Independence Movement in Post-Colonial Sub-Saharan Africa

This essay will investigate the independence movement in post-colonial sub-saharan Africa though the case studies of four African nations; namely Uganda, Ethiopia, Sao Tome, and Nigeria. The major factors that will be compared between these nations are their geographical location both in the African sphere and in the European sphere, the presence of valuable resources, the wealth and power of the pre-colonial government, the length of time under a colonial power, the civility, or lack thereof, on the path to independence, and their relations with their â€Å"parent† european nation after independence was achieved. Using these facts a starting point, this essay will examine the relative success of the independence movement in each of these nations. It will also briefly address the concept of a unified Africa in the context of each nation’s independence movement. This essay will attempt to mount an objective and critical view of both the African governments in the post-colonial era and the colonial powers themselves, but will not fall into the rut of blaming the colonial powers for all of Africa’s problems. As this essay will show, a time must come when the path to improvement must involve responsibility on both sides. In order to understand the process of African colonisation, and independence, one must start not with the introduction of European colonialism in the 19th century, but with the existing political landscape of formed nearly six-hundred years earlier. In describingShow MoreRelatedFrom Coloniarl Rule to Civil War: Angola1768 Words   |  7 Pages2 Introduction From colonial rule to civil war, Angola is no stranger to elongated and extremely bloody conflicts. 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