Nationalism in Africa

1. To gain political sovereignty i.e. self-determination by opposing imperial occupation of the European colonialist.
2. To spread political awareness to African against white economic exploitation the imperialist extended excessive oppression and exploitation to the Africans, heavy taxation, land alienation and forced labor.
3. To bring various African ethnic groups to form unity and solidarity to fight their grievances and this was to be achieved through formation of political parties.
4. To remove the element of European capitalism and its related evil and adopt new Afrocentric views of Marxism.
5. To spread the African culture and fight out foreign culture that had been promoted by the colonialism, like language, dressing, table manners among others.
6. To remove inferior complex among the Africans and to appreciate the effort of liberating themselves from European domination.

1. Passive resistance
2. Collaborative resistance
3. Active resistance

These were internal grievances that emerged after the establishment of colonialism and economy. These affected Africans economically, socially, politically and culturally.

Internal factors which influenced nationalism

Economic factors

1. Forced labor, to work on the colonial plantations to provide cheap labor any African who resisted was punished heavily
2. Imposition of heavy taxes as to initiate money economy taxes like hut tax, poll tax, matiti tax were introduced as to force the indigenous to work in the plantation cattle confiscation as to deny African from engaging in other economic activities and resort on supplying cheap labor.
3. Land alienation to keep African away from practicing their substance agriculture and begun to supply cheap labor in plantation.
4. Loss of control of their trade, like long distance trade and Trans-Saharan trade as well as the introduction of the so-called legitimate trade.
5. Destruction of African agriculture, which was self-sustaining, that based on the needs of Africa and in place cash crop plantation was introduced.

Political factors

1. Destruction of traditional setup and evolution is denial of representation in legislative council.
2. Destruction of traditional African kingdoms and chief- domes made Africans to find how to regain their political freedom.

Social factors

1. Colonial injustice and oppression like long working hours, social abuses and separation of men from their families.
2. Heavy punishment like chopping off ribs of the Africans in case of the Congo colony under Belgium, corporal punishment in Tanganyika under Curl Peter.
3. Racism and segregation of Africans, by insulting them by their color and making them the third grade citizens or their own land.
4. Destruction of African values, traditions, implanting foreign culture like religion, language, education, and culture.

Cultural factors

1. European colonialists denounced African traditions such as:

   • Polygamy
   • Dances
   • Religions
   • Women circumcision

2. These precipitated nationalism struggle by the Africans.

The role of colonialism education

1. These produced educated elites or nationalistic leaders such as:

   • Julius Nyerere
   • Kwame Nkrumah

2. They mobilized their fellows to fight against colonialism.

Italy–Ethiopian conflict

The defeat of the Italians by Ethiopia in 1935 gave Africans more confidence in struggle against colonialism.

External factors which influenced nationalism

1. The impact of world wars. African's ex-soldiers learned military techniques and become leaders because when they came back they were in the forefront in mobilizing their fellow Africans to fight for independence.
2. The rise of UNO. This pressurized the colonizing powers to permit people to rule themselves and supported Nationalist leaders e.g. J.K Nyerere.
3. The rise of U.S.S.R. She wanted to spread socialism all over the world. Therefore, she started to support freedom movements in Africa sometimes through direct material and rival support and sometimes through veto power in U.N.O. She supplied military training to African soldiers, armies and freedom fighters. This speeded up the national struggles in the colonies.
4. Independence of Ghana 1957. Created awareness to other African countries to struggle for independence.
5. The rise of U.S.A. Americans persuaded European power to decolonize their colonies through Marshal Plan / open door policy. U.S.A supported Nationalistic struggles in African morally and materially to prevent the spread of communism.
6. The role of Bandung conference. The Bandung conference which held in Bandung, Indonesia in 1955 declared colonialism in its all manifestations is an evil which should be put into an end. It called upon the colonizing power to grant independence to colonial people. The conference created solidarity among the nationalistic movements.
7. Independence of Indian 1947. It was very important to Nationalistic struggle in Africa because Africans learn that.