The importance of African perspectives on Africa’s narrative
The history of Africa, rich in culture, heritage, and contributions, has often been obscured or simplified by external narratives, most notably those of European historians. As an experienced journalist with a career spanning several decades, Zeinab Badawi has had the privilege of witnessing and contributing to the evolving portrayal of African history through her work as a journalist and writer. And most recently through her book An African History of Africa. Lilith reporter Rowan Blijd spoke with Zeinab about the key moments that have shaped her journalism career, the evolution of journalism, and the motivations behind her new book on African history. Additionally, Zeinab reflects on the significance of African perspectives in storytelling and the broader societal impact that such narratives can have.
Zeinab Badawi by Jamie Simonds
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Zeinab Badawi (1959) is a multi-award winning journalist and author. She is born in Khartoum, Sudan. Badawi studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the University of Oxford and Middle Eastern Studies at the SOAS University of London. She started Journalism in the early 1980’s and joined the BBC in 1998 where she made programs as HARDtalk, interviewing people like Sudan’s former president Omar Al-Bashir. Badawi was presenter of Channel 4 News and BBC News. As of October 2021 she is the President of SOAS University of London and is noted for her deep interviews and coverage. In 2024 she published het first book An African History of Africa: From the Dawn of Humanity to Independence.
Looking back at her career, there was one key moment that has deeply influenced Badawi’s approach to journalism: the music group Band Aid, founded in 1984, and the Live Aid event in 1985. These efforts, involving British and Irish musicians, raised funds for famine relief in Ethiopia. They recorded the song ‘Do They Know It's Christmas?’ which was a big hit and part of efforts like Live Aid to help people in need.
Badawi: “While these initiatives raised much-needed awareness and funds for famine-stricken Ethiopia, I found myself grappling with the dissonance between the humanitarian aid narrative and the reality on the ground in Africa. Having just returned from Sudan, where I was documenting the political instability and famine, I saw firsthand how the aid narrative often played into Western perceptions of Africa as a continent in perpetual need of saving.”
“The portrayal of figures like Band Aid co-founder Bob Geldof as saviors, coupled with the depictions of Africans as helpless, reinforced damaging stereotypes. This experience led me to write an article [in the 1980’s, ed.] on the subject, where I diplomatically criticized the impact of such humanitarian efforts. Aid, while essential, was often seen as a cure-all for Africa’s problems, robbing Africans of agency and perpetuating a narrative that they were incapable of self-governance. It was a moment of realization for me – one that solidified my commitment to presenting a more nuanced, multidimensional view of Africa and its people.”
Having reported on numerous political and social changes worldwide, how do you think journalism has evolved during your career, and what changes have stood out to you the most?
“Over the decades, journalism has evolved in response to technological advancements, changing political landscapes, and societal shifts. One of the most significant changes I’ve observed is the increasing inclusion of diverse voices in storytelling, for example from African journalists reporting on Africa. When I first started, mainstream media in the West often framed Africa through a singular lens of famine, conflict, and poverty. News outlets, while improved today, still have a tendency to cover African stories in a reductive way, focusing disproportionately on crises.”
“However, it depends on the medium. Mainstream media or white popular media always looks at Africa through the lens of famine. News and current affairs look at problems in the world wherever they are. There is still a tendency to do that, but it has gotten better. BBC One has changed, for example, but they still tend to cover Africa in such a way. If you see images of riots in the UK and a lot of bad news, you know that’s not the whole picture. Because you have seen the whole picture. But when people see similar pictures of Africa, they think this is it, because they haven’t been there. There is no multidimensional picture. Fortunately, now you have journalists of African descent covering stories. When somebody of Nigerian origin makes the story in Nigeria, for example, that’s a big difference.”
“Just because Africans didn’t write, it doesn’t mean Africans didn’t record their history. You just have to get it in a different way.”
“The rise of African journalists and local experts has brought about a much-needed change in how stories from the continent are told. The internet has played a pivotal role in this transformation. It allows newsrooms to connect directly with journalists on the ground, providing more authentic and varied perspectives. The way a local Nigerian talks to a journalist of Nigerian descent is way more open than when a white, Western journalist would talk to them.”
Your work has been a perfect example of how valuable it can be to have someone from the continent tell stories about Africa. How did the idea of the book first come to you?
“My own work, particularly the television series The History of Africa and my subsequent book, was motivated by this very desire to share more about African history. During a visit to the Deputy Director of UNESCO, I came across nine volumes of The General History of Africa. It was a moment of revelation for me – Africa, long decolonized politically, was still in the process of reclaiming its history. The idea of Africans being spectators to history, rather than active participants, was a myth I wanted to challenge through my series. There was a lot of material left on the cutting room floor. So, in order to do all of these stories and the people who lent their knowledge justice, I decided to write a book. Where I could share as much as I could. In an accessible way.”
