Know Ur History - Africa's Freedom Fighters

Mama Africa

This week on the blogspot your man “P” is gonna take you all back to school.

I have to restate that the best part about this blogging experience by far is just how much I continue to learn everyday and how important it is to share with others a little knowledge. Be it something big or small, you never can take for granted what you think people know already.

Ok people; let me get focused…

As our Focus on Africa series continues here on the blogspot, I came to a realization that very few if any of our viewers can truly account for many of the influential and dominating personalities that helped to shape and construct some of the advances made on my beloved continent post European colonialism. As bad as we may perceive the situation for our loved ones back home in their respective pockets of Africa, the fact and truth remains that we have always had leaders and representatives from all over Africa who did care and wanted more for the welfare of the people. This week we shine a light and present to you a short and quick summary on the accomplishments of some of the men that will forever be linked and recognized as trailblazers in the fight for African independence.    

Class is now in session…

Al- Hajji Sir Ahmadu Bello (Nigeria) – the “Sarduana of Sokoto” considered one of Nigeria’s main architects behind its push for Independence against the British. Primarily interested in Nigerian Northern politics and advancement, Bello became the first Premier of Northern Nigeria in the early 50s. He is credited with the modernization and unification of people of Northern Nigeria. He combined traditional leadership qualities with knowledge of western governance. In 1966 he was assassinated as part of a military coup that brought down Nigeria’s post-independence rule. Today, he is honored and remembered through the creation of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) considered to be the largest university in Nigeria and the second largest in Africa.

Chief Obafemi Awolowo (Nigeria) – a Nigerian statesman recognized for his contributions for helping to make the country a progressive nation. Educated in Europe where he earned an undergraduate and post-graduate degree in law, Awolowo was the first individual to be regarded as the “Asiwaju” of Yorubaland (a title that comes over time to be routinely endorsed to his direct successors as “Grand Master” of Afenifere). He is remembered today for accomplishments such as creating the first television station in Africa WNTV, the first skyscraper in West Africa “The Cocoa House” and he is also recognized for creating the name Naira used to describe today’s Nigerian currency (previously referred to as the Nigerian Pound). Despite serving as a de facto vice president under the leadership of General Yakubu Gowan, he is mostly thought of in many circles inside and outside of Nigeria as the “best president Nigeria never had”.

Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe (Nigeria) – commonly referred to as “Zik”, he would forever be remembered as the first to take the post as Nigeria’s president and commander in chief after it gained its independence from Great Britain. Azikiwe’s western influence in education allowed for him to contribute towards the development of modern Nigerian nationalism. He attended Howard University in Washington, DC (DMV Stand Up!) and proceeded to complete his post graduate education at the University of Pennsylvania. He began his climb upwards through his work as an editor-in-chief of the African Morning Post would later create the West African Pilot. In 1960, Queen Elizabeth II awarded him the title of Privy Councilor to the Queen of England. 

Kwame Nkrumah (Ghana) – remembered as Ghana’s first prime minister and President after it secured its independence from British rule. He was highly influential in the construction and development of Pan-Africanism and the founding member of the Organization of African Unity. A believer in African liberation he would later be deemed a dictator after insisting he become president for life. In 1966, his regime was overthrown by the military with the support of western backing and spent his last years in exile.  

Emperor Haile Selassie (Ethiopia) – recognized as Ethiopia’s last emperor he ruled for nearly 60 years as an autocrat. He is credited with his vision for establishing schools, universities, armed forces and law enforcement during his reign. His tenure as emperor was both considered positive and negative by many. Selassie is famously remembered for defending the sovereign rights of Ethiopia on an international landscape against Italy and his efforts of uniting Eritrea with his homeland. His self ambition to modernize Ethiopia failed primarily due to his need to maintain complete monarchy. The majority of the people under his rule were forced into lives of poverty while he lived in nobility with other dignitaries.

Thomas Sankara (Burkina Faso) – fondly considered an iconic figure of revolution, he is popularly referred to as “Africa’s Che Guevara”. Sankara was a military captain, Marxist revolutionary, Pan-Africanist and President of Burkina Faso from 1983-1987. Sankara took office in 1983 at the age of 33 with a goal of eliminating corruption and dominance of the former French colonial power. He immediately launched the most ambitious program for social and economic change ever attempted on the African continent. To symbolize this new autonomy and rebirth, he even renamed the country from the French colonial Upper Volta to Burkina Faso (“Land of Upright Men”). His foreign policies were centered around anti-imperialism, with his government eschewing all foreign aid, pushing for odious debt reduction, nationalizing all land and mineral wealth, and averting the power and influence of the IMF and World Bank. His domestic policies were focused on preventing famine with agrarian self-sufficiency and land reform, prioritizing education with a nationwide literacy campaign and promoting public health by vaccinating 2.5 million children against meningitis, yellow fever and measles. Moreover, his commitment to women’s rights led him to outlaw female genital mutilation, forced marriages and polygamy; while appointing females to high governmental positions and encouraging them to work outside the home and stay in school even if pregnant.

Patrice Lumumba (Republic of Congo) – known for his radical views, a charismatic, exciting personality and public speaker who believed in the power of African nations to shape their own destinies and free themselves from colonial influence. He created National Congolese Movement (MNC) that led a series of strikes against the Belgian government. He was the first Prime Minister of the Republic of Congo but was overthrown and murdered less than a year into office. He was a key contributor in the country’s efforts to gain independence from Belgium in 1960.

Julius Nyerere (Tanzania) - elected as Prime Minister in 1961 in what was referred to formerly as Tanganyika, Nyerere became Tanzania’s first president in 1962. His use of socialist idealism would later dominate his policies while in office before retiring in 1985. His ability as an organizer and understanding of others enabled Tanzania to achieve independence without carnage from the British. “The objective of socialism in the United Republic of Tanzania is to build a society in which all members have equal rights and equal opportunities; in which all can live in peace with their neighbors without suffering or imposing injustice, or exploiting; and in which all have gradually increasing basic level of material welfare before any individual lives in luxury” (Nyerere 1968).

Archbishop Desmond Tutu (South Africa) – a highly respected activist and a Christian cleric who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid. Tutu has been active in the defense of human rights, fight against AIDS, tuberculosis, gay rights, poverty and racism. In 1984, the Archbishop was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace, “not only as a gesture of support to him and the South African Council of Churches of which he is leader, nut also to all individuals and groups in South Africa who, with their concern from human dignity, fraternity and democracy, incite the admiration of the world”. Two years later, Tutu was elected Archbishop of Cape Town. He was the first black African to serve in this position.  

Still Standing...

All information presented has been made available courtesy of:

http://en.wikipedia.org

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/COLDlumumba.htm

http://www.notablebiographies.com/Lo-Ma/Lumumba-Patrice.html

http://www.marxists.org/subject/africa/nyerere/biography.htm

http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/tut0bio-1