Size Matters: Reframing The Map of Africa

For over two decades, one of my favourite presentations to school groups has been about the true size of Africa. Back when I was a founding member of the 100 Black Men of London, I started sharing this talk and to this day, it never fails to surprise. I am always fascinated by how bamboozled both pupils and school teachers are when they are confronted with the facts, supported by resources such as satellite pictures of the Earth, that show that Africa’s size relative to the rest of the world has been greatly understated in maps.

The main culprit for this massive act of misinformation is the Mercator projection. This is the world map most commonly used in classrooms and textbooks. It dramatically shrinks Africa while inflating the size of continents closer to the poles. This isn’t just a cartographic quirk; consistent misinformation on this scale is profoundly anti-intellectual. Moreover, it’s a form of subliminal messaging that contributes to Africa’s marginalisation in global affairs and chips away at the self-esteem of Africans. If you grow up thinking your continent isn’t significant in size, it’s easy to internalise that it’s not significant in other ways either.

That’s why I’m thrilled that the African Union has endorsed a campaign led by Africa No Filter and Speak Up Africa to replace the Mercator projection with the more accurate Equal Earth projection. This isn’t just about geography—it’s about reclaiming agency and reshaping perception. We especially urge educators, particularly across Africa, to prioritise this shift. It may seem symbolic, but symbols matter in narrative. They shape how we see ourselves and how the world sees us.

Who knows maybe the next time I do my school presentation showing how many countries fit into Africa with room to spare, I won’t be met with the usual wide-eyed disbelief.

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Fashion Matters: Celebrating African Excellence

Aso la nki ki a to ki eniyan (Yoruba proverb, translated: We greet clothes before we greet the wearer).

It is arguable if The Africa Centre has ever looked as beautiful as it has done over the past month. We’ve been celebrating excellence in African fashion in full colour and creativity through collaborations with Africa Fashion Week London (AFWL) and the British Council’s Creative DNA (CDNA) programme. Our CDNA x The Africa Centre AFWL Reception kicked things off with vibrant fashion, inspiring conversations, and meaningful connections as part of the UK/Kenya Season of Culture. Earlier in the month, we hosted a one-man show and book launch by the fabulous Chimano of Kenyan Afropop supergroup Sauti Sol.

The 15th annual AFWL was a standout moment, featuring a runway exhibition of exclusive designs for The Africa Centre’s 60^th anniversary by Adire Oodua Textiles Hub in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. The range is now on display and for sale at The Africa Centre. Please get yourself a t-shirt, scarf, tote bag or gown the next time you visit or drop us a line at [email protected] for enquiries. 

During a recent trip home to Nigeria, I had the pleasure of visiting the Adire Oodua hub, hosted by founder and CEO Queen Aderonke Adewuyi-Ogunwusi. I was honoured to be received by His Imperial Majesty the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi (Ojaja II), who shared powerful insights on the importance of cultural heritage in our changing world.

Another highlight was meeting with Chief Nike Okundaye-Davies at her gallery in Lagos. She’s had a long relationship with The Africa Centre, and I was delighted to learn that her gallery’s design was inspired by our former Covent Garden premises. We look forward to welcoming her back soon: watch this space!

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Looking Back: 2024 Impact Report

Please find here our recently published Impact Report for the calendar year ended 2024. Once again, a massive thank you to everyone who worked with, supported and sponsored us in this period. We will appreciate any feedback on the report. If you or your organisation would like to sponsor the 2025 report, please drop us a line at [email protected]. 

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Looking Ahead: September Highlights

After a light August, we’re back in full swing this September. Highlights include:

• 9 September: Cultural Heritage Symposium: Heritage in the Digital Age, in partnership with Decolonising the Archive.
• 13 September: 60 Years of Struggle documentary screening with Black History Walks, followed by a conversation with legendary activist Professor Gus John. (Fun fact: Professor John wrote the first white paper on Black history in UK education from The Africa Centre in the 1970s.)

As always, keep an eye on our website and newsletters for more events. We’ve got a powerful season ahead.

Have a Great Month!

Peace, Love and Light!

 Olu Alake