Perhaps you spent 2015 in that vicious cycle of procrastination called ‘social media’ and had your finger on the pulse (keyboard) ready to let loose on Facebook, Instagram and all the rest at a moment’s notice.
But we know you missed some, you probably even sulked… your razor-sharp tweet a couple hours too late to jump on the Twitter bandwagon.
And if you were too busy doing more productive stuff, we’ve got you covered. Here’s a curated handy list of some of the best social media hashtags, memes and gaffes that got Africans going crazy.
We all take tumble every now and then, but when Robert Mugabe does the whole world took notice.
https://twitter.com/DakileRubela/status/584268213514543104
When the Zimbabwean president missed a step when visiting supporters in Harare, someone helpfully took to Photoshop to start #MugabeFalls. The rest is history.
https://twitter.com/DeanOelsch/status/563230589630046208/photo/1
Mugabe on a horse, Mugabe bowling, Mugabe playing Quidditch with Harry Potter… the only restricting element of the trend was the Twittersphere’s imagination – which did not disappoint.
https://twitter.com/HealeyCartoons/status/563294199186227200/photo/1
Africans took it a step further:
https://twitter.com/MweneGatete/status/563417937814753281
No chill.
One thing we learnt this year is that you don’t mess with Kenya on Twitter. Remember what happened when CNN called Kenya ‘a hotbed of terror’?
https://twitter.com/CKirubi/status/624137472822411264/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
So when The Spectator (wrongly) attributed a hateful rant to Uncle Bob Mugabe against Kenya, that included, ‘they qualify as the best thieves’ and ‘you can even think that there is a subject in their universities called Bachelor of Stealing’, Kenyans concentrated their finest talent on the hashtag #KenyansVsZimbabweans.
Zimbabwe wasn’t spared Kenya’s wrath. One tweet led to two, three, then a furore of thousand others laced with obscenities and rage towards all things Zim; from their currency to their women all under the hashtag #SomeoneTellMugabe and #KenyansVsZimbabweans.
Still funny #KenyansVsZimbabweans pic.twitter.com/3HO6TKrKUs
— Masaku (@masaku_) November 4, 2015
Obama’s visit was nothing short of a media plague that spread through Kenya.
Stars & stripes & smiles, remember our #OneKenya feeling 4 #ObamaInKenya?! #ThrowbackThursday @kenyapics pic.twitter.com/NPgGeGjybf
— Georgina Goodwin (@ggkenya) November 5, 2015
In fact, the mayor of Kenya, in last minute preparations of Obama’s visit to Kenya, gave the grass an ultimatum of two days to grow.
It’s a known fact that US president has roots in Kenya and it was a humbling moment for a son of the soil to return as a visiting president of the greatest nation in the world.
Obama’s visit was documented by holders of flashing rectangles, lights beaming in their eyes. Until next time!
'Obama in Kenya' topped Google search in July http://t.co/8N88dfA1A6 #ObamainKenya pic.twitter.com/JeEgyGwcFA
— Nation FM (@NationFmKE) August 11, 2015
Nigerians had their fair share of shinning on social media, devoid of Kenyan bullying. They reminisced about high school and the oddities that made the experience worth a memory under the hashtag #SecShoolInNigeria.
https://twitter.com/Ovythrow/status/629241338920345600
If there was anything striking about these, was the experiences in Nigerian high schools were proximate with those in other African countries’. You be ready to laugh so hard and roll on the floor.
https://twitter.com/Manuchim_A/status/629400550291824640
#secshoolinNigeria the teachers face when that dumb kid asks him to explain for the 5th time pic.twitter.com/ak6JHa0Ahp
— Red Ranger (@OGHENEJODE__) August 6, 2015
#SecshoolinNigeria when you playing kolo beating and the ball enters your kolo. pic.twitter.com/iJTqu9YtnO
— Interswitch-BU (@interswitch_BU) August 6, 2015
Talking of which, Nigeria’s celebrated writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche broke Twitter with her banter. It has elevated her to international stardom and has attracted a cult of ardent feminists.
#BeingfemaleinNigeria The vendor in traffic will put the Forbes Magazine behind and automatically offer you Fashion and City People.
— Vaginal Horoscope🏳️🌈🌈 (@IjeomaOgood) June 30, 2015
The hashtag #BeingFemaleInNigeria burst stereotypes against feminism and was also used to share challenges women face in their day to day lives. Forget about cheeky eye sprays used to avert attackers, feminists this time around went bare knuckles.
https://twitter.com/_Alphawoman/status/615909424964763648
It's shocking when you are beautiful and smart. Apparently they are mutually exclusive. #BeingFemaleInNigeria
— Toyin baby ❤️❤️ all the best dear (@duchesskk) June 30, 2015
I had never seen Africa as an entire continent so united on a topic the way they were on #IfAfricaWasABar.
