Plenty African Lemons in Beyonce’s Lemonade

aKoma Hot Mix Week #30

1. Gene Therapy For You Poor Africans
(Washington Post)

When academics publish a journal titled “The ‘Out of Africa’ Hypothesis, Human Genetic Diversity, and Comparative Economic Development”, you can see the big grammar, technical analysis and controversy coming from kilometers away. Their premise, unless we have our English all backwards, is that there is a trade-off b/w the benefits and detriments of genetic diversity on productivity. Too much or too little is bad. So…African countries which have more genetic diversity than let’s say Europe (really?), suffer and are mired in poverty because of competition and inefficiency. Which is what these guys are saying. Ah, abeg…our heads are scattering trying to understand all acada stuff.

2. Some Slaves With Your Popcorn?
(OkayAfrica)

This is a controversial statement to make, but the most clueless region on slavery and it’s dastardly impact on the world could be…Africa. Barely mentioned in history books in the educational systems in sub-Saharan and North Africa, you get the sense that slavery is swath of history that a huge majority of Africans seem to have ignored in bliss or been denied the opportunity to understand. Well, this is why we love the creative industry, because they make sure we see these stories in their full glory. The movie “Birth of A Nation” depicting the largest slave revolt in America is coming to a movie screen near you in Ghana and Nigeria. Get ready, this is not Roots or Amistad.

— nb:// By the way, Nollywood, Ghallywood, all the woods in Africa, here’s a challenge for you: When are you going to tell the African side of the slavery story? Hmmm?

3. Plenty African Lemons in Beyonce’s Lemonade
(Afripop)

If you live your life only on Twitter and Facebook, then you probably thought Beyonce had just unleashed a frenzied virus on humankind so big and powerful, people were losing their minds. Not us, not because we don’t fully appreciate the creative genius of the woman, but because we were laser focused on the African tropes that were featured in her stunning and somewhat overpowering work(wo)manship. There are many, and so we give props to Queen Bey, who seems to be in touch with the Africa in her.

4. That’s Me In The Spotlight…Losing My Identity
(BBC)

*Personal Note From Chidi*: This one resonates deeply. Africans, and in this particular case…Igbos, have been assimilating all over the world, doing great things, showing off our innate skills and talent. Many have prospered, but in many cases the cultural damage from the need to do like the Romans when in Rome, even within Africa, is devastating. In this searing piece by Nkem Ifejika, he breaks down the price Igbo people (one of Africa’s largest ethnic groups) are paying for their cosmopolitan and aspirational success, with a dying language and culture even with a growing population. My suspicion is that this is not atypical for many ethnic groups. SMDH.

5. That Time The Algerian Conquered England
(All Africa)

Football, otherwise known as soccer to the unwashed, owns the world. And there is no place on earth that is the center of gravity for the spot more than England and its English Premier League, where gangs of strapping and deadly fast men battle each other for possession and delivery of a leather ball through their opponent’s goal posts. The big story this year is Leicester City’s dramatic and surefire run at the EPL title. Even more dramatic is the fact that no African has ever won the EPL Player of the Year award, despite the serious talent we have sent there. Until now. And wait, there is more…he plays for Leicester City.

— nb:// Speaking of sports in Africa…it is a complete disaster, despite the unbridled talent on the continent as told by BBC’s Piers Edwards.

6. Peruvian, Brazilian or Malaysian? Weaves Are Now A Kid’s Best Friend
(Ventures)

This article from Ventures Africa is a must see. You don’t even have to read it, although we recommend you do. Just one look at the pics of toddlers and little girls sporting the latest Indian luster with the curls, and you’ll understand why the Jehovah’s Witnesses are adamant the world is definitely on its last legs. Why? Is this some sort of bizarre Instagram craze? Is your three year old going out on a date? Or for a job interview? This is ridiculous, and all parliaments must declare these activities as criminal and cruel to children.

7. The King of Rumba Rock Has Left His Throne
(NPR)

A lot of attention has been paid to the untimely passing of Prince, absolutely deservedly so. For those of us who are African music aficionados, the death of Papa Wemba, the Congolese King of Rumba Rock, has been equally devastating. In this awesome retrospective by NPR, Wemba is remembered as a music and style icon: “At home, and across sub-Saharan Africa and the African diaspora, Papa Wemba will be remembered not just for his voice and for his musical innovations, but his legendary sense of fashion style.” Bowie, Prince, Maurice White (Earth, Wind and Fired), Papa Wemba…there is a serious concert about to pop in heaven.

8. Vending Machines. Incredible Hawks
(Mail and Guardian Africa)

Cities like Accra, Nairobi and Lagos are the modern urban centers of Africa, providing an economic base for their countries. All is not all good, though. As this Mail and Guardian post reveals, African cities are jam packed with street vendors and hawkers who can’t find decent gigs, and are vulnerable to harassment by local authorities. This is not the crux of the story, though. The well laid argument here is that African cities are crowded, undergoing an urbanisation of people, not of capital. To shift from being unwieldy and disconnected, to livable, connected and productive will need some serious private and public sector moves. This is not trivial, and in fact should be top
of mind for the administrations.

9. Use The World Africa In A Story, See Your Audience Go Down
(Medium)

Listen, it’s easy to dismiss the apathy that can arise when stories with headlines or bylines mentioning Africa are published or released. However, we did some qualitative analysis on a couple of blogging platforms, and it is easy to see how pieces written about the continent and its diaspora get limited love editorially and from readers. There was no way we would not share this story on aKoma’s Medium publication…it really captured the crux of this issue. We keep fighting, and we must support our storytellers, creators and platforms. Or we continue to languish in the global narrative.

10. Barbie and Ken Volunteer To Single Handedly Save Africa
(Huffington Post)

The savior trope. It is well worn. In the movies, it is the go to script for Hollywood when Africa is the focus. We must point out that most folks who volunteer or go on missions to Africa are genuinely passionate about the continent and assisting their fellow human beings, non-profit or profit. However, take a stroll through the esteemed halls of Instagram or the immaculate fields of Facebook, and you can see the selfie generation making its mark on saving the world. And now, Ken and Barbie are in on the action, and it is hilariously awesome.

aKoma #FollowFriday

Twitter: Citizins is an Ghanian artist who pushes his illustrations beyond cultural boundaries to unite black experiences. “I just wanna be the AUX cord between Black American and Ghana,” is his mission as he creates with purpose. Follow his Twitter handle to witness his talent.

Instagram: Keeping up with the #Lemonade love, make sure to follow LaoluNYC . He’s the amazing artist that painted Queen Bey and others in her now infamous short film. Follow for glimpses of his artwork and you might see a few famous faces here and there.

As we mentioned above, Birth of a Nation is coming to theaters in West Africa. Make sure to check out the visually stunning trailer before it heads to the silver screen.

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