African Media Must Rise Above Petty Politics Or Risk Irrelevance -Prof. Karikari

Veteran media scholar, Prof. Kwame Karikari, has issued a strong warning to African journalists to urgently broaden their focus beyond domestic party politics or risk becoming irrelevant in a fast-changing geopolitical environment.

According to him, many African media houses remain excessively consumed by internal political quarrels while powerful foreign interests continue to shape the continent’s economic, political and security future with little scrutiny.

Prof. Karikari, former Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), made the remarks at a forum organised by the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) on the theme: Enhancing Media Capacity on Foreign Influence, Geopolitics and Democracy in West Africa and the Sahel. The programme brought together journalists from Ghana and other countries in the sub-region.

Addressing participants, Prof. Karikari said journalism today must go beyond routine reporting and become a democratic safeguard capable of informing citizens about forces operating both within and outside their countries.

“Journalists are not only storytellers; they are guardians of truth, accountability and public trust,” he stated.He stressed that strengthening media capacity should not be seen merely as improving newsroom skills, but as reinforcing the foundations of democracy itself.

Scramble for Africa

Prof. Karikari painted a troubling picture of renewed global competition for Africa’s natural resources, especially strategic minerals needed for modern technology and digital industries.

He said world powers including the United States, China, Russia, Britain, France, Turkey, India, Japan, South Korea, Canada, Gulf States and Israel are all competing for access to Africa’s resources.He lamented that many African states still export raw materials without building industries to process them locally.

“In other words, Africa’s minerals are like pearls before swine. We make no use of them and therefore they become easy prey for others,” he said.

He cautioned that while such competition may appear peaceful today, history shows that battles over resources often end in instability and war.

He cited conflicts and insecurity in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, the Sahel and northern Nigeria as examples of how internal weaknesses can be exploited by outside interests.

A major concern raised by the professor was what he described as the insularity of African media.

He noted that many Africans rely on foreign networks such as CNN, BBC and Al Jazeera to learn about events taking place in neighbouring African countries.

“Our media are very insular,” he said, questioning how often Ghanaian newspapers or broadcasters carry meaningful reports about developments in nearby states.

He added that important continental institutions such as the African Union (AU), ECOWAS and regional courts receive little sustained coverage from African journalists.

According to him, the absence of regular scrutiny and reporting weakens public understanding of bodies that are meant to defend African interests.

Prof. Karikari also criticised the dominance of political parties over media discourse. He argued that instead of the media setting the public agenda through critical questioning and independent analysis, political parties often dictate what is discussed.

Democracy under Threat

The veteran scholar further warned of growing democratic backsliding across the continent.

He referred to military coups in parts of West Africa, shrinking opposition space in some countries and what he described as manipulated electoral processes.He said the decline of democracy usually goes hand in hand with attacks on press freedom and freedom of expression.Where democratic institutions weaken, journalists often face intimidation, arrests and censorship, he observed.

AU Must Wake Up

Prof. Karikari did not spare continental leadership institutions.He said the African Union has failed to show enough urgency in responding to crises affecting member states.

Using Sudan as an example, he noted that external actors such as Qatar have at times taken the lead in mediation while Africa’s own institutions appeared passive.

He urged stronger continental leadership capable of defending African peace, sovereignty and development.

Five Questions for Journalists

Prof. Karikari challenged African media practitioners to reflect on five urgent questions:

How can African media improve coverage of other African countries?
How can journalists push leaders to engage more seriously with continental matters?
How can the media help make AU and ECOWAS more responsive?
How can journalism build solidarity among African peoples amid rising xenophobia?
And how can the media help defend Africa’s sovereignty against foreign manipulation?

“These questions reflect the responsibilities African media ought to have toward the peoples of this continent,” he said.

 

 

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