AFRICA AND HISTORY
For a long time now, when we hear or see the word super power the first thing that comes to the mind is that North American country that has for so long cling to the title, well! For the sake of those that might not be aware of what country I am referring to, it is the United States of America. The history of man is incomplete without the mention of ancient powers that fought to exert control over lesser kingdoms/empires.
The likes of;
• Roman empire (the greatest empire in human history)
• British empire
• Russian empire
• Abbasid caliphate
• Umayyad caliphate
• Mughal empire
• Kushan empire
• French colonial empire
• Macedonian empire
• Holy roman empire
• Sasanian empire
• Han dynasty
• Byzantine empire
• Achaemenid empire
• Qing dynasty
• Portuguese empire
• Spanish empire
• Maurya empire
• Rashidun caliphate
• Yuan dynasty
• First French empire
• Fatimid empire
• Ottoman empire
• Gupta empire
• Babylonian empire
The list is inexhaustible but these are the major empires that have shaped the course of human history. What more? Had it not been for these, our civilization wouldn’t have gone this far. Hermit colonies gave rise to kingdoms while kingdoms gave rise to empires, but the most successful empires are defined by their ability to exert dominance over adversaries. Empires have ruled much of the world throughout history.
In Africa the likes of the Egyptian and Abyssinian empires once exerted a transcontinental kind of influence, to the south of these empires existed the likes the likes of ancient Ghana, Oyo, Kanem-Bornu, Wassoulou etc.
In most cases hitherto the fall of empires pave way for the birth and rise of new ones as exemplified in West Africa’s Ghana –Mali –Songhai historical scenario. The article would rather look cumbersome if we are to mention all the empires that ruled on continent Africa.
It is however imperative to note that the ancient times were marred with incessant conflicts, the world then wasn’t as connected as today, civilization however it may be wasn’t so advanced at the time. These times spanned the stone, bronze, iron and medieval age but at the climax of the medieval ages the new world was discovered and this ushered in a new age known as the “the industrial age”. The industrial age saw tremendous discoveries and advancements in the ways we live though those in Europe and parts of Asia witnessed the early phase of this period.
The medieval and industrial ages witnessed in Europe led to the exploitation of foreign lands later seized as colonies in the quest for raw materials and labor necessary to boost industrial production of goods in large quantities.
Africa suffered the most from the exploits of the selfish imperial powers. The dark days are no more though the damage has been done and the wound hasn’t healed either. Africa has so far evolved into a confederation of 54 independent states. The development and progress of earth’s second most populous continent seems slow, it’s nothing than the negative consequence of wide spread corruption and poverty in every corner of the giant continent.
Some African nation nevertheless, are faring well and seem to be against all odds despite the numerous challenges, these nations surprisingly are one of the best when graded based on PPP, GDP, HDI, Military
Check them out ……..