Lecture 2

Fifty Years of Africa Independence

– An Odyssey

Required Reading

• Martin Meredith is a

journalist, biographer

and historian

• Was a journalist in

Zambia during the

independence years -

1960s

• A heavy and rather dark

book

• Helps us face the brutal

facts about our continent

Presentation Outline

1. Some Historical Facts Leading up to the Formation of modern Africa nations.

2. Issues That Worsened and Hindered the Synthesis of nationhood in African nations.

3. Africa’s score card for some of the Millenium Development Goals.

Africa- A Diverse Continent

Official Language Map of Africa

Before 1948 There were four Independent African States:

Egypt

Ethiopia

Liberia (1847)

Union of South Africa (1910)

The rest were the preserve of European powers all

confident about the importance of their imperial

mission.

Imperialism in Europe

• The Industrial Revolution in Europe created a need for both raw materials and foreign markets.

• Africa, having the largest deposit of almost every mineral on the planet and 30,330,000 square kilometers of mainly uncolonized land provided a perfect solution to meet Europe’s need.

• These facts led European countries to compete vigorously for Africa.

The Scramble for Africa

At the end of the 19th Century, after meetings in Berlin, Paris, London, and other capitals by European statesmen

and diplomats in the scramble for Africa, European powers, finally staked claims to virtually the entire continent of

Africa -

Africa became balkanized.

The Scramble for Africa

With simple geometric and geographical

instruments of straight lines, arcs, longitude

and latitude, European negotiators arbitrarily

carved up for themselves a new political map

of Africa with their new territories.

They did this with little or no regard for the

myriads of traditional monarchies, chiefdoms,

and other autonomous communities that

already existed on the ground.

Berlin Conference - 1894

• King Leopold II (Belgian) was able to convince France and Germany that common trade in Africa was in the best interests of all three countries.

• On the initiative of Portugal, Otto von Bismarck, German Chancellor, called on representatives of Austria-Hungary, Belgium, Denmark, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden-Norway (union until 1905), the Ottoman Empire, and the United States to take part in the Berlin Conference to work out policy.

• However, the United States did not actually participate in the conference

Berlin Conference General Act

The General Act fixed the following points

• The Free State of the Congo was

confirmed as private property of the

Congo Society. Thus the territory of

today's Democratic Republic of the

Congo, some two million square

kilometers, was made essentially the

property of Leopold II (because of the

terror regime established, it would

eventually become a Belgian colony).

Berlin Conference General Act

･The Niger and Congo Rivers were made free for ship traffic.

• An international prohibition of the slave trade was signed.

• A Principle of Effectivity was introduced to stop powers setting up colonies in name only.

• Any fresh act of taking possession of any portion of the African coast would have to be notified by the power taking possession, or assuming a protectorate, to the other signatory powers.

• Africa was divided between the main powers of Europe.

The Scramble for Africa

SOME OF THE DEALS THAT WERE MADE:

Britain traded the North Sea island of

Helogoland with Germans for Zanzibar, and

parts of Northern Nigeria with French for

fishing rights off Newfoundland;

France exchanged parts of Cameroon with

Germany in return for German recognition

of the French protectorate over Morocco.

The Scramble for Africa

As the haggling over African territories

continued, land and people were little more

than pieces on a chessboard.

“We have been giving away mountains and

rivers and lakes to each other, only

hindered by the small impediment that we

never knew exactly where they were.”

Lord Salisbury, British Prime Minister

Colonial Map of Africa

A Reshuffle of Africa After WWI

A reshuffle of territories occurred as a result of the

First World War. German colonies were shared

out among Britain, France, Belgium, and the

Union of South Africa.

Tanganyika was handed over to Britain; South West

Africa (Namibia) to South Africa; Rwanda-Burundi

were passed to Belgium; Togoland and

Cameroon were divided up between Britain and

France.

A Reshuffle of Africa After WWI

To appreciate Italian support in WWI,

Britain gave Italy Jubaland to form part

of Italian Somaliland by moving Kenya

border westwards.

The Scramble for Africa By the time the Scramble for Africa was over, 190

cultural groups had been divided up.

Many diverse and independent people groups with no common history, culture, language or religion, were amalgamated and enclosed as part of new

territories.

In all some 10,000 African polities had been amalgamated into 40 European colonies and

protectorates.

Thus were born the modern Africa states, a puzzle we are still trying to solve.

