AFRICAN RESPONSE TO EUROPEAN COLONIAL RULE

Some Africans collaborated because their enemies resisted Europeans. For example, the Baganda chose to collaborate because Bunyoro resisted British rule.

Some Africans collaborated because they had been weakened by slave trade. Slave trade had caused loss of the most active part of the population, making it difficult to resist. Africans who had been affected by slave trade were also ready to collaborate with European colonialists because they were humanitarians who opposed slave trade.

In conclusion, African societies collaborated with European colonialists as a result of the prevailing conditions. Whatever the case, they all hoped to preserve their independence. However, all of them found out that collaboration was not a solution to colonialism.

 

Why some Africans resisted colonialism

While some African societies collaborated with European colonialists, others resisted them. Resistors were individuals or societies in Africa who decided to fight European colonialists. Several reasons explain why Africans resisted European rule.

First of all, those Africans who opposed European rule wanted to preserve their independence. This was because they knew Europeans had come to take away their independence.

Others resisted because of military confidence. Some African societies and individuals had fought several wars of conquest and defeated their enemies. They had strong standing armies which were experienced and supplied with guns. In addition, their societies were united. This was why they felt strong enough to resist Europeans. Examples include Kabarega,Mkwawa,Samori Toure,the Nandi,Zulu and Ndebele.

Some Africans chose to resist because they could not trust Europeans. This was because some European colonialists supported their enemies. For example, Kabarega fought the British because they collaborated with the Baganda. The Nandi decided to fight the British because they were friendly to Maasai who were Nandi enemies. Samori Toure also fought the French because they collaborated with his enemies.

Some Africans resisted because of a clash of interests. Some Africans wanted to expand their territories and this clashed with European interests. For example, from 1881 the French who had controlled the coast of Senegal started expanding to upper Senegal. Samori Toure also wanted to extend his Mandinka empire to this area. Therefore, Samori Toure chose to resist.

Some Africans resisted because they felt betrayed. For example, Chief Mkwawa of the Hehe sent representatives to make peace with the Germans in 1891 but they were killed. Other Africans who had first collaborated with Europeans found out that Europeans had come to take their independence and wealth. An example is Mwanga of Buganda and Lobengula of the Ndebele. In cases of betrayal Africans chose to resist.

Other Africans resisted because they wanted to protect their economic independence. The Abushiri Rebellion at the East African coast was a result of German attempts to impose taxes on trade and also grab people’s property. Mkwawa resisted because the Germans interfered with trade at the East African Coast. The Ndebele resisted because the British wanted to control the gold trade with the Portuguese.

Resistance was also a result of unfair colonial policies. Colonial policies exploited and oppressed Africans. These policies included taking away of African land, taxation, forced labour and interference with traditional religion and culture. This cause rebellions like Mai Maji, Temne-Mende, Shona-Ndebele and Nama-Herero.

Resistance was also a result of gaps in missionary activity. In areas where missionaries operated they weakened resistance to colonialism. This was why it was easy to establish colonial rule in Nigeria and Buganda.In areas where missionary activity was absent resistance to European colonial rule was common. Examples include Bunyoro,Nandi and Mandinka.

In conclusion, Africans who decided to resist were finally defeated by Europeans with the exception of Ethiopia which defeated Italy at the Battle of Adowa. By 1914  therefore most of Africa had lost independence.

References

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Boahen, A. A, (1989), African Perspective on Colonialism, Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press. 

Boahen, A. A, (Ed) (1985), UNESCO General History of Africa, Vol. VII: Africa Under Colonial Domination, 1880-1935, University of California Press, Berkeley.

Boahen, A. A,(1990).Africa Under Colonial Domination, 1880-1935. Berkeley: University of California Press. 

Gann, L.H.& Duigan, P, (Eds):(1969), Colonialism in Africa, 1870-1960, Vol. 1: The History and Politics of Colonialism 1870-1914, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.

Ogot, B, A, (1992),Africa from the Sixteenth to the Eighteenth Century, California: University of California Press. 

Oliver, R., & Sanderson, G.N., (Ed) (1985), The Cambridge History of Africa, Vol. 6: from 1870-1905, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.