Page 51 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 9

MY AFRIKA

about a few things concerning the China. It was then it dawned on me, great humans, who themselves are as
job, a Chinese guy walked in car- these guys, whoever they are, are not old as life on earth. Be it as it may, I
rying a small carton in both hands. just selling their company brand but must also say that we, as the brand
Obviously, he looked like he was they are actually selling the brand ambassadors for Afrika, are certainly
familiar with the office, for he just called CHINA. Knowing that the not doing enough to give her a bold
went around sharing the contents of Chinese national color is basically and beautiful face. We like our little
his carton. He was giving everyone red, yellow and sometimes gold, it personal sensational spaces. We
cupcakes packaged in fine branded made sense to know that the gift like to talk about the South Afrikan
packets. He could not even speak was more about China rather than products in some grocery stores
English, but he was a bit fluent with the company or organization that in Europe or the Kenyan tea brand
Swahili. At first I thought maybe the Chinese guy represents. The in the UK or the Nigerian clothing
there was a celebration of some sort realization of the intention and the line in Paris, but what about the
going on in his own office for which subtle way it is packaged in a gift brand called Afrika which has been
reason he was sharing the cakes. He was mind-blowing. You may say projected far too long as the image
gave me one also, for which I was what is the big deal about this whole of poverty, corruption, malnutrition,
grateful. As a designer who loves thing? But the big deal is in the fact terrorism and the many of such ills
colors and how they play together to that you are even asking what is that the mainstream media always
create beauty, my eyes went straight the big deal. For it shows that we say about Afrika? It is our respon-
to the bright red and gold colors of clearly have not been paying atten- sibility and mandate to create the
the wrapper. It was really beautiful tion in Afrika to the things going on brand called AFRIKA and more so,
and eye-catching to me. But then around us. And if you know a bit in the grandiose and beauty that she
my eyes noticed something very of psychology and how our minds definitely deserves, as Motherland.
interesting on the packet. As part of process the information about free
the branding, I noticed the words things and most especially brands, The Chinese, just like the Amer-
"Chinese Gift". Seriously speaking, then you will know that it is possible icans and every other nations on
on a normal day, I would have just to control minds and popular narra- the earth, are busy creating new
taken the words "Chinese Gift" tives with free gifts, especially when narratives for themselves about how
written on the packet as just part of the receiver has no reason to say no, good and indispensable they are to
the brand identity of whatever com- since it's not for sale. the world, while we Afrikans are
pany or organization the Chinese still wallowing in the weak narrative
guy represented. But on this day, my If you ask me what I think about of how useless we are without the
mind was not letting go what I saw. the many things happening right outside world. All we care about
Instantly I began to think and try to now in Afrika, I will say we are be- is still how to hustle and put food
reason why he brought the cake in ing invaded from all directions with on the table because we have told
the first place and why the packet is every other nation's and continent's ourselves and everyone else that we
not labeled a gift from his company brand narrative, products, ideolo- are just too dumb to do anything
or organization but as a gift from gies, global aspirations and domina- worthwhile except fight for our
tions. To the point that right now daily bread. So we have somehow
our kids only believe in everything mastered how to fight for short
else except those that come from term gratifications while leaving
Afrika. the long term goals in the hands of
those foreigners that control us and
For too long we have sold this our realities. So when an Afrikan
narrative of a wildlife tour- man meets a white man, let's say
ist-based Afrika and thus when somewhere in Afrika, the first thing
people come here all they seem the Afrikan man thinks of is how
to expect is the stories of lions, to get some handouts off of the
zebras and not the brand called white man. He is not conscious of
Afrika. Afrika is a brand and in the brand called Afrika and what she
fact, she is the oldest brand in all really stands for, which is not that
of human development. And this of a slave in poverty but as a mother
Brand is not just a geographical whose role is first to give life and
space, but a wide collection of also to nurture the same.

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