Basically, there are two ideal types of approaches open to any colonial people struggling for independence. The two types can be examined from experiences of countries like Nigeria and Gambia, on the one hand, and experiences of Algeria, Mozambique, Angola and Guinea Bissau, on the other. In between these two cases are the cases of Mau-Mau of Kenya and the Gold Coast (now Ghana) which combine the method of type A group of countries with the method of type B group of countries.
A colony can either adopt a constitutional, evolutionary approach to independence – that involves gradual constitutional process of evolution of power as was the case in Nigeria from the 1950s, through 1960. With the type B situation, the choice open to the nationalists was not the luxury of a round table conference; but the dictates of the battle front-struggle through military force to wrest power from an unwilling colonial power. The Zimbabwean approach typified the military option towards independence.
The question may be posed: what determines a given course of action open to the colonized people? In an attempt to answer this question, a number of factors must be considered. Perhaps the most critical relate to whether or not a given colonized people had presence or absence on its territory a sizeable colonial settlement.
The question may be posed: what determines a given course of action open to the colonized people? In an attempt to answer this question, a number of factors must be considered. Perhaps the most critical relate to whether or not a given colonized people had presence or absence on its territory a sizeable colonial settlement.
Where the settler population is high like Rhodesia, Kenya and Algeria there is high resistance to nationalist struggle, but in the West African colonies of Nigeria Gold Coast and the Gambia, already labeled as the “White-man’s grave”, the opposition to nationalism was less militant. In other words, while the constitutional approach was irrelevant in the former, it was suitable in the latter. In Algeria, for example France had to face the humiliation of defeat in a war of liberation waged by armed nationalists. In the case of Portuguese colonies, Portugal was the first colonial master to come to Africa and the last to leave, in the mid-1970s, fifteen years after African year of Independence.
In some settler colonies, the option of Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) was employed. The idea was to accord dominion status to the white settlers while the blacks remained under minority white rule as Ian Smith attempted to do in Rhodesia in 1965. However, under the pressure of sanctions, Ian Smith could not sustain for long his illegal declaration of independence.
i. The British Policy of Indirect Rule
It created a division between the traditional rulers and the educated elites. Because the educated Africans were excluded from the colonial administration, they therefore portrayed the traditional rulers as agents of colonial rule. In order to moderate opposition to their rule, the British rulers deliberately introduced constitutional reforms to accommodate the educated elites which in turn, speeded their agitation for right to fully control their affairs. On the other hand, the French policy of direct rule consciously made African French educated elites member of the French parliament. The idea was to give them a false sense that they were part of the administration of their colonies. For instance in 1946, M. Houphouet – Boigny, who later became the President of Ivory Coast, in response to clamour for independence said: “there are no separatists on these benches…” In the same vein, Lepold Sengor of Senegal was quoted to have said: “The French Union must be a conjunction of civilizations, a melting point of culture it is a marriage rather than association (Nkrumah, 1965:24).
These words, coming from leading Africans were confirmation that the French policy of assimilation which was aimed at producing an elite class was a success in her colonies in Africa.
iii.Restriction of Western Education in French Colonies
French colonial administration directly limited the spread of Western education to few Africans. Missionaries were not allowed to build schools until 1943. The only grammar school for the whole of French West Africa was ECCLE Normale Willita penty in Dakar, Senegal.
In some settler colonies, the option of Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) was employed. The idea was to accord dominion status to the white settlers while the blacks remained under minority white rule as Ian Smith attempted to do in Rhodesia in 1965. However, under the pressure of sanctions, Ian Smith could not sustain for long his illegal declaration of independence.
Differences in Tempo of Nationalism Between British and French colonies
It is evident from the history of nationalism in Africa that the movement towards independence began earlier in the British colonies than the French colonies. The activities of the National Congress of British West Africa (NCBW) and the formation of the Nigerian National Democratic party (NNDP) in the early 20th century were pointers to the early embrace of nationalist struggle in British colonies. Many factors accounted for this:i. The British Policy of Indirect Rule
It created a division between the traditional rulers and the educated elites. Because the educated Africans were excluded from the colonial administration, they therefore portrayed the traditional rulers as agents of colonial rule. In order to moderate opposition to their rule, the British rulers deliberately introduced constitutional reforms to accommodate the educated elites which in turn, speeded their agitation for right to fully control their affairs. On the other hand, the French policy of direct rule consciously made African French educated elites member of the French parliament. The idea was to give them a false sense that they were part of the administration of their colonies. For instance in 1946, M. Houphouet – Boigny, who later became the President of Ivory Coast, in response to clamour for independence said: “there are no separatists on these benches…” In the same vein, Lepold Sengor of Senegal was quoted to have said: “The French Union must be a conjunction of civilizations, a melting point of culture it is a marriage rather than association (Nkrumah, 1965:24).
These words, coming from leading Africans were confirmation that the French policy of assimilation which was aimed at producing an elite class was a success in her colonies in Africa.
ii. Political Parties
Unlike France, Britain did not discourage her colony from forming political parties. For example, while the first party emerged in Nigeria in 1922, no political party was formed in any French colonies until after World War II.iii.Restriction of Western Education in French Colonies
French colonial administration directly limited the spread of Western education to few Africans. Missionaries were not allowed to build schools until 1943. The only grammar school for the whole of French West Africa was ECCLE Normale Willita penty in Dakar, Senegal.
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