As an African who loves watching movies and reading comic books, you rarely see characters or storyline that you can easily relate with. If anything, the deeper you get into this stuff the more disconnected you become with your own African reality, and as the óld folks (ancients) call it, you start becoming Westernized.
Becoming Westernized is just a fancy way of saying you are loosing touch with your people, and their way of life. By borrowing something you see on TV or read off magazine and applying it in your real life.
But who can blame us?
We live in the 21st century where entertainment comes from digital platforms such as the internet, TVs, and social media. If most of the content therein are created by the so called ‘West’ it is only natural that is what the kids are going to emulate.
Kugali comic by African for Africans
Well three friends from Nigeria and Uganda have teamed up to create comic book with African characters and with an African storyline. Now, kids who love comic books can still continue doing what they love doing, but with the option of reading something more relatable to them.
The team of three friends has also created a platform that is roping in comic stories from around the continent to share their content with readers. The team urges the importance of Africans sharing their own stories not just to fellow African but the world in general.
Check out a snippet of Kugali.