Africa Is a Country

Independence day in Zambia

Independence day in Zambia

By
Tom Devriendt

That’s today. Other than Chiluba’s shoes, Sata’s anti-China rants (he’s stopped for now), Alexandra Fuller’s books about her family, the South African soaps on TV and fundamental Christianity, there is dance-hall by Petersen:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ad-C6Cq6EsM

…R&B by Roberto:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPxw_lbG0_k

A cross-over of those two by MrVezzy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auQy4DU8Sok

Hip hop by Zone Fam:

Swagg walk by Princess Mwamba:

And some folk by Clement Maimbolwa:

We can celebrate.

Further Reading

Fuel’s errand

When Africa’s richest man announced the construction of the continent’s largest crude oil refinery, many were hopeful. But Aliko Dangote has not saved Nigeria. The Nigerian Scam returns to the Africa Is a Country Podcast to explain why.

Fragile state

Without an immediate change in approach, Somalia will remain a fragmented country populated by self-serving elites seeking foreign patrons.

Coming home

In 1991, acclaimed South African artist Helen Sebidi’s artworks were presumed stolen in Sweden. Three decades later, a caretaker at the residential college where they disappeared found them in a ceiling cupboard, still in their original packaging.

Imaginary homelands

A new biography of former apartheid homeland leader Lucas Mangope struggles to do more than arrange the actions of its subject into a neat chronology.

Business as usual?

This month, Algeria quietly held its second election since Abdelaziz Bouteflika was ousted in 2019. On the podcast, we ask what Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s second term means for the country.