AfriComms Africa held the primary Communication Africa Summit in Accra as a part of its ongoing efforts to reclaim Africa’s narrative house and reposition the continent in world discourse.
The summit introduced collectively communications specialists, diplomats, lecturers, journalists, filmmakers, coverage makers, and digital creators to debate methods to develop Africa’s narrative and reshape the continent’s position within the world dialog.
Discussions centered round shared considerations over years of misrepresentation about Africa and the pressing want for Africans to take accountability for the way their tales are shared, acquired and understood around the globe.
Audrey Gazekpo, Professor of Communication, College of Ghana
Reclaiming Africa’s Narrative Identification
Professor Audrey Sitzfe-Gazekpo of the Ghanaian College of Communications, in a speech titled “Proudly owning Africa’s Story,” stated the summit was a historic alternative to reshape the world’s view of Africa and reposition the continent throughout the world communications community.
She famous that Africa has usually been represented by means of detrimental Western narratives formed by colonial literature, world media protection, and long-standing stereotypes that persistently emphasize poverty, battle, and instability.
Professor Gazekpo warned that the dominance of a “single narrative” about Africa distorts the continent’s actuality, erases its range and complexity, and reinforces world energy imbalances that affect how Africa is considered and engaged.
He additional defined that these narratives have psychological and financial impacts, influencing self-perceptions inside African societies, whereas shaping funding flows, policy-making and worldwide engagement.
Professor Gazekpo highlighted the rising influence of synthetic intelligence on world communication programs and warned that new applied sciences may unintentionally reinforce present biases if African views, datasets and governance buildings usually are not correctly built-in of their creation and use.
The way forward for African storytelling should subsequently embrace not solely media reform, but in addition energetic participation in shaping the digital and technological programs that more and more outline the world’s narrative, she pressured.
Pastor Joyce Alley Government Director of Salt and Gentle Ministries
Looking for possession of the continent’s story
Communications for Social Change Advocates; Togbe Kwasini Kakakuro Agyeman Vurged Africans to take full possession of their tales and emphasised that communication stays a vital drive in shaping perceptions, affect and improvement outcomes throughout the continent.
He stated communication shouldn’t be handled as a tender or secondary talent, however as a strategic instrument that instantly influences funding flows, institutional credibility, coverage path and nationwide improvement trajectories.
He stated how Africa is represented in world and regional discussions has a direct influence on financial alternatives, repute and the way the continent engages with worldwide companions.
He famous that communication extends past formal media practices to on a regular basis expressions, behaviors and cultural identities, emphasizing that each particular person performs a task in shaping the narrative.
Togbe Kwasini Kakakuro Agyeman V known as for telling extra intentional tales that replicate Africa’s dignity, complexity and reality, moderately than simplistic or externally outlined narratives.
He additional inspired communicators to undertake a extra deliberate and strategic method to storytelling that positions Africa as an energetic producer of data, concepts and world affect.
Dialog chief and communicator as improvement advocate Georgina Asare Fiagbenu
Dialog Lead requires community-driven storytelling
Dialog chief and communicator for improvement advocates; Georgina Asare Fiagbenustated the summit was born out of a shared imaginative and prescient to strengthen the best way Africans inform their tales and construct a related group of communicators throughout the continent.
She defined that communication professionals should transcend on a regular basis messaging and tackle better accountability to encourage, educate and form narratives that replicate Africa’s true id.
In response to her, digital platforms have enabled people throughout Africa to affect the worldwide narrative, and communication is not restricted to conventional media and public relations.
He famous that the summit additionally goals to problem stereotypes about Africa, similar to perceptions of professionalism and establishments, by demonstrating excellence in execution.
She known as for sustained cooperation amongst communicators throughout Africa by means of continued engagement, information sharing and cross-border studying.
Georgina Asare Fiagbenu additional emphasised that African storytelling shouldn’t be outlined solely by challenges, however ought to replicate innovation, resilience, creativity and alternative.
AfriComms Africa as a motion, not only a discussion board
Worldwide communication strategist, Will Comeydescribed the summit as a “household gathering” of African communicators, emphasizing the deep skilled and private connections amongst contributors.
He mirrored on the shared tutorial {and professional} journeys which have formed the communication area throughout the continent.
In response to him, AfriComms Africa isn’t just a dialogue discussion board, however a sustained motion geared toward reshaping Africa’s narrative by means of constant engagement, campaigning and collective motion.
He pressured that the initiative seeks to transcend dialogue by selling measurable outcomes that can influence how Africa is seen globally.
Mr. Ville Comey additionally emphasised the significance of sustained cooperation amongst African communicators throughout borders, establishments and sectors.
He known as for energetic engagement on digital platforms and continued information sharing, stressing that the last word objective is coordinated storytelling that redefines Africa’s world picture.
Okiame Kwame: Africa should have its personal id story
Ghanaian musician and activist Okiyame Kwame – The Better of Okiyame Kwame He known as on Africans to reaffirm their cultural id and reject narratives that undermine African heritage and self-identification.
He argued that discussions about Africa’s improvement should start with delight in Africa’s personal id, values and establishments, moderately than comparisons that place the continent in a continuing state of deficit.
He defined that African id is layered, from household to tribe to group to nation to continent, and pressured that storytelling must replicate this deep-rooted sense of belonging.
In response to him, African narratives are sometimes formed by means of inherited colonial frameworks that affect perceptions of professionalism, faith, training and tradition.
He challenged long-standing prejudices that portrayed African conventional establishments and beliefs as inferior, arguing that such framing distorts cultural belief and understanding.
Citing private reflections, he famous that African cultural practices are sometimes misrepresented, whereas comparable practices are revered and commercialized in different areas.
He additionally pointed to inconsistencies within the world therapy of cultural and sacred websites, the place comparable pure options are revered in different areas however ignored within the African context.
Okiame Kwame additional emphasised that the challenges for African storytelling usually are not solely exterior but in addition inner, noting that insecurity in African id is a serious barrier to progress.
He argued that communication efforts alone won’t be sufficient except Africans first settle for and worth their heritage, traditions and worldview.
He concluded by urging communicators to rethink whether or not African narratives proceed to replicate exterior ideologies or are reimagined from genuine African experiences and realities.
A continental platform to vary the narrative
The Communication Africa Summit is anticipated to function a long-term platform for collaboration amongst African communicators with the intention of strengthening storytelling programs and amplifying genuine African voices throughout world media and digital areas.