The Scramble for Africa

Examples:

Ghana: Asante, Akan, Ga, etc were amalgamated

Nigeria: Hausa, Fulani, Igbo, Yoruba, Edo, Ibibio, Efik, -containing as many as 250 ethno-linguistic groups

Belgian Congo: contained six thousand chiefdoms;

Uganda: Baganda, Banyoro, Acholi, Iteso, Langi etc

Kenya: Luo, Kikuyu, etc!

Zimbabwe: Ndebele and Shona

Nigeria, Chad, Sudan: Desert Muslims in north were merged with non-Muslims of the tropical forests to the south- throwing them into latent hostility.

Presentation Outline

1.Some Historical Facts Leading up to the Formation of modern Africa nations;

2.Issues That Worsened and Hindered the Synthesis of nationhood in African nations;

3.Finding a Common Ground Upon Which to

Build Unity and Nationhood;

Emergence of New African Nations

On March 6, 1957, Ghana became

the first country in Africa south of

the Sahara to gain independence

from colonial rule. March 6, 2007,

marked 50 years of independence.

Ghana’s first President, Dr.

Kwame Nkrumah, envisioned a

country that would serve as the

guiding light of African

independence and solidarity.

“Today, from now on, there is a

new Africa in the world,” said

Nkrumah. “Our independence is

meaningless unless it is linked up

with the total liberation of the

African continent.”

All African Peoples Conference

• In January 1958 Nkrumah brought together 300

representatives of political parties, trade unions,

and student groups from across the continent

with aim to coordinate the all African non-violent

revolution called ALL AFRICAN PEOPLES

CONFERENCE;

• For a week, they were immersed in the

revolutionary rhetoric and departed eager to

engage their the colonial masters for the

independence of their nations.

All African Peoples Conference Key Participants in the January 1958

1. Kwame Nkrumah- host- PM of Ghana

2. Julius Nyerere- Tanganyika- Tanzania

3. Joshua Nkomo - Southern Rhodesia- Zimbabwe

4. Hasting Banda - Nyasaland-Malawi

5. Patrice Lumumba - Belgium Congo-DRC

6. Amika Cabral - Portuguese Guinea

7. Holden Roberto - Portuguese Angola

• Tom Mboya – Kenya- Conference Chairman

• Others

RACE AND TRIBAL ISSUES

IN POST INDEPENDENT AFRICA

There was a widespread belief that once African nations

gained independence, the new states would focus on nation-

building and economic development, hence, ethnic

loyalties would wither away under the pressure of

modernization.

RACE AND TRIBAL ISSUES

IN POST INDEPENDENT AFRICA

Sir Abubaka Tafawa Balewa

Former Prime Minister, Nigeria

(During 1959 debate for a motion for

independence)

“I am confident that when we have our own citizenship, our own national flag, our own national anthem, we shall find

the flame of national unity burning bright and strong.”

RACE AND TRIBAL ISSUES

IN POST INDEPENDENT AFRICA

Ahmed Sekou Toure

(In a 1959 Speech)

“In three or four years, no one will remember the tribal, ethnic or religious rivalries which, in the

recent past, caused so much damage to our country and its

population.”

RACE AND TRIBAL ISSUES

IN POST INDEPENDENT AFRICA African nationalist politicians started out proclaiming

nationalistic objectives, selecting party candidates

regardless of ethnic origin.

As the stakes grew higher with the approach of

independence, ambitious politicians changed the basis

for campaigning - they found they could win votes by

appealing for ethnic support and, in return, promise

them improved government services and new

development projects in their ethnic regions.

The political arena became a platform upon which scarce

resources are contested by different ethnic groups.

RACE AND TRIBAL ISSUES

IN POST INDEPENDENT AFRICA

Politics has become no more than ethnic

entrepreneurship- a route to power and wealth;

For voters, local representatives are ethnic patrons at the

center of power, who could capture a share of the spoils

and bring it back to their communities; they see national

politics as their hope of getting a slice of government

bounty;

Primary loyalty remained rooted in tribal identity; kinship,

clan and ethnic considerations largely determine the

way people voted; African politics have become, in

essence, Kinship Corporations.

Law and Order in Colonial Gov’t

Concerned about making their territories financially self-

supporting, colonial administration was thus kept to a

minimum

• education was handed over to Christian missionaries

• economic activities were left to commercial

companies, and

• government functions were limited to law and order,

raising taxation, and providing infrastructure: roads,

railways, etc.

