IS 'WAKANDA FOREVER' A PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE?

While many of our people celebrated the release of the ‘Black Panther’ film franchise in 2018 for depicting a narrative that could empower Africans, West Africa Weekly's (@westafricaweek on X) founder and investigative journalist @DavidHundeyin (X) has put forth a perspective that many Africans may not have considered.

In this clip from a 2023 episode of ‘theREN Experience’ podcast, Hundeyin argued that ‘Black Panther’ is psychological warfare on Africans, potentially shaping how we view ourselves. Africa's largest resource is its 1.52-billion population that is neglected by poor governance and continued colonial exploitation. Yet, ‘Black Panther’, Hundeyin argues, only puts forth that Africans are an unintelligent group whose only source of strength is vibranium, a fictional metal, and that power can only be obtained through violence. Moreover, the fictional country of ‘Wakanda’ is isolated, contrary to the real-life integration and cooperation needed for Africans to thrive despite European-colonial borders.

Do you think ‘Black Panther’ is Hollywood’s best offering for empowering our people, or is it just another tool of psychological warfare? Let us know what you think in the comments.

Video credit: @renatusmshomba (X) and @therenexp (X)