Abstract

Whereas so many factors may be said to problematize development across Africa, the most destabilizing amongst them is dysfunctional politics, making her come last in development and civilization matters and causing her citizens be characterized by fears and failures. This is one scenario that most cinematic narratives of Africa have consistently represented, especially when issues of human right abuses and corruption in political offices are involved. The logic of this paper is that public and political leaders are to be held accountable on why Africa is less developed, because of their kind of politics, which arguably has triggered the epidemics of poverty; continental, national, and individual strife; migrations; and crippling unemployment rates at different levels. Applying textual analysis as a key methodological device to critically examine selected scenes from different film narratives, this paper interrogates politicians as key players in the social scenario that plays out in Africa. It illustrates why most of them can be seen as mere swindlers and profiteers. Thus, looking at the selected films for this study as postcolonial narratives, it also argues that present day cinematic narratives of Africa are a tapestry of records heralding the popular voice of its makers and viewers, which is in line with the social responsibility theory of media that generally calls for safeguarding society against traitors.