Sisters' African good news trip

By Nikki Jecks
BBC World Service


FROM THE BBC WORLD SERVICE



More from BBC World Service
Two Nigerian sisters are hoping to reverse the trend of bad news out of Africa by touring the continent documenting its good news stories.

Chioma and Oluchi Ogwuegbu's journey across Africa started at the end of last year in West Africa.

By the end of this year they hope to have changed people's perception of a place still called by some the "Dark continent" through their website CelebrateAfrica.net.

It is an ambitious goal - common perceptions of Africa paint it as a continent littered with corrupt governments and plagued by civil war and natural disaster.

The sisters freely admit that they did have some concerns about their mission at the beginning.

"From what I've heard Africa is so dangerous. People told me that I would be raped, killed," Chioma Ogwuegbu confessed.

But, as her continued presence attests, none of that has happened.

In fact, Chioma and Oluchi report that their experience has been just the opposite. Many of these people don't know about the positive things, all they see is the negative

Chioma Ogwuegbu

"So many times what the media projects about Africa is negative, there isn't that much positive news, positive stories about what is going on," Oluchi Ogwuegbu says.

"When [people] hear what we are doing, they embrace it. Total strangers who don't know us just want to help out."

Chioma and Oluchi are nothing if not ambitious. They plan to visit 22 countries in all.

Hidden jewels

Their journey so far has seen them visit Ghana, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Mali, Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Cameroun, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, and Sierra Leone.

And what they have discovered is a land of friendly people, beautiful landscapes, unusual dishes, and unexpected hospitality and kindness.

For example in Burkina Faso, one of the poorest countries in the world, they discover the beautiful Cascades de Karfiguela waterfalls and breath-taking rock formations in the Domes de Fabedougou which geologists say date back 1.8m years.

In Ghana, the sisters have visited Breman Bedum a sleepy village three hours from the capital Accra.
The sisters hope to give young Africans a sense of hope for their continent

There they were given a tour around an essential oils farm which is providing a reliable income and a better way of life to local villagers as well as ensuring the area's threatened woodlands are reforested.

"Many of these people don't know about the positive things, all they see is the negative," says Chioma.

"But there are so many things here that we can be doing as Africans to better this continent."

Even turmoil ridden Guinea-Bissau gets a positive spin: "The good thing about Guinea-Bissau was that you could see that the people were happy, they were forging ahead, despite the hardship and suffering around them they were still moving along," says Oluchi.

Although the pair do admit it was one of the most challenging countries they have visited so far.

The audience for their webtour is not just foreign readers, but also young Africans, who the sisters believe need to be encouraged to see their countries as places of hope and potential, not just as a place of hardship and poverty.

"Many young Africans, they all want to leave Africa. I'm not saying that Africa is perfect," Chioma says.

"But our aim is to first tell Africans about what is here, what we have here."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7921641.stm

You can also listen to them from the link

Moderator please lock this thread.

Why lock the thread? Are u ok?

Of what purpose is this thread?

Hope they are coming to Nigeria also.

why is this nonsense in politics section?. This afamwhatever is sick in the head.

St.Funmi:

why is this nonsense in politics section?. This afamwhatever is sick in the head.

@ St.funmi
What have i done

Rubbish, the most important thing for me is, can they cook? Women who should be sitting at home taking care of their husbands, instead, they are peregrinating around Africa like a couple of vagabonds.

4 Play:

Rubbish, the most important thing for me is, can they cook? Women who should be sitting at home taking care of their husbands, instead, they are peregrinating around Africa like a couple of vagabonds.

Are u alright?

asha says lock the thread cos Afaukwu only posts news about Ndigbo.

4play, you nor well. I dont even let my chick cook at home cos Im the chef extraordinaire.

4 Play:

Rubbish, the most important thing for me is, can they cook? Women who should be sitting at home taking care of their husbands, instead, they are peregrinating around Africa like a couple of vagabonds.

Can't stop laughing.

4 Play:

Rubbish, the most important thing for me is, can they cook? Women who should be sitting at home taking care of their husbands, instead, they are peregrinating around Africa like a couple of vagabonds.

Nor mind dem

Jobless Globetrotters!!

MrCrackles:

Nor mind dem

Jobless Globetrotters!!

I am more interested in where their funding is from.

Kobojunkie:

I am more interested in where their funding is from.

I wonder!

Maybe from IBORI OR OJUKWU!!

Kobojunkie:

I am more interested in where their funding is from.

i almost asked that on their blog last nite after i read the story on BBC's website.

I also have a problem with their suggestion that they can somehow change people’s perception of Africa through this. Do people really need documentaries for this? This is as bloated as the idea that somehow pushing out good news will somehow make all Nigeria’s problems go away.

The topic of the thread is ever so foolish!

I love what it is these women are doing, it is so inspiring, I am thinking I might just take a little trip through West Africa myself, I love it when African women buck the trend and do something outside the status quo.

There's nothing new under the sun. It's been done over a thousand times already. This whole portray Africa as a good place is ridiculous what's good? SA xenophobia, Niger Delta (the budget fund supplier of Nigeria) is still in shambles, I'm not even going to talk about Ghana. All those portray Africa as a better place is just bull shit cause right now, only nature of Africa is good not the people's lives and environment. I hope it's not the government that is spending money on this cause it would be a shame that they are trying to cover their inabilities with the media.

