Beyonce and Kim Kardashian to Africa's rescue

Forget NGOs, development goals, policy papers: all Africa really needs is a little super-stardust. Luckily, with Kim Kardashian on hand to revive the continent's image and Beyonce ready to share her poverty alleviation expertise, we've got exactly that. SIMON ALLISON.

Africa is rising, we hear again and again amid reports of growing GDP and a burgeoning middle class. But don't worry if all those numbers and statistics and economic mumbo-jumbo tires your little brain, numbed and flaccid after years of dumbed-down entertainment, because finally we have some actual, conclusive proof.

That's right, ladies and gentlemen of the reality TV generation, here is the Africa Rising narrative in language you can actually understand: Kim Kardashian, the biggest celebrity nonentity since Paris Hilton, was in Nigeria, and there are pictures to prove it.This immediately tells us two things. First, someone in Nigeria can afford her, which means there must be real money floating around (maybe, just maybe, that former Finance Minister who keeps emailing you about his safety deposit box was onto something). Because special K is no sucker, and she doesn't come cheap: a 45 minute appearance and brief speech (oh so brief: "Hey, Naija" was all Kim managed in Lagos) is going to set you back a cool $500,000.

Editor's Comment
Inspect the voters' roll!

The recent disclosure by the IEC that 2,513 registrations have been turned down due to various irregularities should prompt all Batswana to meticulously review the voters' rolls and address concerns about rejected registrations.The disparities flagged by the IEC are troubling and emphasise the significance of rigorous voter registration processes.Out of the rejected registrations, 29 individuals were disqualified due to non-existent Omang...

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