NATIONALISM AND DECOLONIZATION IN AFRICA

NATIONALISM AND DECOLONIZATION IN AFRICA

The word “Nationalism” is formed from stem nation which means a stable community of people formed on the basis of a common language, territory, history and ethnicity, and suffix –ism which indicates state, condition or action.

Nationalism refers to a sense of national consciousness exalting one nation above all others and placing primary emphasis on promotion of its culture and interests as opposed to those of other nations. Or

Is an ideology and movement that promotes the interest of a particular nation especially with the aim of gaining and maintaining the nation’s sovereignty (self-governance) over its homeland.

African nationalism is the desire for Africans to end all forms of foreign control and influence so as to able to take charge of their political, social and political affairs.

The origin of African nationalism

Nationalism in Africa is traced back to the era of colonialism and primary African resistance against colonial rule by the mid of 19 century. Colonial governments after the Berlin conference (1884-1885) which legalized colonialism in Africa introduced various colonial projects in Africa such as mining, agriculture, colonial administration and colonial social services. Colonial governments introduced those projects so as to recover the destructed economy in the metropolis which was highly destructed by the world wars. In ensuring effective exploitation of African resources colonialists used brutal and harsh actions to Africans, things like land alienation, forced labour, cattle confiscation and destruction of African handcraft industries were firstly introduced to Africans who had lived peaceful for centuries before colonialism, this developed a sense of awareness to African that they were mistreated hence started organizing various resistance such as Hehe, Nama and Shona against the colonialist.

PHASES OF NATIONALISM

Nationalism in Africa is divided into two phases according to their periods of existence.

A)      Nationalism before 1945/ Early Nationalism

This refers to all neglects which were done by Africans after introduction of colonialism in Africa, it included various resistances like Shona and Ndebele in Zimbabwe, Zigua in Tanganyika (Saadani) under Bwana Heri and Nama and Herero in Namibia.

B)      Nationalism After 1945/ Mass Nationalism

Refers to all movements which were done in Africa after WWII (1945) aimed at eliminating colonial regimes in Africa. Mass nationalism was championed by various African Elites through political parties, Pan Africanism, African Churches, African workers Associations 

Importance of African Nationalism

1. Helped Africans gain political sovereignty; colonialism largely destructed African political systems through introduction of European administrative systems such as direct rule, indirect rule , assimilation system and association policy, all these administrative systems undermined and destructed pre exited African ruling systems such as chiefdoms and kingdoms. The Africans reacted to the colonialists so as to regain their power of self rule.

2. To spread political awareness to African against European economic exploitation the imperialist extended excessive oppression and exploitation to the Africans, heavy taxation, land alienation and forced labor.

3. To bring various African ethnic groups to form unity and solidarity to fight their grievances through formation of political parties.

4. To remove the Eurocentric view funneled by capitalism and its related evil and adopt new afro centric views mainly based on Marxism.

5. To spread the African culture and remove foreign culture that had been promoted by the agents of colonialism and colonial administration. The target cultural aspects included like language, dressing, table manners among others.

6. To eradicate inferiority complex among the Africans and instigate sense of self determination, appreciate and mobilize liberation effort of the Africans from European domination

A) Nationalism before 1945

In the first decade of colonial rule most African communities experienced only spasmodic /abrupt contacts with the white men. In one of the principles of the Berlin Conference known as “principle of occupation’’, it was agreed that nations which got colonies in Africa should quick reach in the colony and establish colonial projects. This forced European nations to reach in Africa soon after the Berlin conference. The aim of this principle was to reduce imperialists’ desire over unoccupied colonies. But by the mid of 1920's, the activities of the government officials, missionaries and settlers were beginning impinge or to affect much more direct on the lives of many Africans. Acts like land alienation, forced labour, injustice and taxation now were affecting the Africans.

The African started to resist colonial domination in the 1980’s e.g. Abushiri and Bwana Heri(1888-1889)  in Tanganyika, Shona and Ndebele(1896-1897) in Zimbabwe, as well as Nama and Herero(1904-1908) in Namibia.

There were internal grievances that emerged after the establishment of colonialism and economy. These affected Africans economically, socially, politically and culturally.

