I have always been a big fan of Donald Trump, mostly because I like determined business people but also because I love disruptors, especially confident ones. I would always prefer to speak to a person who has an opinion that is different to mine rather than no opinion at all.
But Trump’s love of controversy occasionally leads him to say things that are flat out wrong – trying the patience of even his most steadfast fans. This summer, Trump took to Twitter to paint Africa as a hopeless case, declaring that all the money being invested by the U.S. government in Africa is a ‘waste’ and will be ‘stolen’ because according to him ‘corruption is rampant!’. He is not alone in that opinion: it’s shared by many Western business people, who all too often write off my continent as a large war-torn, disease-infested, corrupt, single country that should be completely avoided .
Trump’s comment passed with little notice in the United States, but sparked widespread criticism in Africa, where many took to social media to vent their frustration. Ugandan tycoon Ashish Thakkar, often described as Africa’s youngest billionaire, dismissed Trump’s comments as ignorant and misguided.
Unfortunately, that ignorance is widespread…