Zeinab Badawi interviewed by Nick Higham

Well-known journalist, broadcaster and filmmaker Zeinab Badawi says Africa’s history has been dominated by western narratives of slavery and colonialism or simply ignored and sets out to put the record straight.

Badawi says we all ultimately came from Africa so the story is for everyone. She looks back to the very origin of the human species, to ancient civilisations and medieval empires that had remarkable kings and queens, and to the misery of conquest and the elation of freedom. Badawi visited more than 30 countries and spoke to historians, anthropologists and local storytellers to unearth buried histories that give Africa its rightful place in the global story.

‘This is a book that should be read by anyone who is interested in Africa, by anyone who thinks they know all they need to know about Africa, and above all by anyone who has no interest in Africa at all. It will transform their views of the continent, its peoples and its histories.’ Professor Sir David Cannadine

Badawi is a Sudanese-British journalist. She was the first presenter of ITV Morning News, co-presented Channel 4 News for nine years and also worked for BBC news. She is President of SOAS University of London and a previous chair of the Royal African Society. Here she talks to journalist Nick Higham, who was the BBC’s first ever media correspondent and is a former presenter of Meet the Author on the BBC news channel.