 From Cape Town to Cairo, Sydney Girl to Somalia, Ode Maya, Shows Africa, Nanana, Miria, Tulivia, Resetting the media, Ode Maya, in Africa. So I don't even know the kind of position that he wants us to have, but that is going to be pretty simple. As you said, you were just chatting. Yeah, just going to have a conversation. But how is Rwanda doing? Well, this guy has been here for two years. I think there's a non-Wanda needs in the future position to say it. I think Rwanda is good. It has been a good experience for me, you know, more to learn. Yeah, you are the guy who gave up on America. The only African that I know that he gave up on America. Yeah, but I do it for Africa and, you know, I stand by it. You love Africa that much? I mean, where else do I have other than Africa? You believe in Africa? This is all I have. You don't think he was being naive of giving up on America just to come to Rwanda? Well, I think the first impression is, yeah, this young man is naive. Thank you! But listen to the second impression. Yeah, that's right. But you see, as I told you, I met it to her for the first time today. But I had followed his, you know, videos on social media. And the first time I heard him, he was talking about his coming to Rwanda. And I thought, well, this young man has got he must be having some kind of a vision. You know, choosing Rwanda instead of going to the States, as you said, very few young people would do that. But when he explained why he wanted to come to Rwanda, it's because he wants to remain connected with his motherland. Lots of young people these days, you know, they go to study abroad, but a lot of them never come back. And even those who return, you know, they return with a different mindset. And we need you young people to keep thinking about your own continent. I like what you do. Now it's my turn. The first time I saw your videos, you know, I didn't know you, I'd never met you. But I got interested in the things that you were doing. You know, covering most African countries at your age. You already had a vision of what you wanted to achieve, which is probably the biggest challenge to young people, you know, to know what it is that you want to do. About two, three days ago, when I sent you a message and said, look here, I hear that you are stranded in the Gisenyi because you can't go across for whatever reasons, I decided just to send you a message and say, look here, should you come to Kigali? Come and stay with me. And here we are. That's how it happened. I think for the sake of the video and for the sake of the people watching us for the first time, my name is Wadamaya, the one and only annoying village boy who is on a journey to change the narratives of Africa. I mean, we're trying to celebrate African excellence and I am joined by... Yeah, it's also Usman Ture. This is my second time or my third time on this channel, of course. And as you know, I am an African born in the Gambia. I love that. An African born in the Gambia. Thank you. Africa first. And our guest for today is... Gerald Michisi. I'm a Rwandan, staying in Rwanda. Used to work for the government, but later on moved into private business, which I've been doing now for the last 20 years. So I'm very happy to be with these two young guys, one from Ghana, another one from... Gambia. Gambia. And my passion after so many years is to just share my experiences with young Africans. As Wadam will tell you, my passion is Africa and I consider myself a Pan-Africanist. Even his Twitter handle is Pan-African, indeed. Right. And I've followed tourist videos. He is also a very passionate Pan-Africanist. And what Wadam is doing, I'm sure most of you know, he does lots of YouTube videos on the continent. As he says, he's changing the narrative of Africa to give us positive things that are happening in Africa as opposed to what the Western media tells us about Africa. Osman, you're going to go first? Indeed. I know it is a big thing. And I just want to justify this point. It is because of Wadam I am here in Rwanda. You travel to the Gambia, discover Juliet Rine, help her set up a YouTube channel and she did the first interview that I did on the media. So thanks to you, I am here. So he was actually going to find me. He couldn't find me and he met Juliet. And I had to miss my flight just to create a YouTube channel for Juliet. I was living the Gambia that same day. I'm like, you know what? I think you can help us change the narratives of Africa. So let me just create a YouTube channel for you. I created her first video for her and I posted it on YouTube the next morning. I was on my way to Ghana. And then he went and then he met Juliet. His first video just blew it up. Here we are today. Thanks to you. He's giving me credit to you. I don't like credit. You still owe me. I don't think that's what he wanted to say. Let's forget about that. We have so many young Africans that watch our videos. That's why I really want to sit down and talk to you. I'm not going to be the only person who's going to ask you questions. Osman is also going to ask you a few questions. But me, my first question is, do you think it's worth it for young Africans, based on this guy, yeah? Yes. Do you think it's worth it for young Africans to stay in Africa or just go out of Africa and come back? Which one is worth it? Stay in Africa. Go and come back or go and stay forever. Well, it really depends. We would all love to stay in our countries. But let me say to stay in Africa. Because it shouldn't matter whether I'm Rwandese and I stay in Ghana or in Gambia or anywhere in Africa. It shouldn't really matter. But there are certain things that we cannot get here in Africa. There are certain levels of education that might not be possible in Africa. So you go out there, mainly to the Western countries, but these days even to China and so on, to acquire certain skills, certain knowledge, certain experiences which you should bring back home. The problem is when our young people go out and graduate, get high qualifications, and instead of coming back to serve their people, they opt to stay there. Of course, there are many reasons why sometimes they want to stay there. So over there, you are going to get better salaries. Life is easier. But then really, is that what we should be living for? As young people, you should realize that Africa is the poorest continent. Who is going to bring it up? Who is going to change what is happening in Africa if it's not you, young people? That's why I was very impressed with his reasons, with the tourist reasons for refusing to go to the