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An Introduction toAfrican History

Matthias A. OgutuSimon S. Kenyanchui

University of Nairobi PressUniversity of NAIROBI Library

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Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

CONTENTS

Page

Preface ix

Origins of African History 1

Concept of "two Africas" 2The Relationship Between African History and WorldHistory 2Sources of African History 4Oral Traditions 5Written Sources 11Historical Linguistics 14Anthropology 17Archaelogy 24

Origins and Evolution of Man 25The Aspects of Human EvolutionInfluence of the Environment on Human LifeThe African Neolithic Revolutions

252930

Ancient African Civilisation 33Classical Civilisation of EgyptClassical Civilisation of Kush and AksumMedieval Civilisation of Ethiopia

343740

African Traditional Economies 49

49515355

Hunting and GatheringPastoralismAgricultureThe Indigenous Industries and Trade

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Medieval Eastern and Central AfricanStates

Medieval East African StatesStates of the Inter-lacustrine RegionThe States of Central Africa

The Sudanic Forest States

The Western Sudanic KingdomsThe Eastern Sudanic States

The Forest States of West Africa

The Akan StatesThe Asante EmpireDahomeyYorubaOyoBenin

The Origins and Spread of ChristianityBefore the 19th Century

Christianity in Northern AfricaChristianity in West Africa: BeninChristianity in the CongoChristianity in Eastern AfricaChristianity in South Africa

The Origins and Spread of Islam Before the19th Century

Islam in Northern AfricaIslam in Western AfricaIslam in Eastern Africa

61

616569

777783

91

919395970798

101

101105108110111

115

115116121

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

European Mercantilism and its Impact onAfrica 129.

The Rise of Mercantilism in EuropeThe Atlantic Triangle TradeSlave Trade in East and Central AfricaConsequences of Slave Trade

129131133137

Africa in the 19th Century Before 1,885 141

Commercial and Social Revolutions in AfricaChanges in South Africa and the Forces ofModernisation

141

146

Imperialism in Africa 151

The Scramble for Africa (1884-1914)The Partition of Africa (1884-1914)African Reactions to the Imposition ofColonial Rule, 1884-1914

151155

161

Colonisation of Africa 171

British Colonial RuleFrench Colonial RuleGerman, Portuguese and Belgian Colonial RuleThe Impact of Colonialism

171175181184

The Rise of Nationalism 189

Political Re~wakening in British Africa 189Political Reawakening in French Colonies and theBelgian Congo 197

Chapter 15 The Decolonisation of Africa 201

British West Africa 202East and Central Africa 206Francophone Africa 213North-west Africa 218Belgian Congo and Ruanda-Burundi 221

Chapter 16 The Wars of Liberation' in Africa 231

North-East Africa 231Portuguese Africa 239South Africa 244

Chapter 17 The Independent Africa 251

The Search for Party Democracy 251North Africa 254West Africa 255•Equatorial and Central Africa 257Eastern Africa 257The Search for Political Re-alignment 258The Search for a New Economic Order 265

Chapter 18 Bibliography 275Index 297

Preface

The primary aim in collecting together these chapters covering the Africanexperience from antiquity to the present, and presenting them in this manner, hasbeen to provide a basis for group discussion classes in secondary schools and, indeed,in the 8-4-4 university curricula. The general reader, nevertheless, who wishes tolearn the living ideas of the late Kenyan eminent historians and educators, MatthiasOgutu and Simon Kenyanchui, should also find this form of presentation valuable.The choice of the authors' works for consideration hardly needs a justification here:their topics on the African history have an undeniable perennial interest, and theirclarity of expression and honest arguments should be an excellent example of theway such topics should be treated. It is no disadvantage in a book of this kind thattheir views are provocative and controversial, for it aims precisely at provokingthought and discussion.

Chapter one of this book presents a synopsis of the sources of the Africanhistory, followed by a selection of sixteen chapters. Each of these chapters beginswith a short introduction unifying them by indicating connecting links. As statedearlier, this book discusses salient points of intellectual controversy and provocation.For many years a number of scholars in the-so-called developed world believed andargued vehemently that the African has no history. No wonder, for many yearsduring the colonial era most historical books on Africa only gave historical accountsof the events of the white people in Africa. The authors have negated this myth bylucidly giving a full account of the African existential reality from antiquity throughthe Medieval Civilisations of Africa, Africa Traditional Economies, Spread ofChristianity and Islam in Africa, African Reaction to Colonial Rule, the Rise ofNationalism, Decolonisation of Africa, Wars of Liberation in Africa and finally TheIndependent Africa. The book is appropriately referenced with Bibliography andIndex.

This preface would be incomplete without adding that I personally interactedwith the late Professor Matthias A. Ogutu who until his death was Professor ofHistory and Dean of the School of Social, Cultural and Development Studies at MoiUniversity. Dr. Simon Shikuku Kenyanchui was Lecturer of History and Chairmanof the Department of History and Government in the Faculty of Social Sciences,University of Nairobi. May the Lord keep their souls in eternal peace as we continueto discuss their well articulated historical ideas.

Clement M.P. Oniang'o, Ph.D. (MKNAS)Associate Professor of Philosophy and

Dean, Faculty of Social SciencesUniversity of Nairobi

September, 1991