We'll, I thought that when we celebrate World Aids Day it is supposed to be about how people and communities around the world are surviving the throes of death and suffering in the face of a new world order. Also, I thought World Aids day was supposed to be World Aids Day and not Africa Aids Day. Don't dare you tell me that it is because Africa accounts for the bulk of folks suffering from the disease for which the media now spends hours showing citizens in shams and slums all over the place. True, the vast majority of infections and deaths from Aids today are taking place in Africa. India and China come next to Africa Vis a Vis the challenges posed by HIV/AIDS. I have not seen anything about India since i started watching the Aids commemoration events on TV, between November 30th and December 1st. naturally, the world's attention should be focused on Africa. It is there that things, sometimes, don't look so good.
On the same score, isn't it time that we look seriously at what causes poverty, illiteracy and other factors which engender the climate that breeds diseases like HIV/AIDS, malaria etc. Does anyone know the answers to unemployment, illiteracy, the suppression of the press in Africa? Does anyone know that you can take education to a place where none exists? Does anyone understand that Cameroon is a democracy and that it is currently engaged in a dispute with Nigeria over a tiny oil rich territory called the bakassi peninsular? Is someone going to get involved, report these stories to the world and really help before the next war ensues in that part of the world.
You can only fight problems with solutions and not empty media coverage and bland responses from a few well place sources. I watched a CNN interview with Magic Johnson and how he is fighting the disease since going public in 1991 and it was inspirational. Can Africa learn from Magic's story? Certainly YES. Africa needs more stories of inspiration and not stories of slums and desperation.
How about we ask the media to focus on tourism and activities which might invite investors to pump money into Africa and help with unemployment issues. Don't dare you tell me that Africans are corrupt and that they will mismanage every cent put at their disposal. The time for negative rhetoric about Africa has come and gone.
How about someone starts to show that Africans are capable, that Africa is about 53 independent nations and not represented only in Zimbabwe, Somalia and Darfur. Does anyone in the US media know this?
How about we look at a thriving tourism industry in Tanzania, the rising stock market in South Africa, Tunisia, Kenya and Nigeria. How about someone takes their digital cameras and blackberries and go down to lecture halls around African universities and see what students are doing to change their lives and their countries. How about someone goes to an African restaurant and savor some real home made African dish and forget about the images of "Feed the Children" that we see on US television each day. Isn't that the kind of progress that we all want?
George Bamu
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