If Africa was a bar, what would your country be drinking/doing?
— Siyanda Mohutsiwa (@SiyandaWrites) July 27, 2015
Africans invited other Africans to give them views about their countries. And social media erupted in puns. There is something special about bars and liquor that creates a unification factor and eerily relaxes the patrons regardless of what they have been going through.
https://twitter.com/ImranGarda/status/625760168060551169
@SiyandaWrites Uganda would be the loud dude, full of swag flu, who smuggles local gin into the bar in their baggy jeans.
— Serufusa Sekidde (@Serufusa) July 27, 2015
#IfAfricaWasABar Nigeria would be the potbellied Oga buying drinks (on a credit card) for everyone…
— Tolu Ogunlesi, MON (@toluogunlesi) July 27, 2015
Perhaps the next time, African countries are baying for eachother’s blood, we should challenge them to spell the name Jack Daniels, and hopefully by the time they finish, maybe ideas of combat would also have effervesced.
#IfAfricaWasaBar The bartender would apologize about the loud Nigerian table but explain that they're the ones keeping the place in business
— drew hinshaw (@drewhinshaw) July 27, 2015
#IfAfricaWasABar Tanzania would be the guy that gets drunk and starts asking everyone, "have i ever wronged you?"
— Verified (@njiiru) July 27, 2015
John Pombe Magufuli, from the time he assumed office of president in Tanzania on November 5, 2015, has been in the news for nothing but the right reasons. It’s enviable.
I was so much into buying the Hoverboard, but then I thought #WhatWouldMagufuliDo pic.twitter.com/tByGH2gocv
— Don Pablö, LLB,UHT (@MbuguaXIV) November 26, 2015
His model is to improve service delivery and cut out the redundancy that comes public offices. He has cut apparent irrelevant spendings, fired incompetent leaders, and heck he suspended the nation’s independence day celebrations in favour of a nationwide cleaning fete.
Me and my boys wanted to use the gym at Serena but then we asked ourselves, #WhatWouldMagufuliDo pic.twitter.com/XVCUAVDCPe
— Allan Ssenyonga (@ssojo81) November 26, 2015
https://twitter.com/iGitz_/status/669833702235627520
It was a party for with no ceremony or pomp but just cleaning and more cleaning of the nation’s spaces and surroundings.
I wanted to buy myself a chicken steak to go with this rice for lunch but I asked myself #WhatWouldMagufuliDo so pic.twitter.com/aJmWqwHNAT
— ㋡ɪɴᴠɪɴᴄɪʙʟᴇ™ (ⒹⓇ🦷ⓕⓐⓝⓖⓢ) (@Its_Jaymo) November 26, 2015
My side mirror was stolen in traffic today, but instead of buying another one, I asked myself #WhatWouldMagufuliDo pic.twitter.com/596wqIdqrE
— Philip Maina (@kimutaimaina) November 26, 2015
#PopeInAfrica trended the world over as it covered the pope’s busy itinerary in minutiae. Remarkably he prayed for a 24-year-old HIV-positive student in Uganda (who apparently got healed); he prayed in the mosque with imams in CAR; and rebuked corruption in Kenya.
But it was one hashtag, and one gangsta pose, that really got social media talking:
https://twitter.com/Flareseh/status/675425713990688768
No commentary needed for this one. This one’s sure to keep on going and going.
#TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou Rwanda : The land of a Thousand hills pic.twitter.com/jIWN8DNFxr
— Elie Bahati (@EllisBht) June 24, 2015
https://twitter.com/Nadiaalie/status/613541947395805184
https://twitter.com/lunarnomad/status/613661871049043969
https://twitter.com/withlovelexii/status/613766279829127168
The Pearl Of Africa, UGANDA. #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/zp9UBGm1Wf
— This Is Uganda (@Thisisuganda_) June 24, 2015
#FeesMustFall was probably the most successful activist hashtag of the year. Could #ZumaMustFall rule in 2016?
#FeesMustFall started online, then went to the streets of SA. #ZumaMustFall must also get out there and hopefully it'll happen.
— mfoka sompisi (@_muzii) December 10, 2015
https://twitter.com/SandileShongwe_/status/674877423947763712
If students cld do #FeesMustFall, y cant da country b on some #ZumaMustFall campaign? Surely if da country is shutdown somethin wll happen?
— M O S E B J A D I (@debbiDBR) December 10, 2015
https://twitter.com/SezLeigh/status/674678639171104768
See you in 2016!