与乔纳森·丁布尔比一起游非洲

Afterfourdecadesofreportingfromthecontinent,JonathanDimblebyreturnstoAfricaona7,000-milejourneytodiscoverhowitischanging.【Mali,GhanaandNigeria】HestartshisAfricanjourneyinthecapitalofMali,Bamako,thefastest-growingAfricancity.FollowingthecourseoftheNigerriver,Dimblebyfindsnotacontinentofbeggarsbutofindustriouspeople,someofwhomgotoextraordinarylengthstomakealiving,free-diving20feettoexcavatebuildingsand.Travellingnorth-east,heseeshowtraditionispreservedinanareawhereasophisticatedurbansocietyhasthrivedfor1600years.Jonathangetshishandsdirtyastheapprenticeofa74-year-oldmudmasoninDjenne,atownbuiltentirelyofmud.InGhana,oneofAfrica'sfreestandmoststablecountries,JonathanseesaspectacularfestivalbeforeplayingagameofgolfwiththeKingoftheAshanti,whorecallshistimeworkingforBrentcouncil.DimblebyattendstheKing'scourttoseewhatlessonstheUKcandrawfromtraditionalAfricanstructuresthatpromoteharmonyandreconciliation.JonathandiscoversthattheAfricanbraindrainisturningintoabraingainaseconomicopportunityandpatriotismdrawpeoplehome.FootballunitesGhanalikenothingelse,supersedingpoliticalandtribaldivisions.ThereisarichseamofyoungfootballtalentonthecontinentintheyearthattheWorldCupishostedbyanAfricannationforthefirsttime.InLagos,Nigeria'sbusinesscapital,JonathanDimblebyseesadifferenttakeonacitythatisoftendepictedasahotbedofviolence,crimeandcorruption.HeistakenonaprivatejetbyAfrica'srichestman,thensavoursthecreativetalentsoftwoofAfricanmusic'srisingstarswhoarehelpingtocementLagos'splaceasthecontinent'sculturalhub.【Ethiopia,KenyaandTanzania】OnthesecondlegofhisilluminatingjourneyacrossAfrica,JonathanDimblebytravels2000milesthroughEastAfrica'sRiftValley.StartinginEthiopia,wherehewasthefirstjournalisttoreportthe1973famine,Dimblebydiscoversthegreatstridesbeingmadetosafeguardthecountryfromfuturecatastrophes.InKenyahefindsouthowmobilephonesarerevolutionisingsmallbusinessesandeventhelivesofMasaitribes.InTanzaniahejoinsinafootballmatchwiththejudgesandguardsofAfrica'sownHumanRightsCommissionandmeetsthestreetkidsinDar-es-Salaamwhoarebuildinganinternationalprofilefortheirmusic.【Congo,SouthAfricaandZambia】Onthefinallegofhis7,000-mileodyssey,JonathanDimblebytravelsfromCongotoDurbaninsearchofthestoriesrevealingcontemporaryAfrica.HelearnshowChina'sbillion-dollardealshaverebootedAfricaneconomies,oncedependentonWesternaidandinvestment.PassingthroughZambia,JonathansurvivesatrainingsessionwithboxingworldchampionEstherPhiriandmeetsHughMasekela,whoshareswithhimhisviewofAfrica'semergingrevival.