Colonial Legacies And The Centuries’ Old Domination Of Africa- When Will The Blame Game End?
Colonial Legacies And The Centuries’ Old Domination Of Africa- When Will The Blame Game End?
Joseph Imokhai Ogunu
“Perhaps, in the future, there will be some African history to teach. But at present, there is none; there is only the history of Europeans in Africa. The rest is darkness… and darkness is not a subject for history.”
This was the cynical dismissal of a continent’s history by the Oxford historian and professor, Hugh Trevor-Roper in 1963 (just after many African nations gained independence) While commentaries have characterized this cavalier statement as narrow-minded and an objectionable denial of African history, the claim that African history only began with colonialism, (erasing centuries of civilizations like Ghana, Mali, Songhai, Great Zimbabwe, Benin, Congo, and many others.), was absurd and bigoted and not supported by thousands years of African history. The narrative of Africa as being of no historical significance was not isolated. It directly echoed Hegel’s 19th-century comment that Africa was “ahistorical” and “outside history.”
“Africa is no historical part of the world; it has no movement or development to exhibit…. What we properly understand by Africa, is the Unhistorical, Undeveloped Spirit, still involved in the conditions of mere nature.” G.W.F. Hegel, Philosophy of History
Throughout history, Africans have often been subjected to demeaning portrayals in colonial literature and scholarship, media and popular culture. Many of these depictions are often rooted in racism, colonial ideology and white supremacy; serving to justify slavery, colonization, and exploitation- (motivating factors for European domination of African societies for centuries). Implicit in these statements is the argument that Africa has not made any significant or impact-full contribution to human progress. but rather, that Africa’s contribution to the growth of civilization is insignificant (if at all).
These statements are best understood within the context of cultural dominance and hegernony and reflect the euro-centric convictions of the dominant cultures and societies of westem civilization, its educated elite and aristocratic merchant class. The sociology of dominant and subservient cultures examines how groups interact when one culture holds more power and influence. The dominant culture sets norms, values, language, and institutions, often expecting others to assimilate to gain access to opportunities (e.g., Anglo-American culture in the U.S., French culture in colonial Africa). Subservient cultures, lacking power and visibility, are often marginalized and seen as inferior. They face pressure to assimilate but may resist through cultural preservation, adaptation, or countercultures as seen with indigenous peoples in settler states, African Americans under white dominance, and immigrant communities maintaining their traditions.
Sociological studies of this power relations show how dominance is maintained through hegemony (Antonio Gramsci, 1891-1937; Cultural hegemony); where the dominant cultures gain consent by shaping people’s sense of what is “normal” with social institutions, schools, media, government, and religion often reproducing dominant cultural values.
This has been the trajectory in the relationship dynamics between the Euro-Anglo cultures and most of the colonized people, (power imbalance). The aftermath of the European colonization project was the widespread effects of European cultural dominance in language, religion and values, the near wholesale adoption of the European way of life and the progressive acceptance of Euro-Anglo standards as superior standards. While the key Issues of assimilation and multiculturalism (whether subservient groups blend into the dominant cultures or whether societies allow multiple cultures to flourish equally)- continue to persist.
The transatlantic slave trade (15th-19th centuries) and the colonial project (late 19th-20th centuries) served as powerful, archetypal examples of this dominance in history. They were brutal economic adventures that left lasting imprints, ‘bruising legacies’ and structural disequilibrium on the lives of African nations. While both “adventures” left deep scars on the continent, contemporary African leaders can draw lessons from these experiences to confront current challenges and chart better pathways for Africa’s future.
The trade thrived partly because of ethnic rivalries; with kingdoms and ethnic groups trading in captive slaves with Europeans, while colonial economies were structured to extract raw materials and to enable cheap exports.
Colonialism’s impact on Africa was profound and long-lasting. As Colonial economies were designed to extract raw materials for European industries, this left many African countries dependent on exporting unprocessed resources a pattern that persists today and has been described as the “resource curse.” Arbitrary colonial borders divided ethnic groups and forced together rival communities, fueling conflict long after independence, while colonial administrations built systems to control populations rather than empower them, leaving behind fragile states vulnerable to authoritarianism.
While acknowledging these structural legacies, Africa must also avoid being trapped in perpetual grievance. The task today is to transform historical awareness into strategic action:
The continent must move from exporting raw materials to producing finished goods. Invest in industrialization, infrastructure, and regional trade integration (e.g., through the African Continental Free Trade Area) Build strong, transparent institutions that outlast individual leaders. Tackle corruption, which has historically allowed external exploitation.
In conclusion, blaming colonialism for Africa’s problems or its current state of development cannot continue indefinitely but neither can Africans ignore its structural legacies. The challenge is moving from historical grievance to strategic action. The past must inform the present, not imprison it. The future of the continent lies in its own choices; in leaders who choose integrity over corruption, in citizens who demand accountability, and in people that value education, innovation, and cultural pride. With a young population, wealth of natural resources, appropriate education and the right leadership, Africa has what it takes to grow exponentially if it chooses to. While history explains where Africa has been, leadership, education and technology will decide where Africa goes next.
(Joseph Imokhai-Ogunu is an attorney and a doctoral research scholar in intemational trade & economic law at a European University. He can be reached at: greyhausconsulte@gmail.com & www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-ogunu)
