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Africa Is Not Short of Risk—It Is Short of People Trained to Manage It

I have learned to approach corporate partnership announcements with the same cautious optimism I reserve for restaurant menus containing the phrase “market price.” The language is always polished, the ambitions are always continental, and the photographs invariably feature important people smiling over a document that nobody outside the room has read. Somewhere near the middle, there is usually a sentence promising innovation, transformation, sustainability, inclusion, capacity building, resilience, or—if the communications department was feeling especially energetic—all six. That is why the announcement that the African Export-Import Bank, better known as Afreximbank, and ZEP-RE have deepened their partnership initially triggered my well-developed institutional-jargon reflex. The two organizations have signed a three-year memorandum of understanding bringing together the Afreximbank Academy, or AFRACAD, and ZEP-RE Academy. Their stated aim is to create and expand learning, research, a...
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The Impact of the TV Show Smallville on the Superhero Genre


Superman is one of the most popular and well-known superheroes of all time. His story has been told many times in different mediums, but one version that significantly impacted the superhero genre was the TV show Smallville. Smallville ran for ten seasons from 2001-2011 and told the story of a young Clark Kent as he grew up in the titular small town and learned to use his powers. The show was very successful, winning numerous awards, and its influence can still be seen today.

The success of Smallville led to an increase in popularity for superhero stories on television. Shows like Arrow, The Flash, Gotham, and Supergirl would not exist without Smallville laying the groundwork. These shows have continued to be successful, with some even surpassing Smallville in ratings and critical acclaim. It is clear that Smallville had a lasting impact on the superhero genre, both on television and beyond.

While there had been other superhero shows before Smallville, such as Batman: The Animated Series or Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, none of them were quite like Smallville. What made Smallville so special was its focus on Clark Kent's humanity; it showed that even someone with superpowers could be relatable and sympathetic. This was a departure from previous incarnations of Superman, which tended to portray him as an idealized figure who was almost impossible to relate to. By humanizing Clark Kent/Superman, Smallville made him more accessible to viewers and helped to make the superhero genre more popular overall.

In addition to its focus on character development, Smallville also broke new ground in terms of its visual style. Previous superhero shows had mostly relied on traditional animation or live-action footage with limited special effects; however, Smallville took advantage of advances in technology to create impressive visuals never before seen in a television show. This helped make the world of Smallville television feel more realistic and immersive.

The success of Smallville also spawned a number of copycat shows which sought to imitate its formula for success. While not all of these shows were successful (Heroes comes to mind), they did help further cement superhero stories as a staple of television programming. In recent years, we have seen an explosion in popularity for comic book adaptations on television, thanks largely in part to Smallville's groundbreaking work in the genre.

It is clear that without Smallville there would be no Arrow verse or MCU today; it is safe to say that this show changed the landscape of television forever and continues to have a profound impact on popular culture almost two decades later.


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