Despite what the title of this show implies, Africa is not a country. It is not a monolith. It is not a single entity moving in unison. Its struggles and triumphs are complex and varied. Fortunately, this three-part documentary series never treats it as one place or people on a single journey. The journalist and broadcaster Afua Hirsch takes on three very different countries – Morocco, Nigeria and South Africa – to paint an intricate portrait of a pan-African “cultural renaissance” that she believes is happening in “one of the fastest growing parts of the world and with the youngest population”.
She looks to the forefront of arts and culture in the countries, meeting established icons, but focusing on the younger generation’s creativity and ingenuity in reimagining the status quo. Each country contains a multitude of cultures, influences, languages and ambitions, but Hirsch braids the strands together skilfully.
