New Year's Day is "Africa's Birthday".
This is true on so many levels. For starters, Africans not born in hospital are often undocumented until they enter primary school, and mothers often recall the birth year and state new year's as the birthday. Many famous Africans (including my personal favorite, bass soukous guitarist legend Shaba Kahamba) celebrate their birthdays on New Years.
It's also a wonderful continent to visit in January. It's warm. Rainy or dry, there are plenty of sunsets and blue skies between thunderously heavy, Disney-esque downpours and showers. In Ghana it's dry season, but not yet too dusty.
The New Year's Eve is a common holiday, Christian and Muslim and Animists feel comfortable celebrating together.
At an almost metaphysical level, Africa has a growing number of women acting in politics, and you know what that means. Compromise. Progress. Diplomacy. Splitting the difference. And the more women who serve as either head of state (Nine African Nations) or in major positions of government, the more Africa puts its New Years Resolutions in order.
