HISTORY SPEAKS!

  FREEING THE AFRICAN FROM MENTAL SLAVERY

Much that once was so revered is lost… for a few now live who remember it. What is lost? The pride of being African, an identity that is unique in its own way.

 Africans had been living independently in their respective sovereign countries before the arrival of the Europeans. Each race had its own values, traditions, culture, that it revered so much. Through this contact with the outside world, the destiny of Africans shifted from a course they had so long labored for. Fortunately and unfortunately the contact brought about cultural diffusion- the exchange of cultural elements between two societies. But which of the two extremes copied most of the ways of the other? Obviously, it was the Black man and he wittingly copied it blindly, for the ways of the White man had marveled him.

 Yes! I do not doubt the culture of the Europeans. Some of their ways are worth emulating. But even those that seem worthy, must conform to and reflect the African’s way of life…if it does not we must totally eschew it from our system.

The horror of the colonial era, heightened by the slave trade, has left an unfading stain in the hearts and minds of the Black man. Our ancestors were bound in chains and carried off to Europe. There they were mistreated and forced to labor on large plantations. Heated metal bearing the seal of the slave masters was imprinted at their backs. They screamed in pain. But the heart of these slave masters was unrelenting… what crime did the African commit? He was innocent. This inhuman act was a far cry from the Scripture (Psalm 25:3), which says, “Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed; let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause.”

 The complexion of the Europeans has greatly puzzled many an African. In his admiration he forgets how precious his own dark complexion is. In the process, he feels inferior to the White man. And the latter takes advantage of that to subtly dominate the mind of the one who had looked down upon his own complexion, race and ability…I pity the African who feels that way.

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 Europeans have been able to liberate their mindset long ago. A positive change that has catapulted him to become more productive and innovative. His inventions have driven the African mind into a state of wonderment. Finding himself in this pleasurable condition the African did not want to think further, to liberate his mind from the horrific past. He claims “how can I match the White man. He is better than I am. His culture is an eye-opener and I will be like him.” Well the truth is, the White man is not better than the Black man, neither is his culture superior to that of the African. There are elements of goodness in both cultures, and so there is an evil side to. Now if the African considers the ways of the Europeans as more superior to his, he is in a position of clouding his objective vision of being creative and exploring his God-given talents…He must think outside the box!

 Renowned reggae artiste, Bob Marley, in his song “Redemption Song”, said “…emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds…”, and I strongly agree with him. We Africans are in a better position of emancipating ourselves from mental slavery. But how did this mental slavery come about? It came as a result of the Black man's disinterestedness in exploring his own talents and ingenuity. He copied a foreign way of life. A culture he did not understand nor took the pain to reflect upon it before emulating it. In the process, he has become more dependent on the White man, a burden the latter is tired of carrying.

 Although most of the world’s resources are dominant in Africa, yet there is a tremendous low level of development and dependence on the White man…What an irony! The harnessing of these bumper resources to transform the continent has fallen short. Majority of African citizens are wallowing in poverty. Why is this so? In meditation, I realized that the problem had been the leadership of African States. The management of these scarce resources by the political heads has been unsatisfactory. They know the right thing to do…but hesitate in enforcing their grand vision. Servaes (1991) believed that most African national elites formed strong alliances with the developed world to significantly shape, often in negative ways, the development process of their countries. Shame on those leaders who have been corrupted by political power.

Ghanaians and Africans as a whole must change their mindset. They should think positively. Engage in profitable activities. Eschew sycophancy and nepotism at workplaces. Become more morally inclined to detest promiscuous acts. Stop throwing garbage into gutters… there are a lot more. African leaders also have great role in this crusade. They must respect the concerns of their citizens. Learn from their traditions and history and reflect it in governance. Construct infrastructure and roads and other projects that are of high quality. Apprehend officials guilty of corruption and slander, and become morally inclined to always adhere to the truth and the oath of allegiance. The media must also refrain from the monotonous government-say-so type of journalism. It must strictly hold government accountable, and to convey the reality of situations to the public. The fuel to power this engine of positive change is education, whether formal or informal. Many of the citizens do not understand their country’s constitution let alone their own rights. “Ignorance is not an excuse against the law”, it is often said. Therefore it is imperative for African governments to provide quality educational facilities and professional tutors to educate citizens on programmes of interest. The human resource base of the continent will be greatly utilized to gear development, productivity and innovation.

