The Algorithm of dependence and Africa’s media in the age of Artificial Intelligence ( AI)

In his June 2026 address in Nigeria, Professor Kehbuma Langmia argues that the communication discipline is undergoing a significant paradigm shift, likening the current landscape to Chinua Achebe’s metaphor of a "dancing mask" that must be viewed from multiple perspectives to be fully understood. Langmia identifies a critical crisis he terms the "Algorithm of Dependence," wherein African media and communication remain tethered to Western colonial models and languages, which often marginalize indigenous African identities. To counter this "digital colonialism," he advocates for the establishment of an "Algorithm of Inclusivity". This transition requires African scholars and students to move from being mere consumers to active creators of AI, prioritizing the integration of African languages and symbols into digital platforms to ensure the continent finally writes its own history rather than allowing its story to be told by others