There is a clear difference between a laudatory remark and a patronising one. A laudatory comment is sincere, expressing genuine appreciation for a quality in the person it addresses. A patronising remark, on the other hand, lacks sincerity and is driven by a desire to belittle or look down upon the subject. It may sound like praise, but this praise masks condescension.
It can be difficult to tell whether a comment is truly laudatory or merely patronising because human intentions are often complex and hidden. This uncertainty was evident when Donald Trump spoke to Joseph Boakai, the Liberian President, during a recent White House meeting with five African leaders. Trump said to Boakai, “Such good English, it’s beautiful. Where did you learn to speak so beautifully?” When Boakai replied that he was educated in Liberia, Trump responded, “That’s very interesting. I have people at this table who can’t speak nearly as well.”
Was Trump genuinely praising Boakai or subtly putting him down? Without explicit proof, we might consider Trump’s past behaviour for clues. During his first term as President, Trump used extremely insulting language to describe some African countries, calling them “shithole countries.” He made baseless claims about African immigrants harming pets of White Americans. On camera, he often spoke disparagingly about leaders he considered weaker, including Ukraine’s President Zelensky, while his Deputy, J.D. Vance echoed similar tones.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was confronted in the White House with false accusations of genocide against whites in South Africa. Trump has a consistent pattern of talking down to those he sees as vulnerable, showing no hesitation in doing so. His administration also imposed stricter visa requirements, making it more difficult for Africans to visit the United States.
Politically, Trump belongs to the ideological right, while CNN, a leading American television network, leans to the left and frequently criticises Trump’s policies. However, CNN also participates in a patronising narrative about Africa. Their show “Inside Africa” advertises the continent by showing brief clips of infrastructure, but then shifts focus to wild animals, urging viewers to save Africa’s “wildlife.”
Such emphasis unintentionally reinforces a harmful stereotype that Africa is mainly a jungle filled with wild animals rather than a continent of dynamic societies and thriving cultures. Misrepresentation of Africa has deep roots. I remember a troubling story from my childhood when some of my cousins, born in the UK in the 1960s, returned from school asking their father to show them his tail. Their school had taught them that Black people have tails. Since only beasts have tails, this dehumanising myth implied Black people were less than human.
The misconceptions continued into my adult life. In the 1990s, when I was a student in the U.S., a classmate asked if I really strolled with lions in Africa. I answered with wry humour, saying I did and that lions would greet me politely when we met on the road — telling him that if a lion approached from the opposite direction, we would simply say “Hi” to each other and continue on our ways. The truth, of course, is that the only lions I had ever seen were in the zoo at the University of Ibadan in 1979.
Despite such misconceptions, I met many warm and generous people in America whose kindness helped balance the occasional patronising comments I endured. Their friendship helped erase memories of being patronised as I came out of Mass on a Sunday morning to be asked, “Father, who is your speech writer? He writes good sermons for you.”
CNN’s “Inside Africa” might simply aim to advertise safari destinations, but the overall message remains problematic. The programme inadvertently portrays Africans as animals while reducing the continent to a wildlife reserve. The word “wildlife,” when applied almost exclusively to Africa in such contexts, carries an insensitive undertone that reinforces racist colonial stereotypes.
The reality is quite different. Africa is home to beautiful schools, rich and diverse cuisines, vibrant music, dynamic theatre, and countless tourist attractions. We have sophisticated urban centres, technological innovations, and cultural achievements. Africa is not a jungle.
Though I have written extensively about Nigeria’s challenges and witnessed its dark sides firsthand, these difficulties do not define the whole nation. Every country, including America where CNN is based, has its own flaws and struggles. Africa has its own leadership and development challenges, but so does America.
It is crucial for Africans to move beyond these outdated and hurtful stereotypes. We need ongoing self-examination and honest reflection about fundamental questions: Why does Nigeria remain poor despite its abundant natural resources? Why do our young people face humiliation at foreign embassies? These are uncomfortable questions that demand candid answers.
If African leaders and people commit to creating environments that foster genuine growth and development, our leaders would not be summoned to the White House or any house, to be addressed in patently patronising terms. We must take responsibility for building institutions that work for our people, not just our elites. Our goal should be to build a future where young Nigerians and Africans everywhere can take genuine pride in their homelands, face no humiliation when seeking opportunities abroad, and most importantly, find meaningful opportunities to thrive on their own soil.