 Awake Africans! Gather yourselves; harness your rich and bountiful resources and with your brilliant ability, transform your country into a better and beautiful place. As China is becoming more self-reliant, so must we also be more self-reliant. If Africa continues to supply most of its resources to foreign nations without reserving much, then I am afraid to say that we will never catch up in terms of development and economic well-being of citizens.

 A new age of revolution of the African mind is fast approaching… happy is the African who will attune himself with this golden mission when it arrives. We must change our ailing attitude for the better. We must love one another and focus on a positive routine. God bless Ghana and Africa and the world. Let Africa progress and not to retrogress. 

 GERMAN EAST AFRICA

“Power is the ultimate determinant in human society, being basic to the relations within any group and between groups. It implies the ability to defend one’s interest and if necessary to imposes one’s will by any means available. When one society finds itself forced to relinquish power entirely to another society that in itself is a form of underdevelopment.”- Walter Rodney (1973).

All nations have once been independently sovereign, until many of them fell to the power of foreign domination. The annexation of these countries was grounded on the foreign power’s use of its superior ammunition and military base. The continent of Africa in particular was the target of the Europeans, following the Berlin conference of 1884-1885. A consensus was reached: to partition African States among themselves. The effects of the Industrial Revolution catalyzed this grand mission. Africa was seen as the hub for further surplus capital investment and the reinstating of redundant employees. The large resource base of the continent was deemed as a cheap source of raw material to feed the manufacturing firms in Europe. The scramble over a continent which was in surety of its own liberty and development has begun.

 The Germans (from the share of Africa) got hold of some countries in the Eastern part of Africa: Burundi, Tanganyika (now Tanzania), and Rwanda. These annexed States were called colonies. The number of colonies a European power, then, controlled revealed the extent of wealth, glory, and prestige they were accorded.

When Wilhelm II became Kaiser in 1888, he took up the quest with enthusiasm and demanded stridently that Germany be given a “place under the sun”. So Germany was permitted to win a few of the less desirable African lands before the continent was entirely divided among her competitors. It was honestly felt by some European statesmen that their countries, as Jules Ferry of France expressed it, would “fall to the rank of second class powers” if they did not own colonies. Europeans assumed that Africans were backward children whose wishes could neither be made known nor consulted. It was up to their new parents and religious adviser’s decision for them, and any European power was so much more civilized than the African that its rule could only be of benefit to them. This assumption was however counteracted by J.E. Casely-Hayford (1922) - “Before even the British (European state) came into relations with our people, we were a developed people, having our own institutions, having our own ideas of government”.

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 Germany’s colonial policy in administering the Eastern African States was weaved around the various States’ political, economic, social and educational spheres. The implementation of the policy in relation to the aforementioned fabrics of society, impacted immensely on the development process of Rwanda, Tanzania and Burundi. The contact brought about a significant change in the social structure of these East African States- family and kinship ties gradually declined. Certain traditional rites and attitudes were tagged as barbaric and not civilized. The colony came into existence during the 1880s and ended with Imperial Germany's defeat in World War I. Afterwards the territory was divided between Britain and Belgium and was later converted to a mandate of the League of Nations.

The colony began with Carl Peters, an adventurer who founded the Society for German Colonization and signed treaties with several native chieftains on the mainland opposite Zanzibar. On 3 March 1885, the German government announced it had granted an imperial charter (signed by Bismarck on 27 February) to Peters' company and intended to establish a protectorate in East Africa. Peters then recruited specialists who began exploring south to the Rufiji River and north to Witu, near Lamu on the coast. When the Sultan of Zanzibar protested, since he claimed to be ruler on the mainland as well, German chancellor Otto Von Bismarck sent five warships, which arrived on 7 August and trained their guns on the Sultan's palace. The British and Germans agreed to divide the mainland between themselves, and the Sultan had no option but to agree.

