NATIONALISM IN AFRICA
The term Nationalism refers to as a movement or feeling based on common cultural aspiration that bind people together and finally leading to national Independence.
Nationalism in Africa (African Nationalism)
It was a desire of African people to rule themselves without being governed by the foreign people (Western countries). During that time most of Africans wanted to be free from Europeans domination over African continent. By the mid of 19th.It Was an action in which Africans struggled to dismantle colonial rule and gain self-independence.
IMPORTANCE OF NATIONALISM
- It brings the sense of unity amongst African ethnic groups i.e through the formation of political movements to free for the formation of modern African Nations under single government.
- It dismantled all the evils of European capitalism that drawing the early year of Independence.
- It brings political awareness to most of African people against economic exploitation done by the Europeans.
- It rejected capitalist occupation and finally Africans achieved Independence and self-rule.
- It was Pro- African culture. This means that all political movements brought Africans to be able to govern them under African leadership (Administration).
edu.uptymez.com
These were internal grievances that emerged after the establishment of colonialism and economy. These affected Africans economically, socially, politically and culturally.
Economic factors.
Colonial exploitation. African were exploited through land alienation, forced labor, low wages, bad working condition and high taxation all those made African to start Nationalism.
Political factors.
Destruction of traditional setup and evolution is denial of representation in legislative council, destruction of traditional African kingdoms and chief- doms made Africans to find how to regain their political freedom
3. Social factors.
Discrimination and segregation of African in all social aspects such as education, healthy, transport and communication water services etc. made Africans look for freedom.
4. Cultural factors.
European colonialist denounced African traditions such as polygamy, dances, religions, and women circumcision. These precipitated Nationalism struggle by the Africans.
5. The role of colonialism education.
These produced educated elites or Nationalistic leaders such as Julius Nyerere and Kwame Nkrumah who mobilized their fellows to fight against colonialism.
6. Italy–Ethiopian conflict.
The defeat of the Italians by Ethiopia in 1935 gave Africans more confidence in struggle against colonialism.
External factors which influenced Nationalism.
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
U.S.S.R 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.
Americans persuaded European power to decolonize their colonies through Marshal Plan/open door policy.
U.S.A supported Nationalistic struggles in African morally and materially to prevent the spread of communism.
6. The role of Bandung conference.
The Bandung conference which held in Bandung, Indonesia in 1955 declared colonialism in its all manifestations is an evil which should be put into an end. 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;
1. The independence could be won peacefully.
2. There is potential in Nationalistic.
3. Many congresses similar to those of Indian were formed in African.
4. African Nationalists leaders learn a lot from Mahatma Gandhi of India.
FORMS OF NATIONALISTIC STRUGGLES IN AFRICA.
From 1919 – 1940s Nationalistic struggles changed from wars of resistances to formation of social welfare associations.
The rise of Social and Welfare Associations.
(i) Meaning of Social and Welfare associations.
Social and welfare associations were groups which were formed by Africans who were working in different sectors of colonial economy such as agriculture, industries.
REASONS FOR THE RISE OF SOCIAL AND WELFARE ASSOCIATIONS.
Social and welfare associations were formed to remove;
- Colonial exploitation.
- Colonial discrimination.
- Poor working conditions.
- Low payment.
- Forced labor.
- Land alienation.
edu.uptymez.com
All these affected the members of the group.
- The major aim of social and welfare association was to create colonial government that would respect Africans’ rights rather than demanding for independence.
edu.uptymez.com
The rise of Protest and religious Movements.
The following were the forms of social and welfare Associations
1. Independent churches/ Religious movements.
– These were churches which were made by Africans out of churches formed by Missionaries.
– They opposed European church leaders who discriminated African church leadership and despise African customs like polygamy and female circumcision.
– They also opposed land alienation, forced labor, involvement of Africans in European wars.
Examples of independence churches were;
Kikuyu independent church formed in 1929 by David Maina (Kenya)
Religion of spirit – “Dini ya masambwa” formed by Elijah Masinde which opposed colonialism and foreign religion (Kenya).
Watch tower church and African National church-Tanzania.
Province Industrial Mission Church formed by John Chilembwe in Malawi.
Factors for rise of independent churches.
- Missionaries didn’t value and accommodate African ways of worship.
- Africans regarded Missionaries as agents of colonialism.
- Africans were upset by Missionary teachings which were against African traditions and customs.
- Colonial exploitation such as forced labor, taxation and discrimination in the provision of social services.
edu.uptymez.com
STRENGTH OF INDEPENDENT CHURCHES MOVEMENTS
- Drew attention to African grievance e.g. political and social injustices.
- Stimulated moral and nglish-swahili/courage” target=”_blank”>courage towards fighting for National independence.
