Alongside the ever-present “Last Christmas” by Wham!, released in December 1984, I cannot help but recall “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” by Band Aid, released in November that same year. I was aware that most Africans are Christians, so the question of whether they knew about Christmas seemed strange. The song’s assumptions that all of Africa shares the same Christmas experience bewildered me further. (1) The earth-shattering news, as well as many other developments related to climate change, led to the first Africa Climate Summit in September 2023. Like an annual tradition, they unwittingly gift-wrap a perpetually negative narrative about Africa, bestowing it upon the world with each passing Christmas.

Source: The Guardian November 27, 2023 19:57 UTC