I support their vacation abeg. someone is funding it all in the name of helping show the good side of africa. what if its a test trial of our re-branding strategy? or maibe it would help over-shadow the news coming out of zimbabwe. u never know, call it smoke screening.

_{i should have thought of that darn it. lau lau spending.}

It is definitely a good idea. Just that I am not convinced that another documentary such as this one will change people's perception of Africa. I mean ask the tourists who were in Kenya during the last Elections; they saw the beauty but also witnessed the darkness. Many vowed never to go back, why? Because even though they know of the beauty, it somehow does not cover up the evil that continues to exist in some of these places and the people.

9jaganja:

There's nothing new under the sun. It's been done over a thousand times already. This whole portray Africa as a good place is ridiculous what's good? SA xenophobia, Niger Delta (the budget fund supplier of Nigeria) is still in shambles, I'm not even going to talk about Ghana. All those portray Africa as a better place is just bull shit cause right now, only nature of Africa is good not the people's lives and environment. I hope it's not the government that is spending money on this cause it would be a shame that they are trying to cover their inabilities with the media.

Brilliant!!!

9jaganja:

There's nothing new under the sun. It's been done over a thousand times already. This whole portray Africa as a good place is ridiculous what's good? SA xenophobia, Niger Delta (the budget fund supplier of Nigeria) is still in shambles, I'm not even going to talk about Ghana. All those portray Africa as a better place is just bull shit cause right now, only nature of Africa is good not the people's lives and environment. I hope it's not the government that is spending money on this cause it would be a shame that they are trying to cover their inabilities with the media.

Come shay de above dey make sense to you when you finish typing it? because I no fit comprehend the point wey you dey try make.

Are you saying that there is no point in trying to show that Africa is not a monolith, that there are varying cultures and people, that Africans are not blood thirsty savages? Are you saying there is no point in two young women travelling the continent, discovering new things and rediscovering old one? What is it that you are saying?

I totally support what these girls are doing. It is a breath of fresh air, something new from Nigerians for once. This is something the westerners do daily and that is one reason they are far ahead of we africans. They (westerners) love to see the world - and that is why they have conquered the world too. Westerners see nothing in travellling around the world with nothing other than the backpack on their backs. That is what inspires them to write books, direct movies, tell stories, etc. Ewan McGregor (actor) did something similar? He rode around africa on his motorbike and the documentary he directed earned him millions of dollars (which he donated to charity, of course). Of course, we all know the stories of Marco Polo, Ferdinand Magellan, Vasco da Gama etc. They were all adventurers that made a name for themselves and their names still live on.

Secondly, these girls have already been profiled on Africannews.com (http://www.africanews.com/site/Nigerian_sisters_are_celebrating_Africa/list_messages/22306), BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7921641.stm) and some other international news agency websites. They are slowly carving out a name for themselves. Let us not be surprised when they get nice jobs with international agencies as ambassadors or representatives. This is the kind of thing these agencies look out for in people.

Let us all look a bit deeper in ourselves. There are some of us too, who may be born explorers and adventurers. Let us not let the challenges of our 'sad' country hold us down. Let us not let the fear of the unknown or the 'lack of funds' discourage us.

9jaganja:

There's nothing new under the sun. It's been done over a thousand times already. This whole portray Africa as a good place is ridiculous what's good? SA xenophobia, Niger Delta (the budget fund supplier of Nigeria) is still in shambles, I'm not even going to talk about Ghana. All those portray Africa as a better place is just bull shit cause right now, only nature of Africa is good not the people's lives and environment. I hope it's not the government that is spending money on this cause it would be a shame that they are trying to cover their inabilities with the media.

My brother, before i forget, it is not the govt spending money on this cause. I know one of these girls. She worked on VI for close to 4 years in an office behind Silverbird cinemas. She saved up money all that time and is also relying on individual donors: Parents, friends, well wishers (people in her office also contributed some amounts and are still contributing to her trip).

In all honesty, does this look like something our backward government (forgive the use of that word) will ever fund? Dem never chop money finish, na to sponsor some small girls wey dey waste time instead of going to marry (as some others have amusingly stated in not so many words)

Abeg leave the girls jare

By the way what's up with the "another first from Igbo sisters title"? Base on your other posts, I'll say you are an ignorant tribalist. But this particular post is just Igbocentric and nothing wrong with that it's only when you do comaprisms that makes it stupid. Goodluck with the ladies.

What is bad about first hand unbiased information and adventure?I am surprise at the way people are negatively responding to this.The girls are adventurous,inquisitive,enterprising and committed,they want to do something with their lives.not just sitting behind the desk working for the master.

Who wouldn't want the chance to travel round africa?it is one of my dreams,to experience the vibrant cultures,nature and landscape by road.

Nigeria problems can just be clearly seen on this nairaland,people are just too dumb.they bother about bullshit.

Rubbish, the most important thing for me is, can they cook? Women who should be sitting at home taking care of their husbands, instead, they are peregrinating around Africa like a couple of vagabonds.

ha ha hillarious

Nor mind dem

Jobless Globetrotters!!




- What a combination of Written english. This one na classic - Globetrotters that are jobless.

@Original Poster
I don't get the topic, are they the first people to tour Africa or the first people to try to portray Africa in good light