Africa's Political Mastery

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Before the arrival of the colonial masters, Africans had a political heritage. This

was a way of practicing politics, political attitudes, and political institutions that were

passed from one generation to the next generation. Chinua Achebe and D.T. Niane

authors of Things Fall Apart and Sundiata respectively, demonstrates how politics was

practiced during the pre-colonial period.

In Chinua Achebe's book, Things Fall Apart, the people of Umofia were

disturbed by their enemy which was a call for war rather; they decided to handle the

matter diplomatically by sending an embassy. This is how he narrates:

That was why Okonkwo had been chosen

by the nine villages to carry a message of

war to their enemy unless they agreed to... .

to atone for the murder of Udo's wife. And

such was the fear that their enemies had for

Umofia that they treated Okonkwo like a king

And brought him a virgin... .

The elders' concept of diplomacy was administered excellently since a war was

prevented. They did not want to rush to war although they had a just cause. In order to

strengthen their intention a strong diplomat, Okonkwo, was sent. This means that the

enemy of Umofia has been warned and so if they had refused to pacify them, an all out

war will be staged.

There is a similar instance in D.T. Niane's book, Sundiata where we see a king

Dankaran Touman sending a delegatioin to the king of Sosso. This is how he also

narrates it:

He announced his intention of sending

an embassy to the powerful king of Sosso,

Soumaoro Kante. For such a delicate mission had thought of Balla Fasseke, son of Doua,his father's griot. The council approved the royalde...

... middle of paper ...

...in a successful coup carried out by his generals and had to

seek political asylum in Equatorial Guinea until his death.

D.T. Niane, comforts us in his book Sundiata by sayin:

Every man to his own land! If it

is foretold that your destiny should

be fulfilled in such and such a land

men can do nothing against it.

Although Dr. Nkrumah served prematurely as the president of Ghana, his dream for a

united Africa was granted. It was known as the Organization of African Unity (OAU)

at present it is known as African Union (AU).

After carefully examined the political events in Africa before and after colonial

rule, we conclude by a speech made by Dr. Nkrumah during Ghana's independence on

the 6th of March 1957.

The Blackman is capable of

managinig his own affairs.

Ghana, our beloved country,

is free forever.

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