Submit your papersSubmit Now
For Enquiries: [email protected]
IIARD LogoIIARD

Western Media Representation of Africa: The Role of Bad Governance

Dr Ratzinger E E Nwobodo

Abstract

The Western media's depiction of Africa has long been entrenched in a narrow and conclusively negative narrative. Even in the digital age, mainstream Western outlets continue to present stories from Africa through a lens that perpetuates outdated stereotypes, portraying the continent as mired in a "dark age"characterised by archaic practices and perpetual strife. This persistent portrayal labelled “single story" by Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie, reduces Africa to a caricature of poverty, conflict, disease, bad governance, and corruption, neglecting the diverse realities and progress across the continent. However, despite ongoing critiques from communication scholars and researchers, there has been limited exploration of how Africa's governance failures, particularly the corrupt practices of African leaders contribute to and reinforce this negative media representation. This paper argues that the prevalence of bad governance in Africa bolsters the Western media's negative narrative. The paper draws on secondary sources to critically examine how Africa have been represented in the Western media and how corrupt practices by African leaders contribute to a climate that perpetuates stereotypes and sensationalizes issues within Africa. Furthermore, the paper proposes that addressing the root causes of bad governance is essential in challenging the Western media's biased portrayal of Africa. By promoting strong and proactive leadership that strengthens democratic institutions, African nations can begin to counteract the negative stereotypes perpetuated by Western media outlets. This shift towards a more balanced and nuanced portrayal of Africa is crucial not only for accurate representation but also for fostering international understanding and cooperation.

Keywords

Western mediaRepresentationAfricaBad governance

References

Achebe, C (1977). An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness.” Massachusetts Review, 18(4), 782 – 794. Adesida, O. (2001). Governance in Africa: The role for information and communication technologies. Abidjan: African Development Bank. Adichie, C. N. (2009). The danger of a single story. TED Talk, https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_ story?language=en accessed 3/15/2024. Adum, A, Emmanuel, N, Ojiakor, O (2015). Towards Media of Africa by Africans and For Africans. Mgbakoigba, Journal of African Studies, 5(1), 1-9. Allimadi, M. (2003). The Hearts of Darkness: How White Writers Created the Racist Image of Africa. New York: Black-Star Books. Attah-Poku, A. (2013). Contemporary Africa's Growth and Development: Issues, Paradox and Solutions. University Press of America BBC (2022). Malawi’s Vice-President Saulos Chilima Charged with Corruption.https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-63754227 accessed March 17, 2024 BBC(2022). David Cameroon Calls Nigeria and Afghanistan “fantastically corrupt” https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-36260193 accessed on March 17, 2024 Gill, B & Roy, S (1999). The Media Student’s Book. Routledge. Ezeru, Chikaire (2022). “The British Media Coverage of Africa”. Loughborough University. https://doi.org/10.26174/thesis.lboro.19346765.v1 Foreign Policy (2021). How Corruption Derails Development in Malawi. https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/05/21/how-corruption-derails-development-in-malawi/ accessed March 17, 2024 Oguh, C. (2015). Representation of Africa in Western media: Still a 21st-century problem. PhD diss. Edinburgh Napier University. Joda, M., &Asemah, E. S. (2022). Africa and the Western Media: Analysis of British Broadcasting Corporation’s (BBC) Africa Eye and Cable News Network’s (CNN) Inside Africa. Sau Journal of Management and Social Sciences, 2(2), pp. 1-10. Mahieu, E & Joye, S (2018) Beyond Afro-pessimism and -optimism? A critical discourse analysis of the representation of Africa by alternative news media. African Journalism Studies, 39(3), 24-42. Palmberg, M. (Ed.). (2001). Encounter images in the meetings between Africa and Europe. Nordic Africa Institute. Mhaka, T(2022). Corruption; Africa’s Undeclared Pandemic. Aljazeera https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2022/7/2/corruption-africas-undeclared-pandemic accessed on March 17, 2024. Mudimbe, V. Y. (1988). The Invention of Africa. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. Nothias, T. (2013). Beyond Afro-pessimism? French and British elite press discourse on Africa. Leeds African Studies Bulletin, 74(1), 54-62. Okonjo-Iweala, N (2012). Reforming the Unreformable: Lessons from Nigeria. The MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, London, England. Olawuyi, B. (2018). If Western media got Africa wrong. https//www.reseasrchgate.net/publication/325105803If_Western_Media_ ot_Africa_Wrong accessed on March 16, 2024. Poncian, J (2015). The Persistence of Western Negative Perceptions about Africa: Factoring in the Role of Africans. Journal of African Studies and Development, 7(3), 72 – 80. Punch Newspaper Online (2018). Is Nigeria a ‘Shithole” Country https://punchng.com/is-nigeria- a-shithole-country-1/ accessed on March 17, 2024 Reuters(2022). Malawi vice president arrested over corruption says graft watchdog https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/malawi-vice-president-arrested-corruption-anti- graft-bureau-2022-11-25/ accessed on March 17, 2024 Rod Chavis (1998). Africa in the Western Media. Paper presented at the Sixth Annual Studies Consortium Workshop, October 2, 1998, African Studies Center, University of Pennsylvania, Internet, http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Workshop/chavis98.html, accessed on March 13, 2024 Scott, M. (2017). The myth of representations of Africa: A comprehensive scoping review of the literature. Journalism Studies, 18(2), 191-210. Serwornoo, M. Y. W. (2021). The coverage of Africa in Ghanaian newspapers: The dominant Western voice in the continent’s coverage. Journalism, 22(12), 3013-3030. Slavkovi?, M (2011). (Mis-)Representations of Africa in the Western Media: Crises, Conflicts, Stereotypes. The Review of International Affairs, LXII ( 1143), pp. 63–88 UDK: 32.019.5:323(6) The Africa Report. Com (2022). Malawi’s President Chakwera strips VP Chilima of Powers after Corruption Allegation https://www.theafricareport.com/216098/malawis-president- chakwera-strips-vp-chilima-of-powers-after-corruption-allegations/ accessed on March 17, 2024 The New York Times (2000). Luxembourg Freezes Loot Abacha took From Nigeria https://www.nytimes.com/2000/05/10/IHT-luxembourg-freezes-loot-abacha-took-from- nigeria.html accessed on March 17, 2024 The New York Times (2002). Nigeria to Recover $1 Billion from the Family of a Late Dictator https://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/18/world/nigeria-to-recover-1-billion-from-the- family-of-a-late-dictator.html accessed on March 17, 2024. The New York Times (2005). As Nigeria Tries to Fight Graft, A New Sordid Tale https://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/29/world/africa/as-nigeria-tries-to-fight-graft-a-new- sordid-tale.html accessed on March 17, 2024. The New York Times (2006) Briefs -Nigerian Money https://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/23/world/africa/23briefs-nigeriamoney.html accessed on March 17, 2024. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (2020) Economic Development in Africa Report.https://unctad.org/en/PublicationsLibrary/aldcafrica2020_en.pdfaccessed March 18, 2024. Voice of America (2022). Malawi former anti-corruption chief arrested over graft https://www.voanews.com/a/malawi-former-anti-corruption-chief-arrested-over-graft- /6693017.html on March 17, 2024. Wa’Njogu, J. K. (2009). Representation of Africa in the Western media: Challenges and opportunities. Media and identity in Africa, pp.76-83.

More Articles from JOURNAL OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL POLICY