There is a saying: “America has CNN, China has CGTN, Russia has RT, Middle East has AlJazeera, but Africa has Wode Maya!”
While the mentioned TV channels talk sweetly about their countries, Africa is reported on differently. The one-sided reporting makes some people see Africa as a poverty-stricken continent, full of wars, bushes, huts, and animals. Some even think it’s a giant country full of animals!
Granted, there are hundreds of national parks flourishing with wild animals, thousands of forest reserves, and a significant level of poverty in some parts of Africa. However, it should be noted that it’s the same story around the rest of the world.
The slow economy of most African states may explain why it’s hard to find an international news channel of African origin. At least it would shout out the beautiful side of the continent.
However, the rise of YouTube helped raise a number of vloggers from Africa. These low-budget YouTubers don’t need a large broadcasting house, expensive cameras, or a stream of reporters. All they need is as little as a small camera smartphone and some Internet.
If you live in Africa, you may have heard of Wode Maya. He’s one of the African YouTube vloggers. He’s well known for promoting Africa’s beautiful landscapes, cityscapes, and tech developments.
Wode Maya started vlogging for YouTube in China. He used to create what he called controversial videos about China. He also created videos on how the Chinese people view Africa and its people. His findings didn’t shock him but fired him up!
Burning with a need to change the narrative about Africa, he moved to Africa and started a movement he dubbed “African to the world.”
The initiative has seen him travel to many African countries, which include Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, Ghana, and Zambia, among others. His goal was to reach all African countries. During the visits, he reports about his firsthand impression of a particular country, its culture, technology, transportation, and people.
The challenges.
Wode Maya has been arrested on a number of occasions while travelling through Africa. Because he travels with a camera and laptop, some country authorities mistake him for a spy or an online scammer. Some of his videos depict him expressing dissatisfaction about his arrests.
The Following
Wode Maya has hundreds of followers in Africa and abroad. By the end of 2025 his channel had nearly reached over a million subscribers. His comic approach to reporting has made him a YouTube sensation among Africans. He has also teamed up with a number of YouTubers across Africa. The longest collaboration he’s had is with Miss Trudy from Kenya, who later became his wife.
So while the world reports ill about the continent, some young African is trying to change the narrative. If you want to travel in Africa, why not watch a number of Wode Maya’s videos of the country you like?