“Just because Africans didn’t write, doesn’t mean Africans didn’t record their history. You just have to get it in a different way. Oral traditions, song dance, archaeology tells us a lot. Also, non-Western sources, South Asian languages, Arabic for example. The Arabs traveled extensively and very early on around Africa and chronicled about what they saw. So the general history of Africa had a more rich source to draw from. Which Western historians have ignored. They focused on what their written word said.”
When reading the book I realize the importance of African voices in shaping their own narratives. What was your intention for using this perspective?
“Historically, Africans have been denied the opportunity to tell their own stories [on the world stage]. Western historians have often overlooked the complexity and richness of Africa’s history. Non-Western sources instead focus on periods of colonization and slavery. My goal with the book was to present a comprehensive yet digestible history that focused on Africa’s great moments, regions, and personalities.”
“I want the reader to look beyond our divided presence and our undivided past. Everybody emerged from Africa. There is nobody on planet earth today who can’t say that Africa is their mother continent. Perhaps somewhere people might start thinking about the differences that are here today. Between 8,000 to 12,000 years ago there was nobody with blue eyes or blond hair. That is quite a recent phenomenon. I hope that by saying to everybody: look we’ve got these common origins, aren’t you interested, therefore, in the continent of your birth? Don’t you want to know? An African history of Africa is not a book about contested history. It’s simply narrating and relating the history of Africa – about which people know very little in the pre-colonial era. It’s not about supplanting necessarily, because there are some very good words written by Western historians. Some of them are my friends. This book is about supplementing history. And saying that in my view if you don’t have the history of a place told by its own people, there is something missing. So, I’m not another shrill voice.”
In the book you link modern debates to historical themes and events. Why did you choose this approach?
“Each chapter in the book starts with a modern debate and I explain to the reader why you should be interested in this chapter. For example the chapter about the kingdom of Benin. I begin it with a debate about restitution of African artifacts. It’s clear where I stand on it, but I want the reader to make up their own mind. It may just make them think when they read that at least ninety percent of African art and Artifacts are held outside of the continent.”
“My late great friend Dr. Richar Leakey, who was a white Kenian and a staunch Pan-Africanist, said: ‘When we want to break down these myths about Africa, we must do so with facts, not fairytales.’ You know, the Italians might complain that the Mona Lisa by Da Vinci is held by the Louvre in Paris. But let’s face it, the Italians are jammed with other arts and great treasures. They are not short-changed. It’s not the same for Africa. Take the bust of Queen Idia of Benin, which is put in the British Museum, and they only have replicas on the continent.”
You have been touring with your book for a bit now. How has the response been?
“The feedback from the book tour was overwhelmingly positive, with rooms filled to capacity and a genuine interest from readers in learning more about Africa’s history. Many people, both African and non-African, expressed surprise at how little they knew about the continent’s past. This reinforced my belief in the importance of fighting [ignorance], not just in the West, but also among Africans and people of African descent who have been conditioned by limited or distorted historical narratives.”
Are there any misconceptions you hope to counter through your work/book?
“Africa has a magnificent history, stretching back millennia, long before the arrival of Europeans. By emphasizing Africa’s role in the origins of humankind and its shared past with the rest of the world, I hope to foster a sense of commonality rather than division.”
“At the same time, it’s important to acknowledge Africa’s challenges today. The continent is rich in natural resources and young in terms of population, offering great potential for growth and development. The youth have already shown their power in movements like the one that brought down Sudan’s Omar Al-Bashir. For every negative story, there is a positive one, and I wanted to end my book on a note of hope, placing my faith in Africa’s youth.”
What role do you see for yourself in storytelling and recording history?
“A lot of people are interested in modern day Africa. Particularly economically. I’m often asked about China for example. If I could raise the funding I would like to make a TV series looking at Africa through an economic lens. Bringing it to the modern era. That could be a work in progress. And who knows, maybe write a book about it as well.”
“I have had a long career and I haven’t only covered Africa stuff, I have done British politics and general news and current affairs. But I would say, going back to my really early career in the 1980’s, that I haven’t found anything as satisfying as the History of Africa TV series that I made and also the book. You know, news is here today, gone tomorrow. A lot of it will be forgotten. The book and TV series will stand the test of time. There will be a children’s version of the book. So, I hope that I have contributed in some way to have set the record straight about Africans and Africa. And how that feeds into modern day race relations all over the world. And I think something with an educative function rather than just informing. They say journalists are the first recorders of history. But my work has a more educational function.”
Zeinab Badawi was in Amsterdam on October 11, 2024 to guide her audience through Africa’s spectacular history, as explored in her new book An African History of Africa: From the Dawn of Humanity to Independence (2024). With a conversation between Badawi and writer Vamba Sherif, moderated by journalist Phaedra Haringsma. This event was organized by Africadelic, Nederland Wordt Beter and the University of Colour, in collaboration with Uitgeverij Omniboek, The Black Archives, Paradiso and the University of Amsterdam (ASCA’s Postcolonial Film Histories and Heritages Research Group), and made possible by BuzzHouse UvA and the Mondriaan Fonds (public fund for visual art).
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