the world’s largest continent.

Myth 2: Africa is Poor

This is probably the most propagated misconception about Africa. Apparently, some people believe that a majority of Africans live in mud huts. While poverty is a significant problem facing most African countries, not every country in the continent is poor. According to the World Bank’s ranking of countries by nominal GDP in 2019, Nigeria stands at the 26th position. As an economy, therefore, Nigeria ranks higher than most of the top-performing countries in other continents, including the United Arab Emirates and Singapore. Notably, a significant volume of the world’s mineral and natural resources are sourced from Africa, including diamonds, bauxite, zirconium, cobalt, and platinum group metals.

Also, the ideology that Africans live in huts is way far-fetched. The rural areas where huts were the popular residential homes for some Africans are rapidly being overtaken by economic development. Travel into any rural region, and you will be surprised to find brick mansions and bungalows. And, yes, not every African is poor. Did you know that Aliko Dangote, a Nigerian tycoon, is the world’s richest black man? This is an example of the many billionaires there are in the continent, not forgetting the over 140,000 millionaires that top Africa's list of the rich.

Myth 3: Africa is Not Safe

The media reports have it that Africa is quite a dangerous and unsafe place to visit. Ironically, Africa is the second-fastest-growing tourism hub globally, with such countries as Mauritius, South Africa, Kenya, and Egypt taking the lead. Although some parts of the continent are potentially unsafe, that does not reflect Africa as a whole. Like any other continent, tourists are recommended to take customary safety measures when flying into an African country. Otherwise, Africa is safe, and you do not have to miss out on visiting some of the most serene parts of the planet out of the fear of insecurity. Explore Africa and have a glimpse of its unmatched beauty.

Myth 4: All Africans are Black

Africa is generally defined as a continent for black people, but that is partly true. Since the ancient days, immigrants from different corners of the world have settled in the continent, and their descendants have had it as their home. South Africa, for example, is home for over 4 million white Africans of European descent. There are also tens of thousands of white communities scattered all over Africa in countries like Kenya, Angola, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. This is sufficient proof that African is not a race.

Myth 5: Africans are Technologically Backward

The thought that Africa is technologically underdeveloped or backward is laughable. Surprisingly, some people in the continent have easy access to a smartphone than clean water and sanitation. According to a report by the African Development Bank and World Bank, about half of Africa’s population (650 million people) are active mobile phone users. This is way beyond the number of mobile users in Europe and the United States. Apparently, mobile phones in Africa are not just used for communication purposes. The banking and communication sectors in the continent have created innovations that utilize mobile phones as a tool for money transfer. Internet connectivity and penetration in Africa is also growing at a fast rate. Today, there are over 500 million internet users in Africa. Africa is also doing much better than other continents in terms of solar technology. In fact, the largest concentrated solar power plant in the world is located in Africa’s Sahara Desert.

Myth 6: Africa is Always Hot

Sahara Desert, the world’s largest desert, lies in Africa. This one fact has made many to generalize Africa as an extremely hot continent. Touring the continent will make you realize that Africa has some of the most dramatic climates globally. Both the southern and northern parts of the continent experience cold seasons, while monsoon conditions define the central part of Africa. Contrary to the myth, some countries like Morocco have ski resorts, following the snowfall and below-freezing temperatures experienced in the country.

Africa has pretty much to offer. If you have plans to visit the continent, consider doing objective research on your country of choice. Break the barriers by going beyond the myths and misconceptions propagated by media reports. If you have not yet been to Africa, there is much to look forward to!

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