RACE AND TRIBAL ISSUES

IN POST INDEPENDENT AFRICA

CASE Number 1: DRC

When Belgian government announced a programme of political reform in DRC, in January 1959, more than fifty-three (53) political groups were officially registered

by November 1959.

By January 1960, the number reached one hundred and twenty (120) political groups;

Almost every party sprang from tribal origins.

RACE AND TRIBAL ISSUES

IN POST INDEPENDENT AFRICA

June 30, 1960: Congo gained Independence from Belgium;

July 4, 1960: Riot by soldiers;

July 11, 1960: Moise Tshombe declared Katanga Province independent;

September 14, 1960: Col Joseph Mobutu staged a coup;

January 17, 1961: Lumumba was murdered

Within a fortnight of independence, the Congo’s plight was critical: internal security had collapsed, the army had degenerated into rabble; the exodus of whites had left the administration bereft of expertise; Leopoldville (Kinshasa) was in turmoil; the secession of Katanga threatened to break the country apart; and Belgium was actively looking to for a way to oust Lumumba.

Adult Literacy Rate/Public Service Data on DRC at Independence:

• No Congolese had acquired any experience of government or parliamentary life

• No national or provincial elections had ever been held

• In the top ranks of civil service no more than three Congolese out of an established 1400 held posts and two were recent appointments

• The sum of total university graduates was 30

• The largest complement of trained manpower were priests - about 600 of them

• No Congolese medical doctors, secondary school teachers, and army officers, etc.

RACE AND TRIBAL ISSUES

IN POST INDEPENDENT AFRICA

Similar Stories of tribal wars and strife:

• Nigeria, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, Liberia, Algeria,

Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sierra Leone, Chad,

South Africa, Angola, Congo Brazzaville,

Mozambique, etc!

Cost to Africa:

• Millions of lives destroyed or displaced– including

women and children

• Over 50-100 years set back on economic and

societal development

Poverty Reduction Africa and the Rest of the World

In1990, China had 375 million people who lived on less than $1 a day; by 2015 the number will decrease to 16 million (about 95.7% reduction).

India is expected to cut the number of poor people from 462 million in 1990 to 216 million in 2015 (46.8% reduction).

In Africa the number will increase from 227 million people 1990 to 340 million in 2015 (49.8% increase).

Primary School Africa and the Rest of the World

Reduce Child Mortality Africa and the Rest of the World

Reduce Child Mortality Africa and the Rest of the World

Improve Maternal Health Africa and the Rest of the World

HIV/AIDS, Malaria, etc

Africa and the Rest of the World

Environmental Sustainability

Africa and the Rest of the World

Urban Population

Drinking Water Source Data

Rural Population

Drinking Water Source Data

World Bank Report 2009

• Recent World Bank report describes a typical African today as an 18½ year old girl in the rural area.

• In Uganda it is a a 15 year old girl in the rural area

Human Development Index (2006)

Africa and the Rest of the World

██ high (0.800 - 1) ██ medium (0.500 - 0.799) ██ low (0.300 - 0.499) ██ n/a

GLOBAL POPULATION FIGURES COMPILED

OR PROJECTED BY THE UNITED NATIONS

CONTINENT

POPULATION ESTIMATED/PROJECTED (MILLIONS)

1950 1975 2000 2030

Total %Urban Total %Urban

North America 172 243 314 77.4 396 84.6

Latin America

& Caribbean 167 322 519 75.3 723 84.1

Oceania 13 21 31 74.2 42 76.2

Europe 548 676 727 73.5 670 80.6

Asia 1,399 2,397 3,672 37.5 4,950 54.1

Africa 221 406 794 37.2 1,489 52.9

WORLD 2,520 4,065 6,057 47.3 8,270 60.2

THE FAILED STATES INDEX 2010

Africa and the Rest of the World

About 2 billion people live in countries that are in danger of collapse

Source: Foreign Policy, July/August 2005

Women and Youth of Africa Pay the Price

Threat or Opportunity?

China’s Interest in Africa

•In January 2007,

China invited Leaders

of African nations to

Beijing to discuss,

among others,

economic

“partnerships”.

•“Dead Aid”, by

Dambisa Moyo

Recommended Reading

• Dambisa Moyo

argues that we must

face the myth that Aid

actually works

• History of economic

development in the

last fifty years

• Her message is

“Africa’s time is

now”

Africa’s Jubilee:

A New Opportunity?

Lecture 2

Fifty Years of Africa Independence

– An Odyssey