Africa with Ade Adepitan

Episode 1

Episode #1.1

59 mins

In Cape Verde, Ade visits a community living in the shadow of an active volcano. He witnesses how solar power is transforming lives by bringing electricity to remote communities. In Senegal, Ade visits Goree Island, a former staging post on the transatlantic slave trade. He then travels down the coast to a fishing village where he hears that much of Senegal's catch is being taken by foreign companies to be turned into fish-meal to feed livestock in western countries. Ade then visits Lake Retba where he joins the workers who wade through the lake gathering salt which they sell for less than half a penny per kilogram. He hears how his host has tried to escape to Europe but how he failed to get any further than the appalling camps in Libya. When he visits Ivory Coast, Ade meets more people who are hoping to build a new life in Europe. This time however they are footballers training to become professionals in Europe's big leagues. However, it does not always work out that way as many young footballers are scammed into giving their cash to unscrupulous football agents. The final stop on the first leg of Ade's journey is Nigeria - the country of his birth. In Lagos, he meets some old friends who play para soccer, he also visits the largest church building in the world. But when he travels out of the Nigerian capital he discovers a country in chaos, torn apart by a conflict that has created hundreds of thousands of refugees but is barely reported in the west. He finishes on a more positive note as he visits Nigeria's equivalent to Silicon Valley - a company that believes technology can transform the continent.