American TV personality Steve Harvey has advised Americans in the diaspora to put their prejudices about Africa aside and visit the continent.
According to him, these travels will give the west, especially African-Americans an understanding of African culture and its impact on the rest of the world.
Speaking in a podcast, Steve Harvey said “Forget everything you’ve ever heard. After you go to Africa, you got to go to Ghana first, then you need to go to Botswana because you need to see (these places).”
“Botswana is the second richest diamond producer nation in the world – them black people over got something. And then you got to go to Johannesburg, that’s what you’ve got to do. You’ve got to do that jump right there. Once you see that, you’ll understand who we are,” he told a crowd.
Steve Harvey stated that these visits will dismiss the narrative that Africans, especially musicians, are ‘stealing’ from the west as many African Americans believe. “Them Africans ain’t stole nothing from us. “
“They talk about, Burner Boy stole this? No. We stole from Burner Boy. Them Africans is us, man. They’re the beat. They the rhythm. They the soul. They the hard work. We get our courage from them. When you see them people, they look jack like your family,” he said.
Steve Harvey first came to Ghana in 2019 during the popularised ‘Year of Return’ when diasporans and African-Americans were encouraged to visit Ghana to learn about their roots.
Since his visit, the TV show host has spoken openly about his love for Ghana and the African continent as a whole.
He also introduced the popular game show ‘Family Fued’ to Ghana and South Africa.