The American streamer IShowSpeed (Darren Watkins Jr.) is currently live-streaming his travels through Africa, turning social media into a live classroom for millions of young viewers. This new generation of learning, through unscripted livestreams, allows people to discover history and culture in an engaging way. Speed’s trip became a lesson in African history and pride. By questioning guides and locals on camera, he helped his viewers “open their minds” to a fuller story of Africa’s past and present.
Ethiopia’s Proud History
In Ethiopia, Speed learned why the country has a unique place in colonial history. Ethiopia defeated Italian invaders at the Battle of Adwa (1896) and preserved its independence. Europe then recognised Ethiopia as sovereign, making it famously one of only two African nations (with Liberia) to escape being carved up in the 19th-century “Scramble for Africa”. In Addis Ababa and surrounding cities, local hosts showed Speed monuments and told stories of legendary warriors and emperors. These encounters reframed Africa not as a monolithic “poor continent,” but as home to ancient civilizations. As Speed’s camera captured it, Ethiopia’s rich past became obvious to his young, global audience.
- Ethiopia defeated Italy at Adwa in 1896, winning its independence.
- Apart from a brief Italian occupation in the 1930s, Ethiopia remained uncolonised, one of only two African countries to do so.
- Ethiopia is celebrated as the birthplace of coffee, with wild coffee plants traced back to its highland forests.
- The country has a long history of learning – early Christian schooling in Axum around 330 AD shows that Africa had educational traditions from ancient times.
These facts helped fans see Africa in a new light. Instead of hearing only about poverty or conflict, Speed’s viewers saw pride, history, and culture; a form of decolonising education through an internet platform.
Botswana and the Diamond Trade
In Botswana, Speed’s curiosity led him into a diamond office, where he was shocked to learn he could not buy rough diamonds on the spot. Locals explained why: Botswana’s diamond industry is mostly run by Debswana, a 50:50 joint venture between the government and De Beers. Under recent contracts, the state-owned Okavango Diamond Company is only allowed 30–40% of the production. In other words, Botswana owns the land and mines, but much of the value is captured by foreign companies. Speed’s livestream showed this asymmetry in real time. As he held a rough diamond on camera, viewers discussed how the gems were routed abroad to cutting centres in India and Europe. The live clip traced a pipeline: “Botswana holds the land and labor. Branding, resale and markups happen elsewhere,” as one analysis noted. In effect, Speed taught his audience about neocolonial patterns: the way colonial-era trade structures still influence Africa’s economy. A young fan watching might not see this math class lesson in real life, but he saw it live on YouTube and he learned how historic deals still shape modern wealth.
- Botswana’s diamonds are managed by Debswana (a 50/50 JV with De Beers), and only 30–40% of output goes to Botswana’s Okavango Diamond Company.
- Most rough stones are sold under fixed contracts (to big international buyers), so locals cannot just buy diamonds off the shelf.
- Speed’s visit highlighted how the value of Botswana’s diamonds often flows overseas: local miners extract the stones, but the cutting, branding, and profit happen in foreign markets.
By questioning the guides, Speed educated his fans about how control of resources still reflects old colonial ties. The lecture wasn’t in a classroom; it was in a diamond office in Gaborone, streamed live to the world.
Zambia: Belonging and Shared Heritage
On a lighter note, Speed’s Zambia stop drove home another lesson: diaspora unity and pride. In his tour, Speed stood on a pickup truck in Zambia at sunset and admitted, “I haven’t been anywhere here where I didn’t feel like I belonged,”. His genuine emotion (backed by millions of online viewers) underlined the warm reception he received across Africa. In many countries, crowds danced, cheered, and embraced him. Media reports noted Speed felt at home “everywhere” he went, with communities welcoming him with “open arms”; a direct challenge to the myth of inevitable distance between Black Africans and Black Americans. One viewer online even said it changed how she saw her roots: watching a young Black American return and “be treated like a human, with respect and love… changed something in me”. In short, Speed’s continental trip helped rebuild a sense of shared pride. Seeing diaspora ties celebrated in real life – rather than told as political rhetoric – showed his fans that Africa and its diaspora are connected by more than stereotypes.
Decolonising Education and Rebuilding Pride
Speed’s tour illustrates a new generation method of learning. Instead of learning about Africa only from textbooks or news reports or docummentaries, millions of young people saw real-time history, geography, and economics taught through travel and conversation. In doing so, they also participated in the decolonisation movement of the mind: they are replacing colonial-era lies with knowledge of Africa’s true legacy and potential. By celebrating Ethiopia’s victory, by questioning diamond trade inequalities, and by feeling unity in Zambia, Speed and his audience “opened their minds” to alternative narratives.
In every step of his Africa tour, Speed’s journey opened a window to pride. Pride in history, in resources, and in shared humanity. His adventures show how a streamer can become an educator: inspiring young people to think critically and feel proud of African heritage. Such exposure can spark curiosity, leading viewers to learn more about decolonisation and to honour Africa’s rich past. In this way, new-media learning contributes to rebuilding pride and rewriting history from an African perspective.
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