We were surprised to read in Clifford Longley’s column (17 October) that there is little evidence that homophobic prejudice in Africa “predated the arrival of Western Christian missionaries (or the spread of Islam from the Arab north)”. We wonder what the authority is for this claim.We both live and work in Africa. One of us is a Tanzanian, the other an expatriate with 12 years’ experience in Africa. Traditional African culture places great value on the passing on of the gift of life, and achieving adulthood and eventual ancestor status depend on one’s ability to continue the great stream of life by bringing children into the world. So the problem with homosexuality revolves around fertility and reproduction. It is rooted in traditional culture, not in someth