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Fridah Muyale-Manenji, an African women, political science professors Dr. S.T. Akindele, T.O. Gidado, and O.R. Olaopo, from Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria, and Fredrick Mugira, a Ugandan journalist, writes about issues of cultural globalization in Africa.
“”Shonyala okhumanya inzu yowasio tawe”. This literally means that you cannot manage or know the affairs of the house of your neighbour. This is a saying the people of Ebukanga village, Kisa location in Kakamega district of the Western Province of Kenya usually use when respecting one’s privacy and affairs…
….The effect globalization has had on culture is immense and diverse. It has affected people’s cultural behaviours in different ways. People have had to change their living ways. The loud echoing advertisement rhythms of the famous Coca-Cola drinks can be heard across boundaries in towns, cities and townships and even in remote rural areas where drinking water is a problem to get. But the amazing issue is that of ignorance. Even the rich and well-to-do have no clue about the system that has invaded the African continent. Or even if they are aware, they have either chosen to overlook the overall implication or have decided that they are also benefactors of the system. The sale of a shirt made outside Zimbabwe is more certain than a locally manufactured one. “Import” is the in term. Ladies who wear perfume from Paris and shoes from Italy tend to receive more respect than those wearing a locally manufactured brand. Children in rich families are too busy involved in video games, international schools that offer English and other “international” languages, television and movies whose content is 90% from outside the country.
Song and dance has become characterised with themes of AIDS, orphans, suffering, drought and war. These have been neutralised with the western beats of Michael Jackson et al. The youth prefer the western beats to the local artists and hair styles, shoes and clothing keep to the trends on the western fashion scene.”
Source: Muyale-Manenji, Fridah. “The effects of globalization on culture in Africa in the eyes of an African woman.” ECHOES. 1998. World Council of Churches. http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/jpc/effglob.html
Political science professors Dr. S.T. Akindele, T.O. Gidado, and O.R. Olaopo, from Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria, write:
“Indeed, the globalisation of technology promotes the globalisation of production and finance, by spurring the dissemination of information and lowering the cost of linking markets internationally. The globalisation of technology has created rapidly rising numbers of global consumers. In fact, Africa has been turned into a dumping ground where people increasingly consume an abundance of products that have little connection to their struggle for existence (for example, Literature, Movies, Music). This, indeed, has led to the obliteration of African culture leading to a Eurocentric view of the realities Africans perceive. Further, this helps explain why some Africans don’t understand their own history, but they can write history in favour of Europe.”
Source: Akindele, S.T., T.O. Gidado, and O.R. Olaopo. “Globalisation, Its Implications and Consequences for Africa.” Globalization. 2.1 (Winter 2002).
Fredrick Mugira, a Ugandan journalists writes about the lack of interest amongst Africans for local sports teams:
“The feeling by several Ugandans and Africans in general that everything in Europe is superior and better than what is in their countries, has made them take football players like Christiano Ronaldo, Henry Thierry, John Terry, Ronaldinho as their football heroes. What happens to their local football players: they don’t care. People do not have confidence and trust in what they have. Lack of confidence and support in African football by Africans themselves is slowly killing this interesting sport on the continent. The disease killing it, is in the minds of its supporters.”
Source: Mugira, Fredrick. “African football is dying slowly.” Africa News. May 20, 2008. http://www.africanews.com/site/list_messages/18365
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