Do you remember the first days when Facebook landed in Africa? Eish, people were restless. In the kombis, in the salons, even in the churches, the story was the same:
“How can you talk to someone in America while sitting in Chitungwiza? That’s Satanic! never, these things are not normal.”
Fast forward a few years, then WhatsApp entered the chat. Suddenly, people were sending messages almost for free. The aunties and uncles screamed again:
“Satanists have upgraded. Now you can talk to the whole village without buying airtime? No way, it’s witchcraft!”
And yet today, those same people who once rebuked WhatsApp in prayer groups are the ones spamming us with “Good morning” messages at 4:00am.
Now, decades later, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has arrived. And guess what people are saying?
“The devil himself has come, this time with legs!”
Meanwhile, in the U.S. and Europe, teenagers are making millions building businesses on AI, automating work, creating content, and solving problems with tools we’re still suspicious of.
Here’s the truth: Africa must wake up.
We cannot keep dismissing every innovation as satanic while the rest of the world is cashing in. If we continue with this mindset, we’ll forever be customers of other people’s inventions instead of creators of our own.
Think about it:
- When we feared Facebook, others were building companies worth billions through ads.
- When we resisted WhatsApp, others were busy selling data, running businesses, and scaling communication.
- And now with AI, while we’re still debating “Satan with legs,” the world is coding, creating, and cashing in.
The lesson? Technology is not the enemy. Mindset is.
As Africans, we need to move from being suspicious consumers to becoming bold creators. Instead of waiting for someone in Silicon Valley to design solutions for us, why can’t a young girl in Lusaka, a boy in Lagos, or a team in Harare build the next AI platform that solves African problems?
Let’s be honest: no prayer can stop technology. It will keep advancing whether we accept it or not. The only question is will we be passengers or drivers in this journey?
So next time you hear someone say, “This AI thing is satanic,” smile and ask them:
“Okay, but do you want to remain broke in Jesus’ name while the rest of the world is eating?”
Africa, it’s time to stop fearing and start creating. The world is moving, and if we keep dragging our feet, we’ll be left behind holding our hymn books while others are holding billion-dollar cheques.
By The Chartered Vendor
#AfricaMustThink #DigitalAfrica #AIForBusiness #Entrepreneurship #Innovation
