THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE INDEPENDENCE OF GHANA TO THE GROWTH OF AFRICAN NATIONALISM.
The independence of Ghana in 1957 brought impetus in the struggle for African independence in the following ways:
Ghana became the headquarters of ant colonial groups of Africa following her independence all issues pertaining independence in Africa were discussed in Accra Ghana.
Ghana provided material support like man power and funds to many African nations who were struggling for their self independence determination from their colonial masters.
Radio Accra in Ghana became the mouth piece of Africans to voice anti-colonial feelings and to mobilize support from inside and outside Africa.
Ghana under Kwame Nkrumah strengthened Pan – African movement which opposed colonialism. In April 1958 all independent states like Libya, Ethiopia, Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia were invited to meet in Accra. In 1960 there was another meeting in which the countries laid down plans which could be used to help other countries get their independence.
Ghana became a model to other African countries to emulate (cope). This made many African countries to go for vigorous campaign against colonialism and get sovereignty like that of Ghana.
Kwame Nkrumah was a person who advocated for the united states of Africa and African unity. These ideas led to the rise of O.A.U which later became an organization which opposed colonialism in many countries.Ghana as an independent country exerted
more pressure on French domination on West Africa to sto p their excess over the Africans which increased the Africans to demand for self determination.
It increased the formation of political parties for example in1959 Robert Sobukwe formed PAC in south Africa Lumumba formed the MNC in the same year.
It laid a foundation for other African conferences for stance in November 1959 the Cairo conference was led and proposed by Ghana.
It helped to bridge the gap between the Arab north and black south, to fight one common enemy that was colonialism.
LIBERATION IN SOUTH AFRICA.
Freedom and democracy in South Africa are the impact of life that has been fought for by Africans inside and outside South Africa for long time. However the attainment of freedom in South Africa had remained at a remote like most of the colonies that had white settlers the road to independence was not all smooth.
In South Africa white settlers were 4 million by 1970 who ruled the majority blacks who were 20 million and the mixed race of the Asian race origin were 2 million, the black majority were not allowed to vote by 1936 for fear of dominating political aspect of South Africa South Africa was the most powerful nation in the continent economically socially and politically that strength originated from mineral revolution of 1 87Oand 1 880s given that prosperity the white minority were more than ready not to let the black major to take over power.
In 1 950s they established an apartheid policy which literally mean separateness that would keep the black away from dominance of South African politics they remained in reserves known as Bantustan they were only free when serving white in urban centre , the policy reduced the life style of the African blacks.
The population registration act of 1950 registered people according to their race dividing them basically into white and non white under the old imperial principle of divide and rule non white were sub divided into colored (mixed race) Indians who came as contractors in the sugar plantation at Natal in the l9 century and the ‘Bantu’ who were the black majority population.
The blacks were then further divided into further sub groups basing on ethnic origin Zulu, Xhosa, Tswana, Venda, Sotho and so on this was deliberate move to weaken African unity and destroy any African national sense of nationalism, it kept each ethnic group separate from another this act formed the corner stone of the apartheid policy affecting all the life style of the black people banning sexual relation among the races and prohibiting them from public places like bus parks, schools, hospitals, etc all black African trade unions activity were banned thus enabling the white to exploit the African as they wished this was an economic system to keep the black at the position of permanent subordinate of low — paid working class.
Such state of affair provided stimulus to African protest and resistance in South Africa. There was a wave of resistance to new pass laws, a number of spontaneous strikes boycotts and demonstrations in the towns the ANC (African national congress) which had been formed in 1912 by the educated African elites of teachers’ clerks, and lawyers was boosted by the new leader of Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo and Trade unionist Walter Sisulu. In 1952 ANC staged a ‘defiance campaign’ deliberately defying apartheid segregationist laws and refusing to carry passes.
On 21 march 1 960 police opened fire on un armed black demonstrators killing 69 and wounding 180 most of them short behind as they fled, this was known as the Sharpeville massacre which marked a new phase in the struggle for freedom. Fearing a revolution the government swiftly banned the ANC party and many members of the party were arrested and jailed. The ANC resorted to the use of armed struggle as the way forward.
WHY SOUTH AFRICA TOOK LONG TO GAIN HER INDEPENDENCE
The presence of imperialist investment in South Africa had continues cooperation between big capitalist powers ever since which included powers like Dutch and British with the apartheid regime of South Africa so they were not willing to grant independence to African easily.
