NATIONALISM AND DECOLONISATION

Nationalism in Africa

The Concept of Nationalism

Explain the concept of nationalism

Nationalism literally refers to the desire ,love , or sprite for ones nation .In Africa the term nationalism has been used to signify the struggle of independence or self determination against foreign domination in case of Europe the term nationalism has been used to signify for national unification in Germany and Italy and to acquire oversea colonies. Nationalism in Africa is divided into two phase according to the period.

• Nationalism before 1945
• Nationalism after 1945 (mass nationalism)

The Origin of Nationalism in Africa

Explain the origin of nationalism in Africa

The origin of nationalism in Africa is traced back to the era of colonialism and primary African resistance against colonial rule. The increase of exploitation resulted to nationalistic struggle. Its origin and basis were of two perspectives: These are based on reflection of the ancient and modern based on recent phenomena characterized by structural conditions of modern society.

The Importance of Nationalism in Africa

Explain the importance of nationalism in Africa

The following are the Importance of African Nationalism

• African nationalism aimed at gaining political sovereignty i.e. self determination byopposing imperial occupation of the European colonialist.
• To spread political awareness to African against white economic exploitation theimperialist extended excessive oppression and exploitation to the Africans, heavytaxation, land alienation and forced labour.
• To bring various African ethnic groups to form unity and solidarity to fight theirgrievances and this was to be achieved through formation of political parties.
• To remove the element of European capitalism and its related evil and adopt new afrocentric views of Marxism.
• To spread the African culture and fight out foreign culture that had been promotedby the colonialism, like language, dressing, table manners among others.
• To remove inferior complex among the Africans and to appreciate the effort ofliberating themselves from European domination

Nationalism before 1945

In the first decade of colonial rule most East African communities experienced only spasmodic contacts with the white men. But by the mid of 1920s,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 more.

The struggle for self determination and resistance against the intruders began in Africa immediately after the inception of colonialism around 1890s.

The African started to resist colonial domination in the early time e.g. Abushiri and Bwana Heri in Tanganyika, Shona and Ndebele in Zimbabwe, as well as Nama and Herero in Namibia. The African resistance was of three kinds;

• Passive resistance
• Collaborative resistance
• Active resistance

However, the period and intensity in which the early African resistance occurred in various societies depended on the intensity of colonial activities and its impact.

For example as early as the 1890s the people of Ghana had already formed the Gold Coast Aborigine‟s Right protection society which was to fight against laws which had been enacted to exploit African land.

Also in 1920 the biggest welfare association in the region was the National Congress of British West Africa in Accra. It was largely formed by the emerging African elites who wanted increased and effective representation in various organs of the state especially in the legislature.

Causes of Nationalism in Africa before 1945

Political grievances

They lost t their independence to the foreigners thus nationalism to regain their lost independence.

African rulers were thrown away and replaced them by foreign rulers who were imposed on the African that they detected and wanted to restate their traditional rulers.

Economic grievances

1. Forced labour to work on the colonial plantations to provide cheep labor anyAfrican who resisted was punished heavily
2. Imposition of heavy taxes as to initiate money economy taxes like hut taxpoll tax matiti tax were introduced as to force the indigenous to work in theplantation cattle confiscation as to deny African from engaging in othereconomic activities and resort on supplying cheep labor
3. Land alienation to keep African away from practicing their substance agricultureand begn to supply cheep labor in plantation.
4. Loss of control of their trade, like long distance trade and Trans Saharan trade aswell as the introduction of the so called legitimate trade.
5. Destruction of African agriculture which was self sustaining that based on theneeds of Africa and in place cash crop plantation was introduced.

Social grievances

1. Colonial injustice and oppression like long working hours, social abuses and separationof men from their families
2. Heavy punishment like chopping off ribs of the Africans in case of the Congo colonyunder Belgium, corporal punishment in Tanganyika under Curl Peter.
3. Racism and segregation of Africans, by insulting them by their color and making themthe third grade citizens or their own land.
4. Destruction of African values and traditions and implanting foreign culture like religion,language, education and culture.

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