🔅 Ghana: Going from 'Year of Return' to 'Year of U-Turn'
A Tyrannical Queen Is Brought Back to Life & Kenya’s Close Encounter with Space Junk
Good Morning from Juba, South Sudan!
Ghana: When Tourism Goes from 'Year of Return' to 'Year of U-Turn'
How about a tourism campaign that worked a little too well?
Ghana's "Year of Return" initiative, launched by President Akufo-Addo in 2019, has turned Accra into one of the world's hottest December destination. But as locals are finding out, you should be careful what you wish for.
Remember when your favorite local snack shop got discovered by Instagram influencers? That's basically what's happening to Ghana right now. Since Akufo-Addo invited the African diaspora to "come back home," everyone from Chance the Rapper to Dave Chappelle has shown up at the party. Great news, right? Well...
Just ask Effia Afful, a 30-year-old advertising executive who's been trying to secure a restaurant table since September.
And so there’s the upside (when you might casually bump into Idris Elba at your local bar – no big deal) and the downside (where everything from hair salon services to apartments have doubled in price, with some businesses even switching to dollar pricing because... why not?).
"On one hand, you get access to all types of celebrities," says David Clay, an event consultant in Accra. "But many activities and their pricing have been centered around the visitors, creating something of a segregation."
The guardian has more on this, here.
Kenya’s Close Encounter with Space Junk: A Wake-Up Call for the Cosmos
A half-ton metal ring plummeted from the heavens into Mukuku village, Kenya, startling residents and sparking questions about the growing problem of space debris. The object, identified as part of a launch rocket, landed with a resounding crash, flattening trees but miraculously sparing lives.
The Kenya Space Agency confirmed the ring as a separation component from a rocket, a reminder of the mounting debris in low Earth orbit. "Space is no longer as safe as we used to know it," said Major Aloyce Were, who assessed the site alongside shaken villagers.
From the Stars to the Rift Valley
For Mukuku villagers, the Monday afternoon was anything but ordinary. "I heard a loud bang," said resident Joseph Mutua, who initially thought it was a car accident. Instead, he and his neighbors watched in awe as a glowing, wheel-like object descended, cooling to gray after impact.
“If it had fallen on a home, it would have been catastrophic,” Mutua added, reflecting on how close the village came to disaster.
A Crowded Orbit, a Growing Problem
The incident underscores the escalating risks posed by space debris. The European Space Agency estimates over 14,000 tons of material in orbit—one-third of it junk. Each year, new launches and fragmentations add to the chaos, with an increasing number of objects falling back to Earth.
“It’s no longer a once-in-a-blue-moon event,” said Dr. Sara Webb, an astrophysicist, noting that incidents involving space debris now occur every month or two.
Holding parties accountable for incidents like Kenya’s is challenging: International guidelines to mitigate space debris, created in the early 2000s, have not kept pace with the surge in space activity. Even the first-ever fine for space debris—a mere $150,000 levied against Dish Network in 2023—barely scratches the surface of the issue.
Experts stress the need for systemic changes. Rockets and satellites must be designed to self-destruct safely or remove themselves from orbit at the end of their lifespans.
And back in Kenya, residents of Mukuku are naturally demanding reparations. "We have not been sleeping," said Paul Musili, describing the unease that lingers after the crash. While authorities removed the debris and assured villagers of their safety, the emotional and environmental impact remains.
As the stars grow more crowded, incidents like this serve as a reminder that our exploration of space comes with earthly consequences.
Bringing a Tyrannical Ethiopian Queen to Life: The Abyssinians is a Glorious Drama
Banna Desta's The Abyssinians is shaking up perceptions of African history with regal flair and a dose of snark. The playwright’s first foray into audio drama blends ancient Aksumite history with the human messiness of power, family, and, yes, a splash of romance.
Set in the 5th Century during the heyday of the Aksumite Empire—a sprawling, trade-rich kingdom that connected India and the Mediterranean—the play goes beyond being just a history lesson. It doubles as a tragicomic rollercoaster featuring Queen Yodit, a monarch juggling twin sons, a collapsing monarchy, and societal upheaval. Game of Thrones, anyone?
