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.
