Why Nigerian-born author says Don't Africa Me
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| Don't Africa Me author, C.P.Eze |
Coralville Iowa --- Though Nigeria is tainted by advance fee fraud and China by lead-laden toys, a Nigerian in America is still called an African (by his continental identity) while a Chinese is called a Chinese (by his national identity). Many “African” immigrants still threaten to send their disobedient kids “back to Africa,” portraying Africa as a torture chamber. Nigerian-born professionals still speak in borrowed accent to “fit in” as African-Americans while African-Americans dissociate themselves from the continent under heavy bombardment by the corporate media like CNN which shows carefully shot images of “African” slums and scavengers versus those of Chinese factories and trade fairs.
And despite very many positive developments across Africa, its 54 countries and 740 million people are lumped and limited together as Brand Africa rigidly seen through the PIDIC (poverty, instability, disease, illiteracy and corruption) lens, which smacks of inverted objectivity.
Would that be the case if, for instance, Nigeria, like once dreaded “communist” China (though there has never been and there will never be a communist society), is visible in American boardrooms, ballrooms and bedrooms through its ubiquitous consumer products, dollar stores, popular movies and buffet restaurants?
A new book Don’t Africa Me: ‘Their’ geo-branding war, ‘Our’ trade, tourism wounds, and Winning like China (212 pages, dust jacket, ISBN-13: 978-0-9800768-0-6) says NO, holding up what it calls Chinese lifestyle diplomacy as a model for African countries besieged by intense global misinformation that encourages many people to see a Nigerian, Kenyan or Congolese as either dumb, dubious or destitute, a misinformation that rides on the “better-than-thou” wagon.
The author, C.P. Eze, a widely traveled former daily newspaper and monthly business magazine editor-in-chief, who runs the Coralville Iowa-based Paschal Eze Media (www.paschalezemedia.com), notes: “It is surprising that many in 21st Century America still think of the continent of Africa as a jungle where half-naked people chase lions around with spears and make human sacrifices. Africa is not what they think.”
With Foreword by Sesto Giovanni Castagnoli, Switzerland-based founder of World Spirit Forum who has lived and done business in Gambia and Senegal, Afterword by Kyrian Nwagwu, first African-born elected official in Michigan, and endorsement from Thomas Steinmetz, chairman of the Hawaii-based International Council of Tourism Partners, Don’t Africa Me in the words of Bankole Thompson, senior editor of Michigan Chronicle newspaper Detroit, “pierces through every stigma about the continent”.
Eze takes issues with the corporate media which ignores what he calls reformed markets of Africa with average economic growth of 5.4%, Hollywood celebrities like Paris Hilton and Angelina Jolie exploiting Africa to reposition their personal brands, and donations-worshipping global NGOs like Feed The Children, arguing they are leading the charge against Africa, creating the impression it is up to no good, turning people away from it and thus hurting trade, tourism and investments in African countries. The benefactors, he says, are big corporations which continue to source raw materials like gold, oil, diamond, coltan, coffee and cocoa as individuals and small businesses – which constitute over 60% of American businesses - are turned away.
While pointing out many problems besetting the continent, Eze maintains such problems are not unconnected with the development process. “Every country has its share of these ailments, and many people forget that countries in Africa are still in their fourth, fifth or sixth decade of nationhood with the requisite learning curve,” adds Eze, a certified e-commerce consultant and re-branding strategist who has six books to his credit.
For indepth information on Don’t Africa Me to be officially released on January 11 2008 or to join the list of those scheduling media interview with its author C.P. Eze, call Shanita Michelle now at 1-319-936-6140 or email paashanbooks(no spam)mail.com.
Contact: Shanita Michelle
P.O.Box 5145 Coralville Iowa 52241 USA
Email: paashanbooks@mail.com
Phone: 1-319-936-6140
www.paschalezemedia.com
Paschal Eze Media publishes discerning books under its Expertz In Print imprint