The Sand Diggers - An African Journey With Jonathan Dimbleby - BBC Two

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After four decades of reporting from the continent, Jonathan Dimbleby returns to Africa on a 7,000-mile journey to discover how it is changing.

He starts his African journey in the capital of Mali, Bamako, the fastest-growing African city. Following the course of the Niger river, Dimbleby finds not a continent of beggars but of industrious people, some of whom go to extraordinary lengths to make a living, free-diving 20 feet to excavate building sand.

Travelling north-east, he sees how tradition is preserved in an area where a sophisticated urban society has thrived for 1,600 years. Jonathan gets his hands dirty as the apprentice of a 74-year-old mud mason in Djenne, a town built entirely of mud.

In Ghana, one of Africa's freest and most stable countries, Jonathan sees a spectacular festival before playing a game of golf with the King of the Ashanti, who recalls his time working for Brent council. Dimbleby attends the King's court to see what lessons the UK can draw from traditional African structures that promote harmony and reconciliation.

Jonathan discovers that the African brain drain is turning into a brain gain as economic opportunity and patriotism draw people home. Football unites Ghana like nothing else, superseding political and tribal divisions. There is a rich seam of young football talent on the continent in the year that the World Cup is hosted by an African nation for the first time.

In Lagos, Nigeria's business capital, Jonathan Dimbleby sees a different take on a city that is often depicted as a hotbed of violence, crime and corruption. He is taken on a private jet by Africa's richest man, then savours the creative talents of two of African music's rising stars who are helping to cement Lagos's place as the continent's cultural hub.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• mali
• jonathan
• dimbleby
• africa
• bamako
• sand
• diggers

[ukculture]

South American Journey - you mention South America is corrupt... Welcome to the United Kingdom. You mention that if something is said outloud in S.America, doors close for opportunity. Welcome to United Kingdom. Same thing applies here if you upset the applecart of those in instituional positions.....Exactly the same thing. Dont be so blind Mr Dimbleby

[ukculture]

KILL all those wgho supply and sell drugs to my Children and other innocent families children....Fuck the poor people, we cannot be carers of the entire world, protect our country firdst.... just dont allow drugs to be solfd legally EVER. DRUGS KILL innocent people.

[ukculture]

South American Journey. Dimbleby suggets we should alll accept Cocaine to save the South american poor people. Well Myr Dimbleby. 6 young girls were killed in Suffolk because of DRUGS..Fuck legalising drugs. I dont want MY CHILDREN to think drugs are acceptable in any way whatsover. I recommend KILL all those involved in DRUGS... .. NEVER legalise DRUGS just because its out of control... its a cheap cop out.

[inzen1909]

@inzen1909 ahh this is after he was dropped by itv when he had savaged 3 labour mp over the wepons of mass disstruction,his mistake was on the pannel was 3 U.S.A. senitors at the same time and when on of the senitors ask Jonathan Dimbleby why you are talking in a bad way againt us,joathan said just as all bully do,i wasen't talking to you i was talking to them,the aswear the senitor said in reply when you talk bad to the labour you are talking to us but it was a good bit of fun poor dear john

[Abu7929]

@glentton Atleast this guys got some help. I saw another guy in Lagos Nigeria, should have seen his body he looked like a god. He did it all himself, no ropes or helpers. He'd dive down, scoop it up, lift the bucket over his head and dump it in the barge. They use it for manufacturing glass and other products.

[glentton]

wow what we people take for gantted is like gold to theses people amazing really i feel speachless