The world seems to be plunging into deeper terror every day. Terror groups like ISIS and Boko Haram are wreaking havoc and the situation in Syria could escalate and spark a third world war. When France was attacked the whole of Europe stood behind the nation in solidarity and this raised the ire of some people who seemed perturbed by the fact that French lives seem to matter more that the lives of people in Syria, Nigeria or Iraq.
The coverage of tragic events in Paris highlight the fact that we as people of Africa need to take charge of our own narratives instead of being outraged the way the story was covered. We might point fingers at Europeans for hypocrisy but the truth is that we are also hypocritical because we are not standing by one another and we are not holding to account the leaders of our nations for the dangerous situation they have created.
The major challenge I have with the discontent narrative is that it did not investigate why our leaders in the political and media sphere did not rise to the challenge of rallying Africans to stand with Nigeria. Why do we need CNN and Facebook to speak on our behalf in order to feel like our lives matter?
The discontent in the narrative is understandable but our energy is directed at the wrong place. The questions we should be asking is why are we not standing in solidarity against Boko Haram, Al Shabab and other terror group. Should we be pointing at western media and Facebook? Or should we be asking why are our leaders and the media complacent about a threat that is not only a problem for Nigeria and Somalia but will escalate because a number of dynamics are at play within the continent and these should be addressed so that we do not add further to a perilous situation.
The world is filled with injustice but until Africa begins to own its narrative and not expect a seal of approval from CNN or Facebook to know that lives in Nigeria, Cameroon, Mali, and Somalia matter.
The coverage of tragic events in Paris highlight the fact that we as people of Africa need to take charge of our own narratives instead of being outraged the way the story was covered. We might point fingers at Europeans for hypocrisy but the truth is that we are also hypocritical because we are not standing by one another and we are not holding to account the leaders of our nations for the dangerous situation they have created.
The major challenge I have with the discontent narrative is that it did not investigate why our leaders in the political and media sphere did not rise to the challenge of rallying Africans to stand with Nigeria. Why do we need CNN and Facebook to speak on our behalf in order to feel like our lives matter?
The discontent in the narrative is understandable but our energy is directed at the wrong place. The questions we should be asking is why are we not standing in solidarity against Boko Haram, Al Shabab and other terror group. Should we be pointing at western media and Facebook? Or should we be asking why are our leaders and the media complacent about a threat that is not only a problem for Nigeria and Somalia but will escalate because a number of dynamics are at play within the continent and these should be addressed so that we do not add further to a perilous situation.
The world is filled with injustice but until Africa begins to own its narrative and not expect a seal of approval from CNN or Facebook to know that lives in Nigeria, Cameroon, Mali, and Somalia matter.