Lack of unity among the nationalist organization .There were many movements working independently, they included the Indian National Congress [IAC], African people organization [APO], Pan African Congress [PAC] UMSA, ANO, and Inkatha Freedom Movement. These except ANC were less radical they could not bring any impact but rather weakened the strength of the struggle.
South Africa was the country that was recognized by UN to be independent country from 1980. But the fact was that because both political and economic power were in the hands of whites ,worse still there was apartheid that did not able the African excess to economic power the blacks were denied democracy.
All liberation movements like ANC and PAC were declared illegal and banned in South Africa by the apartheid regime of the white. The killing of prominent political activities like mass killing in Sharpeville and the imprisonment of Nelson Mandela also made the struggle for independence to delay.
Methods of struggle were weak initially, until 1960s ANC and PAC were using non violent based on Mahatma Gandhi philosophy e.g. demonstrations petition strikes and boycotts .It was until 1960 after the Sharpeville massacre that ANC formed UMKONTO WE SIZWE meaning the spear of the nation and adopted violence.
The big powers of western Europe feared that an independent south Africa may fall in the hands of Russia a communist nation this was because Mozambique and Angola who era geographically near South Africa had the elements of communism opposed to the situation. Thus the struggle lacked international support of the big capitalist countries.
On addition to the above the constant indiscriminant attacks earned out by the racist white regime of South Africa destabilized the activities of national struggle of the black Africans, their major purpose was to kill the nationalists of the blacks and destroy their political parties.
Economic constraints most of the black African were pushed in the reserves of Bantustan were economic activity were very hard the land was barren no infrastructures to facilitate the activities of the movement thus it took long to achieve their independence.
Some capitalist countries who were pro the racist regime of south Africa denied economic aid to front line states i.e. those states that were ready to support the struggle of liberation in South Africa which included Tanzania Kenya Zimbabwe among others.
The possession of Namibia by South Africa racist regime, which was used by her as naval base and harbored the American French and British military men, hindered the military wing of the nationalistic movement.
GENERAL PROBLEMS FACED DURING THE STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE IN AFRICA
The unwillingness of the colonial power to grant independence. Some European nations came in Africa to stay forever and regarded their African colonies as oversea provinces, thus they were very reluctant to grant independence this was mostly on Portuguese colonies like Mozambique, Angola.
The colonial state apparatus ware very oppressive and coercive to the nationalistic movements in many Africa nations these included colonial army, police and judicially/prison which were put in place to facilitate colonial production, e.g. in 1958 Nyerere was arrested, Kenyatta was also arrested in I954, Mutesa of Buganda was exiled to Britain.
Also there was lack of political structures to mobilize the people to the common struggle for independence; in rural areas most of the political parties lacked branches which would have been used as centers to create awareness and mobilization of the masses most of the nationalistic activities centered in urban areas.
Tribalism also was a problem in for the nationalistic struggle it brought disunity and weakened the nationalistic struggle for independence. Some tribes did not participant in national struggle in steady they involved secessionist politics, e.g. Buganda in Uganda which demanded for her separate independence at the expense of the entire nation of Uganda.
The low level of education also affected the struggle for independence many masses in Africa were not educated and lacked political awareness about the essence of their independence this was a big hindrance in the path of independence since most of the indigenous did not know the significance of the struggle.
Financial problem to meet their expenditure, nationalistic movement in Africa lacked clear source of funds since most of their members were financially sick to fund the activities of the struggle like mobilization for support from the masses for independence.
Poor infrastructure especially in up country, during the movement of the nationalistic to mobilize support and sensitizing the masses about their aim it was very difficult to penetrate in other regions during rainy season like southern Tanzania, because there was no railway roads ports etc.
Internal disputes and insecurity also brought a hindrance in the way of independence e.g. tribal wars regional imbalance.
The policy of divide and rule that were established by the colonialist played a big role in making African not united some Africans were favored while others were not cared by the colonialist this made national struggle very difficulty.
A religious difference was also another problem .example, For Tanganyika to attain her independence the AMNUT all Muslim national union of Tanganyika. Were not willing Tanganyika to be given their independence until a Muslim candidate is graduated to take over the government.
The colonial tactics to divide and rule, that kept African divided were always at loggerhead that kept them divided along tribal lines e.g. the Gandas in Uganda were favored to other tribes that made the Ganda to be reluctant to support the struggle for independence.
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