Telling The African Story

One of the best ways to discover new ideas and people doing amazing things is through TedTalks. I have increased my knowledge of world issues from individuals from all walks of life. People are doing amazing work you might have never heard of so find a talk today.

On the journey of continual learning and education, I came across TedTalk from black speakers, and the one by Komla Dumour titled “Telling The African Story” was an eye-opener.

Who was Komla Dumor

Komla Dumor was a Ghanaian journalist working for the BBC and was the main presenter of Focus on Africa. A NEWS series that explores in detail African stories from people on the ground.

He was an icon recognized worldwide for his dressing style and the passion he showed when presenting the news. He enjoyed telling amazing African stories which he portrayed in his TedTalk.

He emphasized the importance of telling stories from individuals who have first-hand experience. The fisherman with 20 years of experience will be better able to tell you the impact of global warming in his area than someone sitting at a desk.

At the end of his TedTalk, he left the audience with a quote. “Until the Lion learns to write, every story will glorify the hunter”. This was a call to all Africans to take the initiative to tell stories about themselves instead of leaving them to others. This call is partly the reason for creating this blog. Sharing the works of people on and off the continent who are doing amazing work to help Africa Rise.

In 2014, Komla passed away at the age of 41. The BBC launched the Komla Dumor Award to honour his legacy and award outstanding individuals living and working in Africa who are using strong journalism skills to tell African stories.