 German colonial administrators relied heavily on native chiefs to keep order and collect taxes. By 1 January 1914, aside from local police, military garrisons of Schutztruppen ("protective troops") at Dar es Salaam, Moshi, Iringa, and Mahenge comprised 110 German officers (including 42 medical officers), 126 non-commissioned officers, and 2,472 native enlisted members.

German rule was quickly established over Bagamoyo, Dar es Salaam, and Kilwa, even sending the caravans of Prince Langheld, Emin Pasha, and Charles Stokes to dominate "the Street of Caravans". The Abushiri Revolt of 1888 and was put down (with British help) the following year. In 1890, London and Berlin concluded the Heligoland-Zanzibar Treaty, returning Heligoland (seized during the Napoleonic wars) to Germany and deciding on the borders of German East Africa (the exact boundaries remained unsurveyed until 1910). In 1907 Chancellor Bulow appointed Bernhard Dernburg to reform the colonial administration. It became a model of colonial efficiency and commanded extraordinary loyalty among the natives during the First World War.

 The administration of the territory in the agreement of 1886 is handed over to Karl Peters' German East Africa Company. The company extends its territory to the sea from 1888, by buying a lease of the coastal strip which was left in the sultan of Zanzibar's possession. But local resentment leads to a Muslim uprising in that year which is only suppressed after the arrival of German troops (assisted on this occasion by the British navy).

The inadequacy of the company caused the German government to take direct control in 1891. But Karl Peters retains his involvement, being appointed imperial commissioner.

 

There follow two decades in which the German authorities make considerable efforts to develop their east African colony. A railway is built from Dar es Salaam to Tabora and then on to Ujiji. New crops, such as sisal and cotton, are introduced and prove very successful - as also is the development of coffee plantations on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro.

But this energetic German presence is profoundly resented by the African tribes, particularly when the harsh methods of forced labour are used in the cultivation of the new and alien crops. The result, in 1905, is a widespread popular rebellion which becomes known as the Maji-Maji rising.   Maji is the Swahili for 'water'. The rising gets its name because the belief spreads among the African workers that a magic potion of water, castor oil and millet seeds can turn German bullets to water. In August 1905 the drums begin to broadcast the news that cotton plants are being pulled up rather than tended, in a symbolic gesture of resistance.

 The excitement spreads throughout much of the colony, as people drink the potion and set off on a rampage wearing headbands woven from the stalks of millet, the    indigenous crop. Soon, inevitably, there are murderous attacks on Germans and the burning of their houses.

Reinforcements arrived from Germany in October 1905, by which time many of the Maji-Maji have already begun to discover that German bullets do not turn to water. The German commander, General Von Götzen, uses a strategy hardly more humane than that of his colleague Von Trotha in Namibia, whose brutality has caused an international outcry only a year previously.

Von Götzen decides that in the long term only famine will bring these rebellious workers to heel. He instructs his troops to move through the country destroying crops, removing or burning any grain already harvested, and putting entire villages to the torch.

 It is estimated that about 250,000 Africans died in the resulting famine. German East Africa, like German South West Africa, acquires in its early years a besmirched colonial record. Meanwhile Karl Peters, the originator of this colony, has in 1897 been tried and convicted in a Potsdam court for brutal offenses committed in Africa. They include his response to the suspicion that one of his servants may have slept with his African mistress. The young girl is flogged and then both are hanged. These scandals shock Berlin sufficiently for reforms in colonial policy to be hastily put in place. But any likely benefit is cut short on Africa by the onset of World War I. Early in 1916 British forces move south from Kenya to occupy German East.

