This CNN correspondent once trained to be a Catholic priest

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🌍 Q&A with CNN's Larry Madowo

Larry Madowo might be the most recognized person you've never heard of. The CNN international correspondent spent 10 years on television in his home country of Kenya, where he amassed a huge fan base.

"I don't consider myself a celebrity," Madowo said. "But it's unlikely I'll ever do an undercover investigative piece in Kenya because someone will likely recognize me."

He also has a huge social media following, with more than 2.3 million followers on Twitter alone.

A self-described "newbie" at CNN, Madowo joined the network in May 2021 and is based in Nairobi, Kenya.

"I pop up all over the continent reporting on the biggest stories, but I've also filled in as an anchor on CNN International from Atlanta and Dubai," he said.

Prior to CNN, Madowo worked for the BBC, reporting from Washington, DC.

"I used to say that my job was 'translating the US' to the world," he said. "American politics and culture can be quite alien to the world, and it was a fascinating undertaking."

Today at CNN, he says his role is "explaining Africa to a world that has misunderstood it for too long."

"As an African, I'm invested in making sure that I'm not contributing to the stereotyping and lazy tropes that are so common in reporting from here," he said. "It's still a work in progress for me."

Madowo recently reported on the downfall of Ray Hushpuppi, a Nigerian social media influencer who flaunted private jets and luxury cars on his Instagram page.

We spoke to Madowo as he was getting ready to head to southern Nigeria to report on the devastating floods there. Here's a portion of our conversation, edited for length and clarity:

Madowo reporting in Nigeria on recent flooding

Madowo, left, reports on flooding in Nigeria's southern Bayelsa state in late October. (Photo credit: Tife Owolabi)

What stories are you covering now that you think CNN's audiences should be paying more attention to? What are the biggest misunderstandings about the African region?

I'm en route to Nigeria to report on the record flooding that has affected large parts of the country but hasn't attracted as much international attention. There is also a devastating drought in Somalia, Ethiopia and much of the region known as the Horn of Africa. Both crises have numerous other causes, but there is a direct connection to climate change and how Africa is suffering its worst effects. They should be on the minds of everyone as the world's leaders meet at (the United Nations' climate conference) COP27 in Egypt in November.

On the bigger picture, I think many foreign correspondents do Africa a huge disservice by oversimplifying complex issues for their domestic audiences and by not holding themselves to the same high standards as they would at home.

I once read a story about fashion in Nairobi in a major American newspaper that didn't quote a single Black Kenyan. An American TV outlet (not CNN) had a piece from a West African nation that didn't interview any locals. Why is that acceptable?

How does being recognizable in the country you are based out of as a correspondent complicate — or make it easier — to report on issues there?

Having spent a decade on Kenyan TV, most everyone will return my calls and people are often sending in ideas for what I should be covering. While some people are proud to see me on CNN, others expect me to be "patriotic" by only showing the positive side of Kenya and Africa.

There are people who feel slighted when they see a fellow African covering something unflattering about the continent, and I've been called a traitor many times. But I see my job as telling the full unvarnished truth about the continent, not being Africa's PR guy on the international stage.

How do you hope to help CNN's audiences better understand what's going on across Africa?

I think I bring an important perspective to CNN's coverage of Africa as someone who was born and raised on the continent. I hope that my local expertise and my cultural currency help tell a more nuanced, three-dimensional view of the stories I cover.

Our audiences call me out when I don't get it right, and I appreciate it. It's tough to take some criticism, but I value all clearheaded, critical reviews of my work.

Africans have a lot more agency over what is said about them in the foreign press, and I've seen more people who are not afraid to call out reporting that misses the mark or caricaturizes us. I think that vigilance has raised the quality of coverage from Africa across the board.

How did growing up with, as you put it "almost no privilege at all" lead you to a journalism career?

My mother was a primary school teacher who taught me curiosity, generosity and respect. She made sure I read books and summarized them for her. She had the radio on so my sister and I could hear news from every corner of the world. My dad brought home newspapers every day, and I devoured them. Both my parents planted the journalism seed in me, even though they didn't live long enough to see it germinate. I think growing up in rural Kenya really opened my eyes to oppression and injustice, and I always make sure that my stories don't unnecessarily center the rich and powerful.

Journalism is most powerful when it works in the public interest, not for the wealthy and influential.

What is something that you think people might be surprised to learn about you?

That I briefly trained to be a Catholic priest. My entire high school was spent at a Catholic seminary. We were often told that "many are called but few are chosen," so I guess I'm among those who weren't chosen. As a kid, I wanted to be a missionary because they got to travel the world … but mostly I wanted to be a priest because I thought I could help people. I still help people as a journalist, but in a different way.

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