It’s a whole new ball game for Africa
● Youth and sport are two of the pillars of Africa’s future, says South African communications strategist Nomathamsanqa “Thami” Nkadimeng, who led a discussion with US National Football League (NFL) legend Osi Umenyiora and Tanzanian entrepreneur Lydia Charles Moyo at a Global Citizen gathering in New York City this week.
The conference brought together a diverse group of world leaders, athletes, celebrities and advocates to work towards ending poverty.
Nkadimeng said she was grateful for the opportunity to represent Africa on the world stage.
“If we’re speaking about solutions for Africans, I think it’s important to have it narrated and steered … by Africans themselves,” she said.
“Not just the panellists need to be African, but also the person who’s guiding the outcome of the conversation and the objective; 60%, maybe even a bit more, of the population in Africa at the moment is under 25 years old.
“And we all know what youth can do — if we look even at our history with the youth uprising, and now around the world — youth are still very full of energy and want better futures,” Nkadimeng said.
“So it’s great that Africa is sitting with a population of that sort, because it’s people who want to make a change and a difference. We were chatting with Osi Umenyiora and talking about how sports is known to unite a lot of people.”
Umenyiora, a British-Nigerian athlete, played for the New York Giants and the Atlanta Falcons in the NFL as a defensive end. He was in the Giants team that won the Super Bowl in 2007 and 2011.
“At home in South Africa, we’ve watched how the Springboks and Bafana Bafana have done quite well recently and united us,” Nkadimeng said.
“Also, arts and culture — because sports also creates a culture and I love that our country has packaged it that way — sports, arts and culture.
“We talked to Osi about bringing American football around the globe to Africa, to expose African children to understand different disciplines of sports that they can engage in. Osi has just been given a position in a development programme around the continent.
“I also sat with Lydia Charles Moyo, founder at Her Initiative [a nonprofit organisation] in Tanzania, who won a Global Citizen prize for [her work with] young African women.”
Nkadimeng showcased South African fashion on the world stage — wearing an offthe-shoulder black and yellow African print dress with puffed sleeves by award-winning Johannesburg designer Lufi D.
“I’ve been wearing Lufi D for a while, and I gave them my word that I’ll take her with me around the globe.
“I had an absolutely incredible time at Global Citizen and I’m thankful that my purpose was fulfilled.
“If fighting for a cause is really in your heart, let’s have less talk and more action — and take action through the platforms and also in your personal spaces.”