1. Economically) Forced labor, to work on the colonial plantations to provide cheap labor any African who resisted was punished heavily

ii) Imposition of heavy taxes; as to initiate money economy taxes like hut tax, poll tax and matiti tax were introduced so as to force the indigenous Africans supply labor in the European plantations. Before colonialism Africans had batter system (exchange of goods by goods) but soon after introduction of colonialism money system was introduced by the colonialists so as to simplify collection of tax and to facilitate trade. This affected much the trading system of Africans as it did not only destroy African industries but also it removed African traders in the colonial economy. 

iii) Land alienation; industrial revolution in Europe in the 19^th century created demands for raw materials thus Europeans turned into African continent which was still unoccupied by many economic projects, hence to get enough areas for production of raw materials and to get laborers, Africans were evacuated from fertile land and displaced on unfertile land this created anger to Africans who were not ready to produce crops they could not consume.

iv) Loss of control of their trade; before colonialism Africans had already developed various trades like long distance trade and Trans Saharan trade these trades helped Africans in many ways such as development of cities like Timbuktu, Go, Feza, Walata, Mikindani, Kilwa, Bagamoyo and Lamu, the colonial economy destructed African trading systems thus African chiefs and traders reacted so as to protect their trade. Also establishment of colonialism went hand in hand with the abolition of slave trade and introduction of legitimate trade (allowed Africans to trade with capitalist) which was championed by the United States of America who wanted to get access of trade in Africa. Legitimate trade was not welcomed by Africans because it was not legal since Africans sold valuable resources at a cheaper price.

2. Politically

i) Destruction of traditional setup; colonialism destructed traditional ruling systems of Africans through introduction of colonial administration systems in Africa such as direct rule and assimilation policy. Colonial administrative systems weakened the power of African rulers for example in the British colonies LEGCO was responsible for making laws in the colonies but there was no equal representation to Africans in the Legislative Council (LEGCO), this motivated desire to Africans to remove colonial ruling system and restore African ruling system.

 ii) Destruction of traditional African kingdoms and chiefdoms made Africans to find how to regain their political freedom.

3. Socially

i) in the colonial era the colonial governments introduced various social services such as colonial education, colonial housing, colonial, health services and colonial transports, in all these services Africans were segregated as the provision of social services favored Europeans, Asians and few sons and daughters  of African chiefs. Africans viewed this as a tool of division and oppression for Africans. Also in plantations Africans worked for long hours, in Tanganyika for example Africans worked for 12 hours in various plantations like Morogoro sisal plantation. Some men were displaced from their home during migrant labor campaigns. Africans experienced 

ii) Inhuman punishments; Africans experienced mistreatments from colonialists in implementing colonial projects like chopping off ribs of the Africans in case of the Congo colony under Belgium, corporal punishment in Tanganyika under Carl Peter( a Germany explorer who championed a company known as Germany East African company).

4. Culturally

European colonialist denounced African traditions such as polygamy, dances, religions, and women circumcision. These precipitated Nationalism struggle by the Africans, also Europeans disrespected and discredited African traditional medicines and the associated personnel, procedures and ways of treatment. African treatment was referred to healing and indigenous doctors were renamed as witch doctors.

FACTORS FOR  NATIONALISM IN AFRICA.

There are internal and external factors for nationalism in Africa.

a)      External Factors which Influenced Nationalism

This focuses on the movements which were done outside Africa but brought significant contributions towards nationalism and decolonization process in Africa,

1. The impact of world wars; Africans ex-soldiers learned military techniques and become leaders because when they came back they were in the forefront in mobilizing their fellow Africans to fight for independence.

2. The rise of UNO; This pressurized the colonizing powers to permit people to rule themselves and supported Nationalist leaders e.g. J.K Nyerere.

3. The rise of U.S.S.R; after the second world war USSR emerged as the socialist super power thus She wanted to spread socialism all over the world. Therefore she started to support freedom movements in Africa sometimes through direct material and rival support and sometimes through veto power in U.N.O. She supplied military training to African soldiers, armies and freedom fighters. This speeded up the national struggles in the colonies.

4. Independence of Ghana 1957; created awareness to other African countries to struggle for independence.

5. The rise of U.S.A as a leading capitalist nation, after the world war two US became the chief superior of war materials and the war did not affect her economy negatively, this made her to became a leading capitalist nation and begun to advocate for decolonization of African nations as a trick to compensate for not colonizing through establishment of neo colonialism to get market for her finished goods area of investment for her international cooperation.