U.S. and coming to Wanda. He was thinking of not just his mother country, but of Africa. So yes, it is good to go out there, go there, get what took you there, and come back to serve your people. Yeah, that's very true. But also, don't we think the preparation is usually the problem? Like, when I start to go to school here, before I finish high school, is there anything in the school system that is reminding me of patriotism, that is reminding me of law for Africa, that is reminding me of wanting to take responsibility as a young person? Normally, when we finish high school, it's just if you are from a very good background, you just do the paperwork, then you go. So someone from the Gambia, let's say, going to America has no idea about the rest of Africa. So they're not really interested. That's true. I think that also needs to be addressed, especially in the school system, like putting more patriotism. We've seen how China, how Japan have done that. They have more foreign students than our countries. But these foreign students are also patriotic. They go back. But why do you think we don't have that patriotic kind of education system? We don't have lessons like that in school to show us how to love our own continent. There's nothing like that. Why do you think something like that does not exist? Because our education system was created for us. Exactly. Or is that the answer? I mean, it is very true. The education system is actually created for us. And many African countries have this problem. At independence, many just focus on the politics. Oh, we are able to elect a leader. That wasn't enough. What happened to your education system? These guys were smiling at the back, saying, okay, leave them. We have a school in our own system. We fed them with the information they receive about who they are. So everything was planted. Now, what is on the ground and what we need to do now is, okay, how do we graduate from this? We have a school policy. We have a school agenda. How do we design it in a way that it goes with the country's vision? It goes with the Pan-African vision. It goes with the African Union's vision. It goes with building a continent. We don't have this. Someone schooling in Rwanda will receive a totally different context from someone even schooling in Uganda. Another person schooling in Uganda will receive a totally different context from someone schooling in Ghana. So nothing is bringing us together from the school system. That is very true. What you just said. You see, Africa was not the only continent to be colonised. There are other places that were colonised. India was colonised. Even Singapore, they were colonised. But these people still maintained their cultures. In Africa, the colonisation was more of our mindset. To the point where our parents believed that their children for them to be successful, they got to go abroad. The parents believed in that. And therefore they started preparing their children also with that mentality that the best things can only come from the West. And it is unfortunate that even today you look at our curriculum in schools. It hasn't changed much from what the colonisers gave us. Our children are trained to give more respect to Western things. There's a time I travelled to South Africa and I got there in the evening. I went straight to my hotel room and switched on the television. But let me tell you, sitting in my room watching the TV programmes. This in South Africa, this is way after independence, you would think you are somewhere watching a programme in the United States. The presenters, they were young people but their culture, their behaviour, their style is a copy, a piece of the programmes in the United States. Including that content. Now I start to think am I in Africa or am I somewhere in the States? You see that? And these are young people. You look at, I'm very happy to see you look at the way he's dressed. This is African. No wonder he's a passionate but Africanist. I love the way, it's a t-shirt. It's a t-shirt but it's not an African t-shirt. But it's a wonder. The heart of Africa. You are proud. Very proud. Of who you are. And one of the things I love about your videos the role, to me, one of the most important things you are trying to do is tell Africans they are one. We keep talking about a visa free Africa. I think the challenges you have been facing the last three days. I'm still in Rwanda. There's a lot to do with visa issues. Now, and you keep hammering upon this visa issue the freedom of Africans to move from one country to another without any hassle. But those hassles are still there. I know the African Union is trying very hard to do something about it but we have been talking about it for quite a number of years and they are still there. The point I'm trying to make is there is an issue with the mindset of the African. During my days at the university there's the late Alimaz Rui. The professor at the university I went to and in his many, many writings Alimaz Rui said that one of the biggest problems that Africa has is that Africans go abroad and once they get there they develop the thinking the world image of the West. Whereas Indians the Chinese, the Japanese they will go to those foreign countries study but their culture does not change they still remain themselves many Africans you know when you go to the states you come back and your accent hasn't changed we laugh at you what are you doing in the States? You know that so it is a mindset thing and we need to change the narrative of how we Africans particularly you young people how you see yourself as Africans. I don't know but I would also like to have this question posed because I know that Wadi Meyers channel is not just for young people and you've done something really amazing by going into retirement and transforming your home into something that gives you finance sustainable financing and this will be a very good thing to explain to some of the people out there because I mean I am here and I've seen all this beautiful environment it's just amazing and I know why my friend is here so yeah I think it will be good for our grandmas our grandpas out there I don't think it's only good for our grandpas and our grandpas good for some of us actually for you okay let me this whole place used to be your house yes this used to be my house I initially built this place as my home but as I told you earlier I think it wasn't the wisest thing to do but when you look at the background of many people of my age as Rwandese we grew up in foreign countries and as refugees now there are certain