If this fact is shocking to you, you should probably educate yourself a bit more. Africa has forever and always been a continent with various countries within it. However, many people across the world (except Africans themselves of course) refer to the continent of Africa as if it was a country.
"Oh, in Africa, they have this custom or tradition." Where specifically? Traditions are very much different depending on which country you go to in Africa. Nigerians do not conduct marriages the same way Congolese people do. A Somalian does not eat the same food as a Ghanaian. Even within a country, traditions are very different amongst the tribes. Keep in mind that there's not just a few tribes per country, some countries have hundreds of tribes within them.
The problem also lies in the use of generalization. Most people can't even name a country in Africa. Most Africans are still seen as a people who live in huts and hunt and gather for food. If not that image, we're a poor people with corrupt governments who need assistance from outside sources. This couldn't be farther from the truth. Many countries in Africa are becoming very self-sufficient, and the economy there continues to grow every day. A significant number of people live in apartments or houses just as anyone else would. In fact, 1 in 3 Africans are part of the middle class.
We are no different from anybody else and we're definitely not less than anyone else. We can thrive where ever you put us. While we are one Africa, we are more than just that. We are hundreds of tribes, millions of individuals and 54 prosperous nations, each with the power to make a difference in the world. Africa is NOT a country. Stop referring to it as if it is.
