Moky Makura, Executive Director of African No Filter, acknowledges the impact of the diaspora on the African narrative, in her latest opinion piece for bird story agency.
by Moky Makura
I am on a WhatsApp group with a bunch of friends who mainly live in London. We
are all women (not that it matters) and all Nigerian (which does). We message each
other about new restaurants, shows, small businesses and anything we see that is
run by, or about Africans in London. Someone recently posted about an Igbo running
club in London! Who knew? But I digress.
Something struck me recently about what and how we post in that group. Our small,
everyday decisions to choose and support ‘Africa’ are acts of cultural preservation,
and they are quietly turning the tide of global culture and fuelling Africa’s global
moment.
But often it’s the headlines about high profile Africans that grab all the attention and
make it look like they are driving this agenda. Burna Boy’s sold-out concerts, Lupita
Nyong’o’s new podcast, Idris Elba’s plans for a smart city in Sierra Leone or John
Boyega’s deal with Netflix to produce African films. But who is attending, listening,
watching, buying, eating, recommending and wearing… African?
Yep, it’s us.
By embracing our roots diasporans are not just tearing down old stereotypes, they
are helping to building a new vision of Africa - one that’s compelling, relevant and
globally inclusive.
And there is a lot we have to offer the world culturally. Afrobeats is a global
phenomenon, Nollywood is watched worldwide, African designers are lighting up
runways, our writers are winning prestigious awards, our artists are trending on the
global art scene and African restaurants are popping up all over major cities in the
global North.
It shouldn’t be a surprise then that a recent African No Filter (ANF) study confirmed
that many Africans in the diaspora stay connected to their heritage through food,
music, and language, despite often facing marginalization abroad. Many dream of
returning home to help drive progress. But that dream is often dampened by
frustration with Africa’s slow pace of change.
They may not yet be ready to move back, but they are sending their money home.
Diaspora remittances to Africa now surpasses foreign direct investment (FDI) and
official development aid (ODA) at $100 billion annually.
And it’s not just money flowing back. The diaspora is coming home in person, too.
Ethiopia launched the "Generation Ethiopians Homecoming" program aimed at
encouraging Ethiopians living abroad to return to their homeland as part of an effort
to strengthen ties with the diaspora. Festivals like Uganda’s Nyege Nyege and
Nigeria’s “Detty December” draw thousands of diasporans back every year to
experience contemporary African culture. They stay in hotels, eat and drink out and shop at local markets leaving behind more than just their footprints. Studies show that each tourism dollar can generate up to $2 in additional economic activity.
Ghana’s "Year of Return "initiative which targeted African Americans and the broader
diaspora, raked in about $1.9 billion in tourism revenue.
So, to all the Africans in the diaspora who keep supporting their home team. We see
you. We acknowledge you. We thank you for shifting the narrative about Africa one
small act at a time.
_Moky Makura is the Executive Director at Africa No Filter, an advocacy organisation
that is shifting stereotypical narratives about Africa through storytelling that reflects a
dynamic continent of progress, innovation and opportunity._
bird story agency
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