beautiful and great continent on paper. However, in reality, the narrative is
completely different due to the negative perception many within and outside the
continent have about Africa.
These falsehoods, myths and perception, which have been
peddled for decades are now believed to be true. In fact, very few people bother
to check the veracity of some of the things said about the
continent.
Jumia Trave shares widely erroneous beliefs about Africa.
Referring to
Africa as a country
This is one of the popular myths about the
continent. When an event happens in Congo or Kenya, it is reported as if it
occurred in the whole continent that is affected. Africa has regions (South
Africa, West Africa, East Africa and Central Africa) as well as countries. So,
Africa is not one country.
Africa is unsafe for tourism
From
the Masai Mara park in Kenya to the Yankari Games Reserve in Nigeria and the
beautiful beaches of Cape Verde and Zanzibar, tourists visits in their numbers.
Hence, saying Africa is unsafe for tourism is untrue. Africa is a lovely
paradise, so come visit.
Africa is a disease-ridden
continent
Well, it may be difficult to convince someone about this myth
following the outbreak of Ebola which killed scores in Sierra Leone, Guinea and
Liberia last year. Regardless, Africa is not a diseased ridden continent as
widely believed.
Africans live in a mud hut without electricity
You will be shocked that certain people still believe that Africans live in
mud houses without electricity, on trees and that the people are not civilised.
Well, Africa is a cosmopolitan continent.
Africa is technologically
challenged
Some African countries have limited access to technology,
which is not unusual. At the same time, there are few countries that are
technologically savvy. But every country has people who are innovative and
creative. Africa is no different. It is, therefore, noteworthy; to say that
there is now a steady increase in internet and mobile penetration, tech firms
and businesses see Africa as a viable investment destination and tech hubs are
emerging in different parts of the continent. Hence, Africa a growing tech
hub.
Africa is a dangerous place
Africa is not a war zone.
Although there are pockets of violence in some regions, it is not enough to
declare Africa as a dangerous place.
Africa is poor
You must
have heard this quote that an average African lives on less than a dollar a day.
Today, in Nigerian naira, a dollar is worth between N350 and N400. The fact is
there is a growing middle class in Africa and they do not survive on a dollar.
