Nigerian TikToker: “Do you have cars in Africa?”

Nigerian TikToker Charity Ekezie dispels prejudices about Africa with her sarcastic answers to questions full of clichés. This brought her more than a million followers.

Charity Ekezie is fed up with children, young people and adults who have no idea about Africa. And on stories that are circulating across the continent in Europe or the USA. “These children hear every day that we have nothing here in Africa. They’ve been told that for generations. The mother says: eat up your food, think about the poor children in Africa,” says the TikToker.

These stories led many to disrespect people from Africa. “And that’s why we have to start making ourselves heard and telling our own stories. Others can’t tell our stories for us,” says Ekezie.

“We are always sarcastic”

That’s exactly what the 31-year-old does on TikTok. Young people and young adults in particular share short videos on the social media platform. There she can tell much more profound and direct stories from her native Nigeria than news programs or newspapers do, she says. In her videos, she takes up questions from the comments, which are often very prejudiced.

For example, one question is: “Do you have cars in Africa?” Ekezie replies in one of her videos: “No, we don’t have cars. The poorer ones among us swing from tree to tree on lianas, the rich can afford wild animals as a means of transport. In the north they ride camels, in the south they ride lions and cheetahs and in the east on elephants.”

In the background of the video you can see a car. A wink with the fence post – often part of their clips. Just like their funny answers.

In a way, she was born with humor, she says: “There’s something we Nigerians just love to do: we’re always sarcastic. We love it.”

She says that everyone in her family has a sense of humor. For example, her aunt asked her if she could get her something. Ekezie got it and then asked her: “Would you like me to give this to you?” Her aunt’s answer: “No, put it on my head.”

With sarcasm against prejudice

She started her videos on TikTok in January this year, and today she is followed by 1.2 million people there. The comment columns – full of smileys. But not only. The humorous educational work can also be very exhausting and stressful, says Ekezie. The reason: “I have the feeling that some comments and questions are racially motivated because they believe that nothing good can come from Africa.”

She is particularly concerned that many questions come from children and young people. But that also serves as a motivation. Her goal is not to tell everyone that Africa is perfect. She wants to enlighten and break stereotypes:

“My goal is to let them know that we have very normal, essential things here and to fight their stereotypes, step by step. They will learn: Africa is developed, Africa is civilized and we can take care of ourselves. “

Step by step, Charity Ekezie still has a long way to go. But with her huge reach, she has already made herself heard so that she can tell stories from Africa herself.