Last week at the beautiful Oyster Box Hotel, Wayne Coetzer and his staff made us all believe, except for the weather, that we were in a full scale press briefing in London or New York.
(Pictured left is host, Komla Dumor)
Seated in the Colony Room, the excitement was not so much that it seemed like home for me, but that Africa is coming into its own, with every week seeing a new and exciting event which changes our perception of ourselves as a backwater, and pushes us into the mainstream.
Last week was the launch of a new BBC news channel – Focus on Africa – the first ever dedicated daily TV news programme in English for African audiences, going out every evening at 7.30pm. It is a first in so many ways, changing emphasis from endless animals and African dancing segments, to hard news. As the presenter, Komla Dumor says, “The old stereotypes are being challenged, and a new, compelling narrative is being written.”
How lucky we all are to live here right now.
By Elizabeth Moore