Where are the African speakers?

This blog has been triggered by the numerous emails I get every day about the apparent lack of African speakers prepared to come forward to talk about certain industries at Africa-focused events.

I attend many events in Africa and around the world and my exasperation is growing because I struggle to find African speakers capable of representing the continent effectively, apart from the usual faces we see at every event, and they are few and usually from the USA or part of the International Development world. As for African women in ICT, they are very hard to find.

So I am wondering, why is it that African people are not stepping forward? What is the problem? Is it a lack of confidence? A lack of visibility? Is it their fault? Do they not know how to speak? Or are they overshadowed by what we might call ‘friends of Africa’ or by Afro-Americans who left Africa 20 years ago and now have little direct contact with Africa. This is not to be critical of Afro-Americans — they are part of the Diaspora, have links in Africa and could have much to say if they engage more regularly with the grassroots — or other ‘outsiders’ with a passion for the continent, but I believe that we should also be able to find some Made-in-Africa speakers. Surely there are eloquent Africans capable of telling their stories. Storytelling is in their blood. From a young age, Africans are surrounded by amazing stories that can be shared with a wide audience to vibrant and inspiring effect, even changing people’s lives.

I am sure if we look hard enough within the continent we will find that we have vibrant young Africans who are dying to have their voices heard. If empowered, supported and trained to take the stage, Africans can tell their stories better than anyone else, whether it be about mobile technologies, ICT development, international development or other areas of the economy and business. It’s time they emerged from behind the scenes and stopped being overshadowed by Corporate Americans, or the ‘lovers of Africa’ who take all the credit for their hard work. African People need to get more visibility as a matter of urgency. Some are already making a name for themselves — Jessica Colaco Mobile Technology Evangelist from Kenya and London-based Nkeiru Joe to name but two. And I have been following others on social networking platforms like Twitter and Facebook. I have also identified a few speakers on my Best of Africa list on Twitter. But I am sure we can find more. So, I’m appealing to any Africans out there who have an exciting story to tell, who want to learn how to stand up with confidence or who already know how to speak in front of an audience, to step forward and share their experience with us.

You can always email me you know! I will do my best to help!

Rethinking Africa

“Africa is the home of limitless potential, feel free to dream and together we will make it happen”

Africa will host its first International tournament this year 2010. Millions of people are expected to fly in the continent and to discover the beauty, the humanity and smell of it. No African nation has done this before therefore this opportunity will put Africa in the spot light. Visibility is expected at its highest.

It’s also an opportunity to Rethink Africa. South Africa is one portion of Africa with its population reaching the 50 million out of 1billion people living in the continent, a very poor country still where unemployment is extremely high and income inequality has almost created racial discrimination between Blacks and Whites. Women are still raped violently, reduced to nothing, polygamy and violence are still an actuality in South Africa.

South Africa is not Africa; there are many other countries in Africa that by 2020 can hold an International tournament as this grandeur. Yes lots of work needs to be done to achieve that but with reserve certainty, it could happen. This mean that in the next 10 years we must work hard to build necessary infrastructures, stabilise our governments, invest in ICT, help Africans with sustainable applied educational programs that will create jobs and reduce poverty.

Africa is not poor, but 70% of the continent is poorly administered, governed with individuals that want to remain in power for centuries, fear to loose wealth, and good “life”. They have forgotten their noble mission in society and just thinking of themselves and their entourages.

I always say that Education is Key to Africa development, we must teach governments to be accountable, reliable and responsible. They have been elected to serve their people, therefore must serve with Dignity! When a mandate has been served, another elected government must take over. Governments aren’t family businesses and we must know this. They have earn the vote of that poor woman in the village therefore must have the decency to deliver what they have promised. African governments need to be taught basic lessons of humans’ rights. 2010 will be a testing time for Africa, it will get lots of visibility, but the credibility, and profitability it needs will depend on how its people rethink of it.

Social Media will have a huge effect on the continent with an expected #hashtags trending on the Twitter home page. It will mean nothing for the people that don’t know Africa, but will mean a lot for the Diaspora and millions of Africans that are leaving outside the continent for diverse reasons such as force immigrations, war, poverty, asylums or simply lack of opportunities in their countries of origins.

Rethinking Africa is crucial for 2010, as we enter this new decade; change must happen at its core. Some people in Africa are very poor, this is a fact and they do not even know why they are so poor, why they can’t buy food, why their resources are misused, or why they can’t get access to basic education and that’s the sadness of it. We all must rethink Africa;do the right thing as it has lots of potential that can contribute to a better world.

ICT in Africa- Mozambique 2009

Just retuned from Mozambique where I was a Keynote Speaker for AITEC Africa, www.aitecafrica.com. This year event was held at the National Convention Centre of Mozambique, opened by Sean Moroney the Chairman of AITEC Africa and held under the auspices of the Ministry of Science and Technology, represented by Americo Muchanga. AITEC Mozambique was outstanding, unique and informative. Without a doubt from my experience it’s the best and leading ICT platform in Africa today.  This unique and remarkable African Event has demonstrated the progress on ICT in Africa, especially in Mozambique. It also reflected the commitment of the Government of Mozambique, particularly the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Venancio Massingue.

The events was not only marked by the presence of top African CEO’s coming from the Southern and Eastern Africa regions with varied expertise on Mobile Technology, Banking, Investment Banking, Management Services and IT Governance in Africa but also Executives and Software companies, vendors travelling from all over the world to attend this event.

Presentations, talks varied from Rebranding Africa via Social Media, East African Internet connectivity, IT Governance, Data Management, Content Management, Marketing, and New Media to the importance of e-Government in Africa. Mozambique is one of Africa’s more progressive countries in e-government and was recently awarded fourth place in Africa for successfully implementing it.

AITEC Africa is a growing platform in Africa, the most powerful series of ICT events in Africa. Founded 21 years ago by Sean Moroney, South African-born and managed by his beloved wife Helen Moroney and their sons, the AITEC team really rocks as they understand the information needs of ICT in Africa. More than 450 people attended this Mozambique event not to count Exhibitors.  The event attendees varied from business professionals in Mozambique to establish and reputable organisation in Africa such as the Accounting Firm Giant KPMG, Microsoft Africa, SAP Africa, Oracle Africa, Dimension Data, VODACOM and SEACOM, also sponsors at this event.

Whilst Africa is dominating the world news at present, these sort of events need to continue to take place in the whole continent as they bring people from all walks of life to meet, collaborate, share and learn. ICT solutions are key to the sustainable progress in Africa. AITEC Africa is really leading the way in Africa. For more Aitec Africa events, please visit their website, www.aitecafrica.com or contact the team directly.

Obrigada!

(All the conference presentations are available on the AITEC web site www.aitecafrica.com.)