Desta, the daughter of Eritrean and Tigrayan parents, says she wanted to explore a pre-colonial Africa when civilizations like Aksum rivaled Rome and Persia. Indeed, Aksum was a monarchy that lasted almost a millennium, until AD960, and spanned what is now northern Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, southern Saudi Arabia and western Yemen.
“Ethiopia is a cradle of civilization,” she notes, lamenting its exclusion from global history narratives.
Queen Yodit, portrayed by Danielle Deadwyler, is a marvel of contradictions — commanding yet vulnerable, cunning yet raw. The play doesn’t shy away from presenting Yodit as flawed and, dare we say, tyrannical. Desta loved leaning into the idea of a female leader who wasn’t “perfectly on point.”
The cast is a powerhouse of Black talent, including Tony-winner André De Shields as Frumentius, the bishop who brought Christianity to Aksum, and Arsema Thomas as Makeda, a servant with big dreams and a mind to match. The Ethio-jazz score, courtesy of DA Mekonnen and Andrew Orkin, wraps the entire production in a soundscape that feels ancient yet thrillingly contemporary.
Her next dream? Bringing it to the stage with the same star-studded cast. Until then, we’ll be hitting repeat on Audible.
Last Week in Numbers
🇲🇱 3 Metric Tons: Barrick Gold announced it would suspend mining operations in Mali after the government seized approximately $245 million worth of gold from its Loulo-Gounkoto mines over the weekend. The government airlifted the gold stocks, totaling three metric tons, out of the mining complex by helicopter
🇳🇬 40 Lives Lost: Suspected Boko Haram and ISWAP militants attacked farmers in the Dumba community, Borno State, killing 40 people. The insurgents, responsible for a deadly conflict since 2009, have displaced millions and turned Borno into the epicenter of their brutal campaign. Meanwhile, another tragedy struck in Niger State, where a petrol tanker explosion claimed 86 lives. The tanker overturned, and people gathering to collect fuel were caught in the subsequent blast.
🇸🇱 2 Mpox Cases: Sierra Leone has declared a public health emergency after confirming two cases of mpox, marking its first outbreak of the disease since the African Union raised alarms last year. Elsewhere, Sierra Leone recalled its ambassador to Guinea after seven suitcases of suspected cocaine were discovered in an embassy vehicle. The car was impounded, and its occupants were detained, though the ambassador was not involved or arrested.
🇲🇿 65.17% Victory: Daniel Chapo was sworn in as Mozambique’s fifth president after a contentious election that has sparked deadly unrest. Opposition protests erupted in Maputo during his inauguration, with security forces blocking access to the venue. The Constitutional Council dismissed claims of election fraud, declaring Chapo the winner with 65.17% of the vote. Opposition leader Venâncio Mondlane garnered 24%, though he disputes the results. Over 300 people, including children, have died during post-election clashes, according to human rights groups.
🇳🇦 Exploration Setbacks: Chevron announced that its exploration well in Namibia's Orange Basin did not uncover commercial hydrocarbon reserves, though the company stated the findings provide valuable insights for future exploration. Meanwhile, Shell confirmed it will write down $400 million after an offshore discovery in Namibia also proved commercially unviable. Despite these setbacks, Namibia remains a focal point for oil companies due to its potential for significant reserves.
🇰🇪 Regional Rail Talks: Kenya has initiated discussions with the UAE to secure funding for its regional railway project after China cut support in 2019. The railway, intended to connect Mombasa to Uganda, remains incomplete, ending in the Rift Valley and falling 468 kilometers short of its goal. President William Ruto’s move highlights the UAE’s growing interest in East African infrastructure. Elsewhere, Kenya deployed 217 additional police officers to Haiti, raising the total number of its personnel there to over 600. As part of a UN-backed multinational force, Kenya aims to curb gang violence that has displaced 700,000 Haitians and led to over 5,600 deaths last year.
🇪🇹 $250 Million Disbursed: Ethiopia secured $250 million from the IMF after the second review of its $3.4 billion financing program. The East African nation has undertaken significant reforms, including floating its birr currency, to address its debt restructuring challenges and stabilize its economy.
Food for Thought
“A learned person is the one who has been told.”
— Kenya Proverb