- Helped to convey message of freedom.
- Created unity to all Africans to fight for their rights.
- Made Africans aware of European exploitation.
edu.uptymez.com
Therefore African independent church played big role in the African struggle for independence.
WEAKNESS OF INDEPENDENCE CHURCHES.
1. They lacked enough funds because they depended on few followers contributions.
2. They faced constant competition from Missionaries for followers.
3. They faced strong opposition from the missionaries and colonial government.
– African church leaders were arrested and some churches were closed.
4. They lacked well trained personnel to run the church efficiently.
2. WORKERS ASSOCIATION/TRADE UNIONS.
These were formed by workers to address their grievances such as low education, low wages, poor health facilities, lack of representatives in local council and discrimination at working places.
Example of workers’ Associations
Tanganyika Territory civil servant Association (T.T.C.S.A)
Formed in 1922 in Tanga by Martin Kayamba.
African association 1929 which became TAA- 1948 Kenya.
Young Kavirondo association formed by students lead by their teacher Jonathan Okwir.
These demanded abolition of Kipande system, decrease hut and poll tax, exclude women in taxation and eliminate force labor.
Kikuyu central association formed in 1924 by Joseph Kangethe. Its demands were
To end land alienation and discrimination.
To allow Africans to grow cotton and coffee.
It condemned missionary church which prevents female circumcision. In 1928 Jomo Kenyatta became its secretary.
3. TRIBAL ASSOCIATIONS.
– These were ethnic organizations formed by member of a certain tribe to address specific grievance in tribe such as poor health, education and absence of representatives in local council.
4. PEASANT ASSOCIATIONS
These were formed by farmers to air their grievances e.g. Low price for their crops.
Example Kilimanjaro native planters association formed by Joseph Merinyo in 1925.
Kikuyu association.
The Young Buganda association founded in 1920.
Kenya nationalism was dominated by the rise of political parties and the emergence of Mau Mau freedom fighters.
RISE OF MASS NATIONALISM AND POLITICAL PARTIES IN AFRICA
Meaning of mass Nationalism
Mass nationalism is the mass feeling and attitude of demanding independence by using a nationalist struggle in form of unified parties beyond the class, tribe or ethnic back ground
Reasons for the rise of mass nationalism
The following were the reasons for the rise of mass nationalism
- The colonial governments denied African the right to rule themselves. The colonial governments used puppet African chiefs as African political leaders, hence majority of Africans were deprived of the right to elect their leaders democratically.
- The colonial governments introduced harsh and forced tax payment procedures to the Africans. African workers were over exploited through payment of very low wages and salaries that made them live in devastating conditions. For example in Mozambique and Tanganyika messengers, teachers, clerks and soldiers worked in poor conditions and were lowly paid.
- Religious, the colonial government and other Europeans living in Africa were strongly against African traditional beliefs and forced Africans to join Christianity through their missionary teachings.
- They used their education and other skills acquired from the colonial system to demand independence and rebelled by formulating to know how to read, write and simple arithmetic while they maintained their African Cultural practices. Examples of independent schools are those formulated by the kikuyu in Kenya
- The over exploitation of Africans by the colonial governments, After the end of the second world war, the colonial governments emphasized on the use of forced labour as an effect of the great depression which affected their economies in their home countries Great depression which affected their economies in their home countries.
edu.uptymez.com
POLITICAL PARTIES IN AFRICA
The strengths of political parties in Africa
The following were the strength of political parties in Africa. Such as
i. The political parties arose awareness among different groups of Africans- This was done through political rallies, propaganda newspapers, and organized boycott for example CPP of Ghana ennglish-swahili/courage” target=”_blank”>couraged Ghanaians to boycott the colonialists.
ii. The political parties had a major duty of unifying the masses to fight a common enemy, which was colonialism. The political to fight a common enemy, which was colonialism, the political parties used youth and women to unify the masses at the grassroots to fight their common enemy. For example CCP of Ghana under Nkrumah and TANU of Tanganyika. They had youth and women groups to support them in fulfilling their goals of bringing independence.
Weakness of political parties in Africa.
i. The colonial government crated restrictions to political parties. They created restrictions in order to limit their activities and slow down the decolonization process. For example the British colonial government restricted government workers from being members of TANU in Tanganyika.
ii. Opposition among political parties within individual African countries, each political party competing against the other to the extent of conducting campaigns against the other instead of joining hands in fighting their common enemy. The major causes of such rivalry were ethnism, regionalism.
iii. Many political parties faced financial constraints, this was due to its members who were poor and unable to contribute the money required for various political activities.
iv. Political parties lacked the support of other organizations such as women, youth, and farmer associations in their move of propagating the decolonization process in Africa.