 6. The role of Bandung conference; The Bandung conference of 17th April 1955, where Asians and Africans nations such as south Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Libya and Egypt met in Indonesia to discuss their problems which include colonialism and economic development, they emphasized solidarity, it was during this conference that non aligned movements NAM was formed in this conference. It called upon the colonizing power to grant independence to colonial people. The conference created solidarity among the nationalistic movements.

7. Independence of Indian 1947; It was very important to Nationalistic struggle in Africa because Africans learn that; The independence could be won peacefully, There is potential in Nationalistic, Many congresses similar to those of Indian were formed in African,  African Nationalists leaders learn a lot from Mahatma Gandhi of India.

8. The role played by pan-African movements; thiswas the movement of all black people in the world. The first meeting of pan africanism involved African leaders like Jomo Kenyatta, Milton obote, kwame Nkrumah was held at Manchester (Manchester conference of 1945). The pan africanists provided moral and material support to support liberation struggle. 

b)     INTERNAL FACTORS FOR NATIONALISM

• Formation of peasant cooperative unions, especially in rural areas to defend the interests and welfare of the farmers, where some associations were formed by the colonialists as to speed up the production and the marketing of cash crop as well as sensitizing peasants about cultivation through their associations. But later alone developed nationalistic feelings and turned against the colonialists using their association’s structures in rural areas.
• Intensive exploitation after the Second World War in the colonies the colonizers wanted to revamp their ruined economies, which were heavily damaged by the war; large scale colonization was carried out.
• Formation of independent churches, these were churches that were lead by the Africans breaking away from main stream white churches to challenge their misdeeds over the Africans. They addressed not only religious but also social, political and economic grievances of Africans such churches included Joseph Ejayi in west Africa, the Kikuyu native church, the watch tower church movement in Malawi 1906, the African national church in Tanganyika, the people God and religion of Jesus in Kenya and united native church in Cameroon. Such churches openly criticized the colonialists and encouraged their followers to fight them thus the rise of African nationalism
• Formation of segregated African schools, after realizing that the missionary and colonial school taught nothing but European based syllabus some African societies begun their own schools, like among the Kikuyu in Kenya Africans were taught African syllabus. This helped in educating Africans and developing the spirit of nationalism.
• Rise of elites, who had attained colonial education like Nyerere in Tanganyika, Nkurumah in Ghana, Kamuzu Banda in Malawi and AbafemiAwolowo of Nigeria. This education helped them to get used to the white language, to get exposed to various struggle and liberation of the world. But on top of that some elite came from outside Africa the combination of both helped to the rise of nationalism provision of leadership for nationalistic struggle.
• Ghana independence in 1957, it was example to estimate other African nations to begin fight for their freedom so it as possible for them also to attain independence from their colonial power.
• The Italy vs. Ethiopia war of 1935-1941, under Mussolini and Haile Selasie and RasImra increased the momentum of African nationalism Italy an industrialized nation was heavily and bravery resisted by an African nation Ethiopia this boosted African confidence towards their struggle for independence was defeated.
• Formation of social welfare associations, this aimed to improve the working conditions of African workers discriminations and colonial abuses to the Africans such associations largely based in urban centers and comprised colonial civil servants like the Kikuyu central association in Kenya that was formed by Harry Thuku the railway territory civil association in Tanganyika, Tanganyika territory civil service association (T.T.C.S.A.)which was formed Martin Kayamba the peoples union in 1908 in Nigeria. Such association exerted more pressure on the colonialists to consider giving African independence which led to African nationalism.
• The role played by Mass media especially newspapers played a big role in spreading awareness among the population in both rural and urban areas such newspaper included Sautiya TANU in Tanganyika, the pilot and the comet in Nigeria
• Colonial social infrastructures also played a big role in facilitating the spread and the rise of African nationalism that’s why some historians do say that colonialism sown a seed of its own destruction, infrastructures like railway and roads facilitated the nationalistic activities in rural and urban centers by spreading the message of liberation in all parts of Africa.
• The returning ex-soldiers, these were the African militants who participated in the war on the side of their colonial masters assisting them as porters and security guards of many camps, this participation brought awareness since these soldiers were exposed to western democracy, freedom and liberation message some veterans like Dedan Kimathi who were later a leader of Mau Mau in Kenya