How Colonial Projects Ignited Africa’s struggle for Freedom.


Introduction:

In their efforts to consolidate control over Africa, colonial powers introduced various policies such as building infrastructure and enforcing new legal systems. 

Although these measures were meant to strengthen colonial rule, they unintentionally spread political awareness among Africans and laid the foundation for the rise of nationalism and the struggle for independence. 


Here is how the colonial rule dismantled itself:

1. Introduction of Western Education.

The colonial education created a class of educated Africans who became aware of ideas like liberty, equality, pride of self-rule, and nationalism.

People like Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana and Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, were built from colonial education systems and later used that knowledge to challenge and dismantle colonial rule.

2. Construction of Infrastructure and Urban Centers.

Colonial infrastructures like roads, railways, towns and cities were used by nationalists to travel across different parts of the country. This simplified communication with people in spreading political awareness.

Urban areas acted as platforms for workers movements, political discussions, and nationalist organization.

3. Economic Exploitation.

Harsh colonial policies such as forced labor, excessive taxation, low wages and land alienation led to spread of anger and bitterness towards colonial rule.

In Tanganyika Africans were alienated from their land, forced to pay tax like head tax and hut tax, and grow cotton instead of food crops.

All these acts created hatred towards the colonial rule preparing the grounds for wars of liberation.

4. Recruitment of Africans into colonial armies to fight in the World Wars.

African soldiers who fought in WWI and WWII returned with new political consciousness and a desire for freedom.

They came to realize that they fought for European freedom while their own countries remained colonized.

5. Cultural Despise and Racial Discrimination.

European colonizers promoted the idea that African cultures, religions, languages, and traditions were inferior or “primitive.”

  • African belief systems like prayers to bless warriors and offering sacrifices to ancestors were called "superstition".
  • Traditional governance was regarded as backward and barbaric.
  • Indigenous practises like polygamy and female genital mutilation were considered sinful.

These attacks on African identity gave rise to cultural movements like Negritude (in French colonies), which celebrated African values and traditions.


Conclusion:

Despite its oppressive nature, colonialism played an important role in giving rise to African nationalism. 

Through education, military service, economic hardship, and cultural suppression, Africans became aware of their rights and the injustices they had faced.

These experiences inspired unity, resistance, and the demand for independence, and eventually leading to the collapse of colonial rule and the birth of new African self-ruled nations.


Related topics:

Colonial economy in Africa.

https://historyforumtz.blogspot.com/2020/05/the-colonial-economy.html

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