COVID-19: How Some African Authors Are Reacting to the Pandemic

Like everyone else across the world, our favorite authors are confronted with the threat of COVID-19. Here, we document some of their reactions on social media to the pandemic. These range from providing uplifting advice and offering practical measures to tackling the crisis with a touch of humor. We take all of them as ways to stay safe and sane!

Maaza Mengiste recommends some self-care:

All of this makes you emotionally raw. Be gentle with yourselves, with each other. Today, listen to your favorite song. Dance. Sing, even softly. Your voice will carry you further than you think. ♥️

— Maaza Mengiste (@MaazaMengiste) March 14, 2020

 

Alain Mabanckou finds solace in a stack of books (translation of caption: “My provisions for facing the confinement.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Mes provisions pour affronter le confinement. #quarantine #Quarantaine #coronavirus #coronavirususa

A post shared by Alain Mabanckou (@mabanckou) on Mar 16, 2020 at 5:31pm PDT

 

Nnedi Okorafor offers a useful lexicon for “decreas[ing] panic and instill[ing] confidence”:

The use of the words “perfectly” and “fine-tuned” in this unpredictable and constantly-changing situation is silly.

Some suggestions if you want to decrease panic and instill confidence around the country: “solid”, “well-researched”, “extensive”, “layered”, “adaptive”.

— Nnedi Okorafor, PhD (@Nnedi) March 8, 2020

 

Chibundu Onuzo reminds us of the power of faith:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6 My request is this virus disappears as suddenly as it appeared. While we take the precautions advised, I will also continue to believe in miracles and the God who does them. Hope everyone is well in body and in mind. Better days will come. This too shall pass. #mondaymotivation

A post shared by Dr Chibundu Onuzo (@chibundu.onuzo) on Mar 16, 2020 at 2:00am PDT

 

Namwali Serpell muses on the pros and cons of social distancing:

Current coronambivalences:
1. love staying home, hate videos of my face
2. hate people suffering, love how this exposes the crumbling infrastructure
3. love feeling like I got an extension on EVERYTHING, hate canceling plans
4. hate not seeing friends, love, uh, staying home!

— Namwali Serpell (@namwalien) March 10, 2020

 

Novuyo Rosa Tshuma turns to the best comfort food, jollof rice:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Trying my own version of jollof rice to keep myself occupied during the #coronavirus social-distancing period. Reading, catching up on some writing, and staying away from social media (twitter in particular), which is especially histrionic at this time, has worked for me. Cannot handle the current information dump—I find it overwhelming and depression-inducing rather than helpful. My jollof came out tasty but not spicy enough 🌶

A post shared by Novuyo Tshuma (@_novuyorosatshuma) on Mar 17, 2020 at 8:06am PDT

 

Chika Unigwe spells out several rules of thumb on “love in the time of corona”….

Love in the time of corona: stand six feet away and declare your love; no holding, no touching, no kissing
Not until the world regains its balance
Distance makes the heart grow fonder …

— chika unigwe (@chikaunigwe) March 14, 2020

….and “clubbing in the time of corona”….

Clubbing in the time of corona:
No grinding on each other
No melding so that two become one
No bodies rubbing against one another
No clubbing, no, none at all

— chika unigwe (@chikaunigwe) March 14, 2020

…and most importantly, “coughing in the time of corona.”

Coughing in the time of #corona: if you must. do it into a tissue, into your elbow; but this you learned already, i hope

if you can. do it quietly. where no one sees. or hears. you don’t want to cause a panic.

and if in doubt: call your gp. do not shake hands.

— chika unigwe (@chikaunigwe) March 14, 2020

 

Ukamaka Olisakwe joins in a Twitter thread comparing 2020 book releases to hand soap:

😅 https://t.co/jgwWjZm3Kl pic.twitter.com/vo0NgkNa06

— Ukamaka Olisakwe (@MsOlisakwe) March 16, 2020

And the Nigerian edition 💁 https://t.co/jgwWjZm3Kl pic.twitter.com/3cXGzZyMMG

— Ukamaka Olisakwe (@MsOlisakwe) March 16, 2020

 

Temi Oh realizes pajamas are now the current fashion:

What to wear? I was planning on leaning right into this puffy sleeve trend this season. And now I might as well lean into wearing pyjamas (aka work from home uniform)

— Temi Oh! (@Temi_Oh) March 17, 2020

 

Mona Eltahawy sees an opportunity for bidets to finally catch on in the U.S. given the current shortage of toilet paper:

Why haven’t bidets caught on in the US? They might finally! Now that toilet paper seems to be disappearing off shore shelves, videos like this explain. You don’t need anything fancy – just a toilet seat bidet (shattaf as well call it in Egypt). Finally.

pic.twitter.com/YoL8MWOFCu

— Mona Eltahawy (@monaeltahawy) March 14, 2020

 

And finally, Bernardine Evaristo reminds us to stay safe, stay positive, and that all the shortage of toilet paper requires is an exercise of your imagination:

If we all stay safe for a while, then we’ll beat CV19. If we all stay positive, we’ll feel better in the process. Re the toilet paper shortage, remember it’s a relatively new invention. Use your imagination or take a tip from history! https://t.co/WtmxVQDPOu

— Bernardine Evaristo (@BernardineEvari) March 14, 2020