Comments on: Is Africa ready for science fiction? http://www.popcultureshock.com/africa-ready-science-fiction/50118/ Mon, 22 Mar 2010 10:55:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Fred http://www.popcultureshock.com/africa-ready-science-fiction/50118/comment-page-1/#comment-546019 Fred Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:27:55 +0000 http://www.popcultureshock.com/?p=50118#comment-546019 @Sharon E. Dreyer The following excerpt from the above article answers your question: <i>“I don t think we’re ready in the primary sense of the word,” [Tchidi] Chikere said. “We can hide it in other categories like magic realism, allegory, etc, but we’re not ready for pure science fiction.” “Science fiction films from the West are failures here. Even Star Wars!” he said. “The themes aren’t taken seriously. Science fiction will come here when it is relevant to the people of Africa. Right now, Africans are bothered about issues of bad leadership, the food crisis in East Africa, refugees in the Congo, militants here in Nigeria. Africans are bothered about food, roads, electricity, water wars, famine, etc, not spacecrafts and spaceships. Only stories that explore <b>these</b> everyday realities are considered relevant to us for now.”</i> Thus, to succeed in Africa, sci-fi must adapt to the continent's diversity of cultures and issues instead of the reverse. @Sharon E. Dreyer

The following excerpt from the above article answers your question:

“I don t think we’re ready in the primary sense of the word,” [Tchidi] Chikere said. “We can hide it in other categories like magic realism, allegory, etc, but we’re not ready for pure science fiction.”

“Science fiction films from the West are failures here. Even Star Wars!” he said. “The themes aren’t taken seriously. Science fiction will come here when it is relevant to the people of Africa. Right now, Africans are bothered about issues of bad leadership, the food crisis in East Africa, refugees in the Congo, militants here in Nigeria. Africans are bothered about food, roads, electricity, water wars, famine, etc, not spacecrafts and spaceships. Only stories that explore these everyday realities are considered relevant to us for now.”

Thus, to succeed in Africa, sci-fi must adapt to the continent’s diversity of cultures and issues instead of the reverse.

]]> By: Sharon E. Dreyer http://www.popcultureshock.com/africa-ready-science-fiction/50118/comment-page-1/#comment-545995 Sharon E. Dreyer Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:34:26 +0000 http://www.popcultureshock.com/?p=50118#comment-545995 I've seen this topic a lot since the release of District 9. While I live on a different continent, I don't understand why Africa wouldn't be ready for science fiction. There are some classic novels and movies that didn't cost much to produce and if people can read, wouldn't they enjoy science fiction? Thanks for sharing this article; it highlights the differences between our perspectives. Check out my first and recently released novel, Long Journey to Rneadal. This exciting story is a romantic action adventure in space I’ve seen this topic a lot since the release of District 9. While I live on a different continent, I don’t understand why Africa wouldn’t be ready for science fiction. There are some classic novels and movies that didn’t cost much to produce and if people can read, wouldn’t they enjoy science fiction? Thanks for sharing this article; it highlights the differences between our perspectives.

Check out my first and recently released novel, Long Journey to Rneadal. This exciting story is a romantic action adventure in space

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