Ghanaian-British musician, Fuse ODG, has stated that the world benefits more from Africa than it gives in return, but often hides this truth behind stories of poverty and aid.
In an interview with LBC in the UK, Fuse ODG, who is also known for his advocacy for African identity criticised what he called the West’s “obsession with Africa’s poverty,” describing it as a distraction from deeper issues.
He argued that constant international aid and charity campaigns paint a misleading picture of Africa, ignoring the continent’s contributions to global development.
According to him, this focus on poverty has become a “smokescreen” that hides the real issue: Africa’s wealth and resources have long been exploited by powerful nations and corporations.
“I don’t see Africa shining if we are relying on aid. If we are to be honest, Band-Aid and its obsession for Africa’s poverty is really a smokescreen from the actual truth, because the actual truth is that Africa has given more to the world than the world’s ever given to it,” Fuse said.
He gave an example of how Africa’s resources have been undervalued and taken advantage of by foreign companies.
He pointed to the actions of the Niger government, which decided to take greater control of its uranium resources.
“I’ll give a perfect example, the Niger government. These multinational companies would buy a kilo of uranium for 80 cents per kilo, right, and they would resell it for 200 euros. Since the government stood up and took ownership of their resources, they went from making 1 billion annually to making 200 billion. And that’s from standing up and actually taking control of their resources,” he explained.
Fuse ODG also mentioned that changing the African story goes beyond simply shifting narratives in the media. For him, it must involve real control over the continent’s assets and future.
“So, for me, when we’re talking about taking back our narrative and taking back our stories, it’s not just that, it’s about taking back control of our resources,” he added.
‘Africa has given more to the world than the world’s ever given to it.’
@FuseODG breaks down why he thinks the West’s ‘obsession with Africa’s poverty’ is a ‘smokescreen’ for something darker. pic.twitter.com/MScwAd4Seu— LBC (@LBC) July 17, 2025
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