Analysis of Colonialism and Its Impact in Africa (Pt1)

*PROJECT TITLE*

Analysis of Colonialism and Its Impact in Africa

*ABSTRACT*

The work took a hard and critical look on the impact of colonialism and its concomitant ally, imperialism on the African state. The analysis revealed that the present primary role of African states in the international world economy as the dominant sources of raw materials and major consumers of manufactured products are the results of long years of colonial dominance, exploitation and imperialism. Consequently, on attainment of independence by most African states from their colonial overlords, it was extremely very difficult to disentangle from the colonial perfected role for the state because of the systematic disarticulation in the indigenous economy and the intrinsic tying of same with the external economy of the colonizers. The work also made a startling stark revelation by discovering through analysis that the deep-seated corruption in most African states and the selfish behaviour of some of the political leaders to sit tight in office even when they have obviously outlived their usefulness in the eyes of their people, are attributable to the effects of colonialism and imperialism. The work concludes and recommends that for African states to overcome their present social, economic, political, health, education woes, etc., there is the urgent need for the people and the leadership to create their own indigenous identity, culture, technology, economy, education, religion, craft, etc. that would be interwoven in good governance.

*INTRODUCTION*

Colonialism is the direct and overall domination of one country by another on the basis of state power being in the hands of a foreign power. The first objective of colonialism is political domination. Its second objective is to make possible the exploitation of the colonized country. When we talk of colonialism in Africa we are talking of phenomenon which took place between 1800-1960s. It is a phenomenon which is part and parcel of another phenomenon called imperialism. In fact, colonialism is a direct form of imperialism.

*REASONS FOR COLONIZATION OF AFRICA*

The colonization of Africa by European powers was necessitated by several factors, including:

- The emergence of the industrial revolution

- The need for raw materials

- The need for market for European manufactured goods

- The need for investment of surplus capital

- The need for food supply and spices for the increasing urban population

*STRATEGIES USED TO ACHIEVE COLONIAL OBJECTIVES*

The colonialists used various strategies to maintain their direct economies and political domination of African states, including:

- Conquest

- Forced labour

- Taxation

- Monetization of the economy

- Payment of low wages

*IMPACTS OF COLONIALISM IN AFRICA*

The impacts of colonialism in Africa include:

- The systematic disarticulation of the indigenous economy

- The intrinsic tying of the African economy with the external economy of the colonizers

- The creation of a consumer nation for European manufactured goods

- The restriction of African technology to primary goods production

- The perpetuation of corruption and selfish leadership

*CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS*

For African states to overcome their present social, economic, political, health, education woes, etc., there is the urgent need for the people and the leadership to create their own indigenous identity, culture, technology, economy, education, religion, craft, etc. that would be interwoven in good governance.

*REFERENCES*

Chinweizu (1978). The West and the Rest of Us.

Stephen Ocheni, Basil C. Nwankwo (2012). Analysis of Colonialism and Its Impact in Africa. Cross-Cultural Communication, 8(3), 46-54.