One of the perks of being one of the people behind Africa Web TV is that one gets to meet inspirational and creative Africans. While one does not necessarily agree with the views of the people we meet, this does not mean we don’t draw inspiration from their passion and drive. All the Africans featured so far on Africa Web TV share one thing in common; their ability to rise above the limits of their inherited culture and environment. They are single-minded in their focus on whatever they are doing. They are the ones who dare to challenge themselves. In doing so, bring out the best in themselves. They are the Africans changing the faces of Africa and Africans in Europe and beyond. That is why Africa Web TV goes out its way to feature these great achievers and trailblazers. They are passionate and they are original. Above all, they are true to themselves and they have no need to place their egos on a mountain of false illusions.
On the other hand, Africa Web TV gets approached by lots of other Africans who are less original and who take great pride in just counterfeiting and recycling other people’s ideas. These people are surprised when we reject their approaches even if they offered us financial incentives to cover their events or do a profile of them. You see, Africa Web TV is a platform that seeks to honour excellence not mediocrity. It was set up to provide a platform for creativity not to honour disingenuous people. Africa Web TV showcases talents not egocentrism. We think you get the point.
There is a growing but disturbing trend in the way some African people in the Diaspora tend to go about things. There is a new industry copycats springing up who are just sitting on their butts waiting for someone else to come up with great ideas. Once a great, creative mind brings something into the public domain, these counterfeiters just spring up with clones of the same ideas. Here are some poignant examples that spring to mind. Audrey Ngo Mbog
comes up with great African designs and she gets plaudits for her hard work? That is the cue for all of the pseudo-Afro designers to have their own not-so-thought-through shows and designs. The Voice Magazine organises the first highly successful African Award event show in The Netherlands.
What do you think? The mushroom of African award ceremonies spring up immediately. In the three weeks since the Voice awards, there have already been a couple hastily arranged African award shows in The Netherlands! Someone comes up with a successful new African club in Amsterdam and weeks later there are 4 other copycats. Miss Africa Netherlands gets organised and now every other week there is a Miss Timbuktu, Miss Sahara, Miss My Local village etc. from other copycats. If you can be a DJ, I can be a DJ too, only worse! You get the gist. We could give you 20 other examples but we will spare you.
Where is the creativity? No people have ever become great by just cloning the ideas of others. Of course there is nothing wrong with fine-tuning some established ideas and making it better. But the wholesale counterfeiting of the ideas of others is a testament to one’s lack of intellectual baggage. It is worshipping quantity above quality. It is the reason why all of these clones never stand the test of time. It just shows our lack of depth when it comes to originality.
We spoke with Chika Unigwe for example.
She is one of the most prolific and most honoured, young African writers of the modern times. When we met and spoke with her, she was just extremely down to earth. She was very kind, soft spoken almost to the point of shyness. She just let’s her creativity and body of works speak for themselves. After a very elevating encounter with someone like that, one gets a feeling that the best of the Africans and Africa is yet to come. You are so inspired you almost could not sleep. Weeks later you are talking to a megalomaniac who thinks the whole world is about them and people have to bow for them. You examine their body of works and discover it is a shaky bed full holes and stolen ideas.
This is not the way African people will ever earn respect of others and truly take their place amongst others. Ego is a gift given mostly to losers. If you are smart enough to steal, you are smart enough to create!
