OkayAfrica is Celebrating 15 Years of Telling Africa’s Stories – and We Need Your Help

The monumental event wasn’t just a triumph for sports, it was also a showcase of a continent of which not much is known outside its borders. It was huge. Hundreds of millions of people tune in every four years to watch the biggest sporting event in the world, and that year, they tuned in to watch it happen in Africa. The world paid attention to the vibrant celebration of South African culture, amplified by the exponential rise of social media platforms which were becoming powerful tools for connecting people across cultures.

And then there was “Wavin’ Flag,” the song by Somali Canadian artist K’naan, which gave the tournament its beating heart. Originally written as a poignant reflection of the struggles of displaced people in Somalia, it was then reimagined as the official Coca-Cola World Cup celebration song, embodying hope, resilience and national pride.

The 2010 World Cup is arguably the most important moment in African pop culture in the last decade and half. The sport, the music, the people, and the art and culture, captured the attention of the world.

But at that time, something was missing. The internet lacked a space where the explosion of African music, art, film, culture, and stories could find a home.

Enter OkayAfrica. Launched in the same year, OkayAfrica quickly became the digital destination that celebrated and chronicled the people, stories, and events coming out of the continent and its diaspora. That mission is still alive today.

In the last 15 years, we have witnessed and covered the “big-deal” moments across the continent and its diaspora. And as we celebrate our 15th anniversary this year, we want to take a moment to reflect on 15 of the most significant of these moments - and people - that have shaped Africa’s narrative since 2010.

You are a big part of our story. You’ve been with us in this journey and have helped us build the bridge that connects a global audience to Africa. We need your help to create this list, which is actually more than a list. It is a love letter to the wins that made us jubilate, the challenges that refined us and pushed us forward, and the stories that demanded to be told.

We want to hear from you. Tell us, at this link, which moment is of most significance to you.

Your suggestion can be political revolutions like the Arab Spring and Sudan’s civilian uprising, or civic actions like South Africa’s #FeesMustFall protests or Nigeria’s #EndSARS movement. It could be about the global expansion of Afrobeats and the collaborations that catalyzed it. It could be groundbreaking moments in sports, like when Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge became the first human to ever complete a marathon in under two hours, or Morocco becoming the first African country to reach the FIFA World Cup Semifinals in 2022.

We’re also looking at the boundary-pushers in film, art and literature. Consider figures like Senegalese French filmmaker Mati Diop who has become a celebrated global star championing African excellence in filmmaking, or Nigeria’s Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, whose literary voice has shaped global conversations about feminism and identity. Also think of the startup boom that has led to the continent being home to more than half a dozen unicorns.

Thank you for being part of our story and for helping us celebrate 15 years of telling Africa’s stories. Tell us about your most significant moment below.