When we first moved to Kenya, the country was having rolling electrical blackouts because there was insufficient capacity to generate the amount of electricity needed. Reduced water flow behind a hydroelectric dam was the culprit. In a few months, they had put in place an alternative and the rolling blackouts stopped. During the last few months we have gone through something similar here in Ghana. The culprit this time was a dysfunctional gas pipeline. An alternative is in place that meets most of the shortfall, and more generation capacity will come online later this year. In both cases, local people developed a humorous way to deal with the inconvenience.

In Kenya, the electricity was supply by the Kenya Power and Lighting Company – KPLC. But Kenyan’s started saying that KPLC really stood for Kenya, Please Light the Candles!

Here in Ghana, we have the Electric Company of Ghana – ECG. But some now say that stands for Either Candles or Generators.

I have been told that in Nigeria, instead of saying Nigeria Electric Power Authority for their company,  NEPA, some say Never Expect Power Always.

My favorite, however, came in church when we were having blackouts in Kenya. The pastor asked the congregation what Kenyans used for light before they had candles. No one knew. So the pastor told them ­ they had electricity.

It is not just electrical outages that prompt humor. I have been told several humorous stories by Nigerians which deal with their high rate of deaths from road accidents. Humor is a powerful tool for dealing with stress. Where I have lived in Africa, it shows people’s resilience in the face of problems outside their control.

Apparently, this has been going on for a long time – at least since the writer of Proverbs penned these words:

Sorrow may hide
behind laughter
(Proverbs 14:13 CEV)