The news of my death has been greatly exaggerated… Oh, hi there, mum and dad!

Announcing the death of living people has become a favourite pastime in Uganda. ILLUSTRATION | JOHN NYAGA

These days if you get news that a Ugandan friend has died, don't start mourning until you see the corpse with your own eyes.

Announcing the death of living people has become our favourite pastime. It's not new though, and our ancestors have several sayings about this morbid tendency. When you hear an announcement of your death, you are supposed say, "May the announcer always be the one to announce my death."