KUFUOR CALLS FOR PAN-AFRICAN MEDIA POWERHOUSE TO REDEFINE AFRICA’S GLOBAL NARRATIVE

Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has urged African media professionals to establish a pan-African media powerhouse that will unify the continent’s voice and reshape Africa’s image on the global stage.

Speaking at the Broadcasting at the Crossroads Forum hosted by the Africa Media Bureau in Accra on Friday, September 26, Kufuor stressed that the time had come for Africans to take control of their own narrative by telling stories that reflect the continent’s true identity, challenges, and potential.

“If the professional media people will find a way to establish a powerful media agency, say here in Accra, very African, to tell African stories, not just political, it could be economic, it could be social, it could be entertainment, it could be trade, it could be industry. I tell you, before you know it, the African in Nigeria, Nairobi, or South Africa, we would do better,” the former President said.

Kufuor pointed out that Africa’s global image continues to be defined largely by external media, often leaving the continent portrayed through perspectives that do not originate from within.

“Poor Africa so far has tended to be defined from outside. We are seeking our identity,” he lamented. “For instance, now we are forming things like AfCFTA, but it tends to be just talk, talk… But then digitalisation, global technology, they are evading us.”

He also raised concerns about the continent’s lack of ownership in the digital space, noting that despite the rapid growth of technology, Africans rarely control the platforms that shape global discourse.

“We talk platforms. How many of the platforms are managed and driven by us?” he questioned.

Kufuor further identified colonial-era divisions, particularly language barriers between Anglophone, Francophone, and Lusophone countries, as a major obstacle to continental integration and collaboration.

“We still are locked into the blinkers of colonialism. We are Anglophone, my cousin in Côte d’Ivoire is Francophone, the next person is Lusophone, we do not know ourselves,” he said. “You stop the person in Accra and you want to discuss something in Nigeria, you’d be lucky if this person knows anything.”

He concluded by challenging African media leaders to use their platforms to drive unity through storytelling, fostering cultural exchange and continental integration. According to him, such a bold move would enable Africa to define itself in the digital age and shape its destiny on its own terms.