It's a Continent

On 1st December 1944, the French army opened fire on West African soldiers in Thiaroye, a suburb in Dakar, Senegal. These African soldiers previously fought for France during World War II, some even becoming prisoners of war in the process.

In this episode, we delve into the world of cobalt, a critical material in the production of rechargeable batteries, especially Lithium-ion batteries that power our everyday devices such as smartphones, laptops, tablets, and electric vehicles.

We're joined by Dr Estrella Sendra: scholar, teacher, filmmaker, journalist and festival organiser based at King's College London. We bring marginalised African film into the spotlight as we learn about the origin of Francophone West African film and its pioneers. We discuss the genre's evolution - including its globalisation and top tips for getting into Francophone West African cinema.

Meet Albert Luthuli, the first African to win the Nobel Peace Prize for his nonviolent fight against apartheid. As the leader of the African National Congress, he became well-known in South Africa's anti-apartheid movement. In this role, his views on justifiable violence were tested and evolved. We explore his story of perseverance and courage.

Chocolate is something we all know and love to consume. However, it’s no secret that cocoa as a commodity has its roots in something a lot more sinister. Human rights campaigners continue calling on global chocolate companies to recognise the role the cocoa trade has played in enabling poverty and child labour, particularly in countries such as Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana...

The CFA franc is one of Africa’s most baffling and misunderstood currencies. Introduced in 1945 to keep France’s African colonies under control, it has withstood decolonisation. Today, the CFA franc operates in 14 African countries and remains managed by France.

Andrée Blouin fought ardently for her belief in independence from imperial power. We look at her life, legacy and how colonial law impacted her experiences: from growing up in an orphanage, to losing her son from a treatable illness.

Calls for reparations have come at a time where we’ve seen the Head of State be removed in Barbados and the returning of looted items like Benin Bronzes, Patrice Lumumba’s tooth and skulls stolen during the Namibian genocide. In this episode we look at the case for reparations: its definition, political origin and what it could look like.

In this episode, we explore Lusophone Africa, that is, Portuguese-speaking Africa, through the lens of the revolutionist and Pan-Africanist Amílcar Cabral. Cabral played a critical role in ending colonial rule in Guinea-Bissau and Cabo Verde. We follow his story, legacy, and impact on the rest of Lusophone Africa.

We're joined by Heizal Nagginda, a climate and environmental activist from Uganda, and founder of Climate Operation (@climateoperation). The organisiation's mission is to educate Ugandan children and communities about climate change and its intersection with other social issues.