The German’s colonial policy in administering the colonies was weaved around the two elucidated social structures below:

Economic development

 Commerce and growth started in earnest under German direction. Early on it was realized that economic development would depend on reliable transportation. Over 100,000 acres (40,000 ha) were under sisal cultivation – the biggest cash crop. Two million coffee trees were planted and rubber trees grew on 200,000 acres (81,000 ha), along with large cotton plantations. To bring these agricultural products to market, beginning in 1888, the Usambara Railway, or Northern Railroad, was built from Tanga to Moshi, Tanzania. The longest line, the Central Railroad covered 775 miles (1,247 km) from Dar es Salaam to Morogoro, Tabora and Kigoma. The final link to the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika had been completed in July 1914 and was cause for a huge and festive celebration in the capital with an agricultural fair and trade exhibition. Harbour facilities were built or improved with electrical cranes, with rail access and warehouses. Wharves were remodeled at Tanga, Bagamoyo and Lindi. In 1912 Dar es Salaam and Tanga received 356 freighters and passenger steamers and over 1,000 coastal ships and local trading vessels. By 1914 Dar es Salaam and the surrounding province had a population of 166,000, among them 10,490 (1,050 Europeans, 1,000 of them Germans. In the entire east African protectorate were 3,579 Germans. In its own right, Dar es Salaam became the showcase city of all of tropical Africa. Gold mining in Tanzania in modern times dates back to the German colonial period, beginning with gold discoveries near Lake Victoria in 1894. The first gold mine in the colony was the Sekenke Gold Mine, which began operation in 1909 after gold was found there in 1907. Despite all these efforts, German East Africa never achieved a profit for the German Empire and needed to be subsidized by the Berlin treasury.

Education

 Germany developed an educational program for Africans that involved elementary, secondary and vocational schools. "Instructor qualifications, curricula, textbooks, teaching materials, all met standards unmatched anywhere in tropical Africa." In 1924, ten years after the beginning of the First World War and six years into British rule, the visiting American Phelps-Stokes Commission reported: "In regards to schools, the Germans have accomplished marvels. Some time must elapse before education attains the standard it had reached under the Germans." One of the influences of this German development of education in their colony is the word "shule" (from "Schule" in German) that means school. Since Germans were the first colonialists to establish a solid educational program in East Africa, the word "shule" has been borrowed into the Swahili language, the lingua franca of East Africa.

The Treaty of Versailles broke up the colony, giving the north-western area to Belgium as Rwanda-Burundi, the small Kionga Triangle south of the Rovuma River to Portugal to become part of Mozambique, and the remainder to Britain, which named it Tanganyika.

 It must be stressed that there is a supposed benefit of colonialism to Africa. The arguments suggest that on the one hand, there was exploitation and oppression, but on the other hand, colonial governments did much for the benefit of Africans and they developed Africa. It is our contention that this is completely false. Colonialism had only one hand- it was a one- armed bandit. What did colonial governments do in the interest of Africans? Supposedly, they built railroads, schools, hospitals and the like. The sum total of these services was amazingly small- (Walter Rodney, 1973).

German rule have impacted immensely on Eastern African States both negatively and positively.

THE TRANS- ATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE

 All nations were once independent until some fell and became dependent on others for political freedom. Africans  were developing at their own pace propelled by their own ideology, beliefs or culture. The annexation of almost all African countries (by the Europeans, have had and is having tremendous effect on the African in admiring his/her own values and traditions. The so-called colonial masters saw their ways as superior to that of the African. Now, every society's culture is unique and should not be tampered with - Dining with the cutlery was alien to Africa's mode of eating. Likewise is the African way of eating with the hands alien to the White man. So then who is to be blamed? 

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Search for (Walter Rodney: "How Europe Underdeveloped Africa"). It is a great masterpiece. Check it out!

"The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade began around the mid-fifteenth century when Portuguese interests in Africa moved away from the fabled deposits of gold to a much more readily available commodity -- slaves. By the seventeenth century the trade was in full swing, reaching a peak towards the end of the eighteenth century. It was a trade which was especially fruitful, since every stage of the journey could be profitable for merchants -- the infamous triangular trade.

Why did the Trade Begin?

