Questions About Africa

PLEASE allow me space in your democratic newspaper to express my dissatisfaction with the way the print, electronic and other forms of media report about issues in Africa. I would like to hear from historians and other people who are knowledgeable in the field of African history.

One would read and hear that Ghana was the first African country to be independent. Really? What about other African countries like Sudan and Liberia which were already independent before Ghana in 1957. Are they not African enough? Who are true Africans, and which countries do they currently occupy?Secondly, one would read and hear that Robert Mugabe, the current President of Zimbabwe, has been a president since 1980. Actually, the late Reverend Canan Banana was the first president while Mugabe was a Prime Minister.Thirdly, one would read and hear that Namibia and Zimbabwe share a common border. This is a complete fallacy because if the two countries share a common border, then Botswana and Zambia would not. Zambia and Botswana do share a proper common border.Fourthly, one would hear from African leaders and the media saying ALL African countries are now free. What about Saharawi (Saharawi Arab Democractic Republic)?Here are some questions I would like to pose to other readers and ‘researchers’. 1) Which country is the leading producer of uranium in Africa? 2) Is the Kingdom of Swaziland found in South Africa? 3) Which African country has the best education? 4) How many countries/ nations are in Africa? Why is the number not constant? 5) What are the capital cities of the following African countries – Tanzania, Nigeria, Morroco, South Africa? I hope and pray that one day the media will write and stick to the truth instead of blaming other continents for all the misinformation. Concerned African Windhoek