Afrikan Goddess (AG) Online

Chioma and Oluchi Ogwuegbu are two remarkable sisters who have embarked on a journey of discovery, adventure and thirst for first-hand knowledge. What better evidence is there than to see it with one’s own eyes, experience it with one's own senses and experience it with one's own sense of caution? The Ogbwuegbu sisters are on a mission to travel the continent of Africa, and at each stop they take time to blog about their experiences, bring us pictures of what they see, stop to chat with the locals to get a sense of the people’s traditions and customs. To date they have explored seven countries on the West Coast of Africa.

To get a good sense of adventure, the Ogbwuegbu sisters travel by road. Their intent is to promote the beauty of the African continent and to celebrate that beauty through the culture of the people, their languages and religions. In return, they hope the African people can forge a sense of renewed identity and unity.

Chioma sees African as the most exciting continent on earth. Oluchi sees the continent for its vast beauty. Just like many in the media, they are using sense of vision to drive home their message by contrasting “The Real Africa?” with “The Real Africa!” A quote pulled from their website gives a vivid description of what the majority view of Africa is now:

“the Dark Continent, even to this day! It’s unknowable; it’s stuck in the era before light, before television, before anything good. It reeks with waste from pit latrines. It’s filled with animals that are worth seeing, and humans that are worth shooing away! It’s a blank page upon which anyone can write their fantasies. It’s the place lovers of “authenticity” can travel through without noticing anything that disturbs their fantasies.”

If you could reconstruct this paragraph based on how you see Africa through your eyes, how would you word it?

The Western media will show you this picture:

The Ogbuegbu sisters will show you this»:

Which one represents the Real Africa? and the Real Africa!  

Chioma and Oluchi Ogbwuegbu are the founders of Celebrate Africa, and they are dedicated to  doing just that - celebrating African and changing the way we view the continent - in all its splendor and beauty!

Bisi Fagbohun and Mavis Kubi are the driving forces behind Africa in Demand (AID).

Mavis is a Ghanaian by birth and came to the United States as a teenager, and Bisi is a born US citizen who spent a number of years in Nigeria where her parents originate. Nunu Wako is a former co-host of the show and an Ethiopian by birth.

The ladies of AID are just as peeved as many Africans are at how the Western Media portrays the continent. And they have set out to set the record straight with a television production. “In the people’s eyes outside of Africa, we are worthless. But to us, we are that diamond in the rough … A large percentage of your diamonds, oil, grains, you name it, comes from Africa. But none of that is highlighted” says Nunu Wako. She sees Africa as a beautiful place full of natural resources and blessings, beautiful landscapes and potential tourist goldmines.

Africa in Demand seeks to “give the proper information through our eyes that reveals the strengths and also the weaknesses of Africa,” says Mavis Kubi. What she sees through her eyes is what she has seen on her visits to Ghana and pictures from other parts of the continent and in her eyes, an Africa that is “beautiful and fantastic. The people are educated, live in beautiful houses and have a very rich culture.”

Ultimately, Bisi sees Africa “becoming a challenge once the resources start to grow.” She sees lots of potential in Africa.

The ladies collectively bemoan the fact that the Western media is bent on focusing on Africa’s flaws and problems and neglecting to balance out the negative with the positive.

Africa in Demand (“AID”) is an online television series that seeks to promote everything Africa – from entertainment to fashion to politics – everything!

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Does this feature seek to portray the African continent as a perfect continent devoid of its share of problems? No. It is meant to educate and to inform. To bring about awareness to the fact that Africa is more than wars, poverty, hungry-looking people and AIDs. As I’ve interacted with men and women from various African countries I have come to know one thing for certain binds us together: That we share a common willingness and readiness to fight the negativity surrounding the African continent.

Online Resources:

This is my Africa

Ghana Star News: January 2007 Issue;
Amabel Niba shows Other Africa

Afrikan Goddess Online: February 2010 Issue;
Amabel Niba: Driven by a Passion to Rebrand Africa

Celebrate Africa

Africa in Demand

Print Resources:

Jton Magazine: Winter 2009 issue (print version)

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