Expanding European empires in the New World lacked one major resource -- a work force. In most cases the indigenous peoples had proved unreliable (most of them were dying from diseases brought over from Europe), and Europeans were unsuited to the climate and suffered under tropical diseases. Africans, on the other hand, were excellent workers: they often had experience of agriculture and keeping cattle, they were used to a tropical climate, resistant to tropical diseases, and they could be "worked very hard" on plantations or in mines.

Was Slavery New to Africa?

Africans had been traded as slaves for centuries -- reaching Europe via the Islamic-run, trans-Saharan, trade routes. Slaves obtained from the Muslim dominated North African coast however proved to be too well educated to be trusted and had a tendency to rebellion.

Slavery was also a traditional part of African society -- various states and kingdoms in Africa operated one or more of the following: chattel slavery, debt bondage, forced labor, and serfdom. See Types of Slavery in Africa for more on this topic.

What was the Triangular Trade?

 All three stages of the Triangular Trade (named for the rough shape it makes on a map) proved lucrative for merchants.

The first stage of the Triangular Trade involved taking manufactured goods from Europe to Africa: cloth, spirit, tobacco, beads, cowry shells, metal goods, and guns. The guns were used to help expand empires and obtain more slaves (until they were finally used against European colonizers). These goods were exchanged for African slaves.

The second stage of the Triangular Trade (the middle passage) involved shipping the slaves to the Americas.

The third, and final, stage of the Triangular Trade involved the return to Europe with the produce from the slave-labor plantations: cotton, sugar, tobacco, molasses and rum.

Origin of African Slaves Sold in the Triangular Trade

 Slaves for the Trans-Atlantic slave trade were initially sourced in Senegambia and the Windward Coast. Around 1650 the trade moved to west-central Africa (the Kingdom of the Congo and neighboring Angola).

The transport of slaves from Africa to the Americas forms the middle passage of the triangular trade. Several distinct regions can be identified along the west African coast, these are distinguished by the particular European countries who visited the slave ports, the peoples who were enslaved, and the dominant African society(s) who provided the slaves.

Who Started the Triangular Trade?

For two hundred years, 1440-1640, Portugal had a monopoly on the export of slaves from Africa. It is notable that they were also the last European country to abolish the institution - although, like France, it still continued to work former slaves as contract laborers, which they called libertos or engagés à temps. It is estimated that during the 4 1/2 centuries of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, Portugal was responsible for transporting over 4.5 million Africans (roughly 40% of the total.

How Did the Europeans Obtain the Slaves?

Between 1450 and the end of the nineteenth century, slaves were obtained from along the west coast of Africa with the full and active co-operation of African kings and merchants. (There were occasional military campaigns organized by Europeans to capture slaves, especially by the Portuguese in what is now Angola, but this accounts for only a small percentage of the total.)

A Multitude of Ethnic Groups:

Senegambia includes the Wolof, Mandinka, Sereer and Fula; Upper Gambia has the Temne, Mende, and Kissi;  the Windward Coast has the Vai, De, Bassa, and Grebo.

Who Has the Worst Record for Trading Slaves?

During the eighteenth century, when the slave trade accounted for the transport of a staggering 6 million Africans, Britain was the worst transgressor - responsible for almost 2.5 million. This is a fact often forgotten by those who regularly cite Britain's prime role in the abolition of the slave trade.

Conditions for the Slaves

 Slaves were introduced to new diseases and suffered from malnutrition long before they reached the new world. It is suggested that the majority of deaths on the voyage across the Atlantic - the middle passage - occurred during the first couple of weeks and were a result of malnutrition and disease encountered during the forced marches and subsequent interment at slave camps on the coast.

Survival Rate for the Middle Passage

Conditions on the slave ships were terrible, but the estimated death rate of around 13% is lower than the mortality rate for seamen, officers and passengers on the same voyages.

Arrival in the Americas

 As a result of the slave trade, five times as many Africans arrived in the Americas than Europeans. Slaves were needed on plantations and for mines and the majority was shipped to Brazil, the Caribbean, and the Spanish Empire. Less than 5% traveled to the Northern American States formally held by the British."

This piece is culled from About.com: African History.