privileges certain opportunities that we could not get as refugees you could not think of buying land building a house because to you it was a foreign country but that wasn't too bad because you see that also meant back in your mind you still have the idea that one day I'm going to leave these foreign countries and go back to my home I used to have a friend who used to tell me I see you on social you live a very good life but that time I was a teacher so he was a colleague and says I know your salary it is the same as mine but I can't live the kind of lifestyle that you live so I said yeah that is very true I asked him so what do you do with your salary so he told me he is investing here and there he is buying land he is building a house he comes from and so on well me I don't bother about those things I get my salary and I enjoy myself you see when you don't live in your own country indeed you don't think about doing those things so when I returned to Rwanda of course I had been working for some time which country were you well directly from Rwanda I came from Tanzania but I lived in many African countries so I joined the government for that was in 1995 I left the government in 2000 in order to do my own business you know those who came back to Rwanda and had some money I am trying to give you the background of this home was we tried to put up our dream house something that you never thought that you could ever so there are many people who are in the same situation as me who built big houses but later on only to realize that it was not wise to do that which is why you want to hear about it so that you don't make the same mistake afterwards that time my children were young so it was okay they were staying with us and then they left to know went to schools and when they graduated they didn't want to stay with their parents they wanted to stay on their own that's the modern way of living so the house became too big for just my wife, our one child so we decided to find out what to do with it and eventually we modified it and changed it to a small but nice boutique hotel so you don't leave here anymore? no, I don't leave here anymore I have a house a small house a three bedroom house because on there I make the same mistake so if I had money now and I wanted to build something I would certainly put up a block of apartments that makes a lot of sense this is old fashioned thinking it's not a modern thinking for you guys what you should be doing now is build yourself a small apartment if you have money put up more apartments for generating income yeah, thank you so much and I'm so happy that you've opened to give us all this information, I'm sure it will be a guide and as well as to word it this place is called Ezra boutique villa in Rwanda I recommend it anytime I come back to Rwanda this time I'm going to stay so maybe we might cross paths so if you are coming to Rwanda make sure you book Ezra boutique villa and you definitely got to have a good time in here we're still talking about Africa I have two questions before we go my next question is talking about Africa do you think it would be helpful or it's essential for Africa to have a borderless continent because I travel within Africa and I feel like it's one of the most difficult thing to do even though I go to a country, I do videos people are happy, my proud country but so many people don't see the challenges that I go through to enter an African country you said you've been in so many African countries do you think that Africa deserves a borderless continent you know it's something that amazes me we always complain that these borders were created for us by this 18 1884 conference and we say this is the most unfortunate thing that has ever happened to Africa exactly but since we became independent how many borders have been removed to create this will bring me back to the way we Africans think we keep blaming other people for having put these borders in place but we'd never want to remove them we find it very difficult to remove these borders we're even creating orders that's right borders are never a good thing now we can't physically remove the borders but we can remove the borders through allowing people to cross the borders freely as you're saying that is what should really be happening exactly when he told me one of his mentors is PLO now you know I love PLO that man is very persistent he's very focused he's a Pan-Africanist and he talks about the things that everybody every leader in Africa should really implement but how many leaders listen to PLO that's the problem the things he says, even those leaders who don't do anything about it believe in what he says you know during the organization of African Union was created I think it was you are from Ghana I hope you guys are more Pan-Africanist than all other Africans I mean if you think about Pan-Africanism Ghanaians are you should indeed and that is why I am the guy who is traveling the entire country because Kwame Krum was a mentor for many people many Africans looked at him as somebody he's somebody who tried to really bring Africa together and there's one thing he said during that conference you African leaders if we don't do it now it's going to be very difficult to achieve it later because you guys are going back in your countries you're going to enjoy that seat you're going to enjoy being called the president of this country to leave that seat and now get other countries to be one country it's going to be a very difficult thing and indeed that's what proved this because the reason these borders don't move because they don't get abolished because people love power you know and African leaders love power they would do anything to stay in power and personally I look forward to young people like you the work that you are doing through your videos of trying to bring Africans together yours is more on social contacts let's remove the borders let people travel across Africa freely we are one I love what Toure keeps talking about for him is really more of a pan-Africanist now we need more it is indeed a big challenge for us to change things because we have been talking about these things for many many years the Gwamen Krumas came the Nyerere's came and many other leaders this young guy who was killed recently not recently but Soma Sankara whom I also take as a great pan-Africanist you know there are few who been talking about the need for us as Africans to be proud of Africa of Africa but you see that for us to be very proud Africans there are certain things that we have to let go you know being