Ikenna Azuike

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The journalist behind What´s Up África

My name is Ikenna Azuike, I am the journalist behind weekly satirical Internet show What’s Up África, a provocative and entertaining programme about African news, initiatives and people.

I created What’s Up África in February 2011 after feeling frustrated by the unbalanced and often inaccurate portrayal of Africa in western media. Coverage of the continent was either on the one hand too focussed on presenting images of war, famine and general disorder. Or, on the other hand providing over the top, saccharine reports of Africa’s progress. And most importantly perhaps, none of the media was speaking effectively to the digital generation of young Africans eager to be informed. I thought it was about time for a new sort of African news show… that was the birth of What’s Up África.

Each weekly episode of What’s Up África is approximately four minutes long. I feature three items each week - two are satirical news items covering a range of topics such as politics, economics and current affairs. The last item features my favourite new African music.

My show is co-produced / financed by Radio Netherlands Worldwide, a venerable Dutch journalistic institution who support it because I touch on nearly all the themes they are eager to address including human rights and freedom of speech. In November 2012 I was also approached by BBC World Service to produce a radio version of What’s Up África (4 month pilot) - this is something we are working on at the moment. Additionally, I was very proud to have been mentioned by leading US foreign policy think tank Foreign Policy in Focus, in the same breath as one of my heroes Jon Stewart (please see article entitled “Global Stewarts” featuring satirical journalists / comedians from all over the world).

What’s Up África is not only popular among journalists and África analysts though, it has proved a hit with an audience of young Africans and people interested in África. My show’s facebook fan base is now over 25.000.