Africa and Colonial Legacies: Analyzing a Troubled Continent

Abstract

To say that the African continent is underdeveloped, poor and beset with political and economic instability is beyond debate. Scholars have spent time and energy debating the causes of African crises, the same way they have proffered solutions to the problems. However, what is clear is that European imperialists colonized Africa, exploited her resources, brutalized her peoples and left some legacies that continue to torment the people of Africa till today. This paper is therefore on the legacies of colonialism which have indelible impacts on the political, economic and social life of Africa. The paper breathes some fresh ideas into the debate by arguing that after independence, African leaders pre-occupied themselves with the struggle to occupy state institutions and agencies because these are the places where political power resides. Thus, the ensued bitter and violent struggle for power, occasioned by the nature of the emergent state and the inverted process of capitalist state formation, resulted in African leaders being unable to realize the need to redefine all the legacies of colonial institutions and agencies in order to make them more relevant to the African environment. Also, they do not have the peace to pay attention and develop the economy and society. Therefore, Africa is today in the dilemma of change and continuity; in a motion without movement. The paper concludes by arguing that Africa can only make progress if those colonial legacies are redefined.

Keywords. Africa, Colonialism, Colonial Legacies, Post-Colonial State, Institutions.

DOI: 10.7176/JAAS/83-08

Publication date: December 31^st 2024