Happy Africa Day!  

Today, the continent celebrates the anniversary of the formation of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which later became what we now know as the African Union (AU).

To mark the occasion, there are all kinds of celebrations planned throughout the continent—from music festivals to summits and everything else in between.

So we have decided to celebrate by reflecting on some of Africa’s most amazing contributions by rounding up a few things you can do today to celebrate being African. 

First, it’s time to get in the mood with Salif Keita’s song Africa.

It’s difficult choosing just one African song to jam to because we are the musical continent after all! So of course feel free to listen to a whole playlist of your choosing.

However, Keita’s classic surely has to be one of the songs on that playlist, because which other song can get you dancing as you wait to hear for your country being given a shout out?

If there is one African dish that has both united and divided Africans the world over, it has to be the delicious dish, jollof.

We suggest trying out all the different variations you can find, whether it be the Nigerian, Senegalese or Ghanaian.

Otherwise try making it yourself at home with this jollof rice and chicken recipe from the Lazy Makoti.

RECIPE: Jollof rice & chicken

• 2 cups of long grain rice
•  1/4 cup of vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoons butter (optional)
• 2 cups of chicken stock
• 1 to 1-1/2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon of curry powder
•  1-1/2 teaspoon of thyme
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt to taste
• 1 medium size onion, chopped
• 1 large size tomato, chopped cayenne pepper or black pepper to taste
• 1 pimento pepper and 1 habanero pepper. (All blended together)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 180°C. In a bowl, toss the chicken thighs with the spices.
• Add a glug of oil to a large saucepan and fry the chicken over medium heat for 7-8 minutes, until browned all over.
•  Transfer the chicken to a medium-sized roasting pan and cook in the oven for 30-40 minutes, until golden brown, adding the cherry tomatoes to the pan halfway through.
• In same pan, saute the onions and garlic for about 1 minute then add curry powder and fry for another minute. Add the tomato paste. Fry for a few seconds then add the blended peppers. Season with thyme, bay leaves and cayenne pepper
• Stir in the rice until it is well coated with the sauce then add the chicken stock and water. Cover with a tight fitting lid and allow it to come to a boil. Once it starts boiling, reduce the heat to medium low and cook until the rice is done. Serve with the chicken.

WATCH: TV gold

There are many arguments about what is fact or fiction when it comes to Shaka Zulu, but no one can deny that the TV series that told the story of possibly the most famous African ruler, has captured the hearts of South African and Africans alike.

So time to re-watch the show (yay for YouTube) as you sing out loud the bom-bom-bom bom-bom that has been stuck in your head since you started reading this caption.

If you have not yet read Things Fall Apart, stop what you are doing right now and rectify the situation. Chinua Achebe’s masterpiece is still the quintessential African novel and should be required reading as the continent still grapples with its lost history and the perils of colonialism.

If anything else, read it just so you understand when someone cries out ‘Oh, Ikemefuna’!