Stop the defamation of Africa by the media

Keji Ojelade

I was very appalled with the disturbing picture of the Nigerian man pasted in the Feb. 24 issue of the Daily.

It was illustrated that this guy was a polio victim of which I have no doubt.

However, what really annoyed me is how the image of the whole African continent has been continually presented to the America society in outrageous and disgusting ways.

It is very hard to read any good news about Africa in the U.S. media.

Most of the things I ever learned from the U.S. about Africa is how the whole continent is full of war-hungry striking people, people living on the trees, oppression and so on, just to name few.

On the other hand, the news meant to be good news ends with more negative concepts and reminders of how bad the African continent is.

I personally have been living in the U.S. for a while.

And after years of living in the U.S., I have been exposed to a lot of things that I would not have, if I had not been living here in the U.S.

I came to Iowa from Maryland, and I’m very familiar with D.C. and Maryland, Virginia suburbs.

I’ve been to Dupont Circle, Union Station, Downtown, etc.

I’ve seen how the homeless people live, and their condition is even worse than that of the Africans.

I did not go about sending homeless pictures to my friends and family back in Nigeria.

What I’m trying to say is that there is no perfect place in this world.

Even this great nation we called America.

What are we trying to achieve with the picture of this poor guy?

Haven’t we learned enough about the negative aspects of Africa?

Why not move on now to the other side?

Let us show U.S society the positive side of Africa; please stop being too one-sided.

Not that I deny the uneasiness that Africa is facing; so is the whole world.

However, Africa also has a tremendous amount of things to learn from, instead of digging all over for the dirt.

I know some morons are ready to have a verbal war with me, and some will even go as far as telling me to “go back to Africa.”

Please, though, before you say anything that I haven’t heard before, search yourself and people around you first and decide if everything around you is perfect.

Then I’ll be glad to hear whatever you have to say.

Without further ado, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

Stop the defamation of Africa!


Keji Ojelade

Junior

Elementary education