When comedian and TV personality Steve Harvey obtained the rights to license the game show Family Feud and to take the iconic game show to the continent of Africa, he didn’t expect to meet Africa and Africans in a different level than what he had in mind.
In March 2020, his media company, Steve Harvey Global stated that he obtained the rights to license the game show in both South Africa and Ghana, according to BlackBusiness.com.
“I believe Family Feud will become a household name for local South African and Ghanaian families. And this is just the beginning in Africa. I expect this show to lead to multiple media and business projects in and throughout the continent.”
In April 2020, the first African families to be on Family Feud Africa were the Kasongo Family and the Mariano Family in South Africa, giving them a spot on the Guinness World Book of Records as the First contestants to ever played Family Feud on the continent of Africa.
Watching the first episode has been a blast, seeing Harvey break through a cultural experience that he did not expect, from language pronunciations differences to untold Africa knowledge.
Although the first show seemed to portray an American host boosting his ego and celebrity status to contestants thought to be of no values, it quickly became obvious to Steve that Africa is not what he had in his mind.
The contestants were as brilliant as ever, smart, educated, and above all, amicable and funny to match the host’s demand. As I started to binge-watch the Family Feud Africa episodes on YouTube, I could clearly see Steve’s perspective change.
Later episodes show an American celebrity in love with his ancestral continent and people, humbled by their big hearts, tremendous knowledge, and a great sense of humor; he felt at home. You can tell by the amount of time he kept mentioning moving to Africa.
As an African, I felt very proud of my people. They demonstrated their cultural differences and the fact that they were not intimidated by being themselves. The African contestants have won the show host’s heart to a point that I wouldn’t be surprised to hear more about Steve investing in Africa.
The question is: Are WE, Africans, ready for prime time? Exposing the beauty and potential of Africans and Africa in this present world where Western civilization is hungry for a new source of exploration can be treacherous.
Africa needs to be ready to control their destiny, as more people turn their attention to its people and its land. Africans need to make better deals, especially retaining ownership of their lands while trading for a better and prosperous Africa.
Family Feud is one of the longest-running and top-rated game shows in the world. Since its inception in the U.S. in 1976, the show has entertained millions of viewers all across the globe and the latest version of the popular game show in Africa is expected to push the envelope even higher.