influenced by the West but lots of leaders now find it difficult for different reasons but young people like you we need now more young people like you to keep talking about these challenges there's not much you can do now but as the narrative keeps growing keeps changing we won't give up on Africa because I believe in Africa and I believe that the generation of Africa today will make a difference in future because I look at the people that follows me and I meet people in town and I think Africa got a bright future I mean meeting someone like Osman Thurey I'm tipping him to be the next president of the Gambia why not I've already booked my ticket as soon as you become the president I'm coming yo the borders between so I know that the people that watch me are my age I don't want to be president but I know that I'm touching a lot of young Africans that are going to be future leaders they know what I've been talking about not just young Africans I follow you and I believe that I'll be going to them and telling them that I wanted to move from one country to another can we do something about it about actions, not about talking if you had the chance to change one thing on the continent what would that thing be let me tell you as a Pan-Africanist the thing that I would like to see change is for our leaders to really do something about the African unity because most of the challenges we face most of the problems we face is because we are dis-united that is one thing that I would like to see happen during my lifetime let me before you go, if Africa ever unite what do you think will happen it means progress it means development it means sustainability because today Ghana's economy is just Ghana if Africa is united your economy means Africa why is it difficult about all these movements why is it difficult for young entrepreneurs we have to breach this and he made mention of it we cannot jump to the physical you know coming together or unity but let the leaders have commitment political will, that's everything no more visas for Africans no, we are connecting with the diasporas in fact you are all invited all the commitments on business right to ownership of properties in different African countries we have to promote this to not just limit young people's visions in small tiny countries young people must think Africa must think big and to enhance that it means the unity has to be in place and once we are able to be united there is growth there is development there is prosperity and there is that social cohesion that is going to promote peace and stability across the continent I believe that will be the biggest impact for African unity you have been asking me just for curiosity that I want to ask you you know what you are doing and you have been doing it for quite a while I have been following you I have checked the number of people following you there are thousands thousands there is a good thing so you are making an impact in Africa an impact on the youth because the things that you report about positive stories positive images about Africa my question is have you ever had any kind of support be it you know just motivation be it thank you be it financial support from let's say our African systems or governments you see what I am trying because you are developing Africa you are trying to change the narrative of Africa you should be left to you alone and it's like for them it's like you don't even exist like I said I have personally even reached out to so many of them because we see the impact that our videos brings to the public you try to reach out to them for them to come on board to support what we are doing nothing happens it's only the private sectors what you are doing and you feel like we need to support this guy we need to help this guy the individual house across the continent like I go to a country some of them are like stay in my house I am going to give you my car that's how I manage to move from one place to another when it comes to the top you don't exist for them you don't exist sometimes it can be very demotivating they are not the reason why I am on this journey the journey it's more fulfilling because I see the impact on the continent I came here two years ago I did a video sitting in the garter I was out of excitement I told people that Kigali is the cleanest city in Africa I came here for the second time and I am seeing people that are opening shops I am seeing people that are working in Kigali they bought houses in Kigali and they are all telling me that hey, two years ago I found your video and I had to move to Kigali this is the kind of impact that drives me but if I had to follow I am waiting to see what the government is going to give me I would never move because I am even trying to see when you are trying to promote Africa I think the next section is trying to bring African leaders on board let the people ask them the question that they have been yearning for I think I did a poll on Twitter and a lot of people were telling me that we want His Excellency Pocogami to be the first I have tried all angles but I have seen people from different African countries that even the whole president takes them to their palace to show them around so that the youth will see what they have in the country but why is it so hard for African leaders to open up to the youth and this is what I don't even understand I wasn't thinking in terms of probably support from government but a little recognition of what you are doing a little recognition of Ture a young guy from the Gambia preferring to come and study in Africa somehow that recognition alone because it motivates other young people and to me that is important you already know what you want to do and you are going to do it no matter but the time you took that decision not to go to the states you already knew what you want to do in the future a vision is not just for the leaders you are a leader who is the leader it is not just the president the ministers who are leaders you are influencing young people you are leaders in your own way and I can assure you you were saying that you are waiting for him to become the president why not you are growing who says that in another 10 years in your videos I want to say thank you so much for sharing knowledge with me and I believe that so many people who watched us today have learned something new please don't forget to like the video share and subscribe if you are new to the channel my name is Mr. Ghanibaby I am also in support of that I am almost there I am almost there subscribe and be part of the million family thank you