The African History

05/04/2024

The first railway station in Pretoria was built in 1892 by NZASM (Nederlandsche Zuid-Afrikaansche Spoorwegmaatskappij) as part of the plan for economic development in the country (photo 1) The station buildings were part of an extensive site including warehouses, workshops and living quarters. These station buildings were a series of small structures which were surprisingly modern in design. Most of the buildings were low structures with extended roofs covering loading and waiting verandahs. The service building was an exception and had two gable ends of red brick and white sandstone. It stood between the city on the one side and the tracks on the other where trains from all over the ZAR’s expanding rail network converged. Photo 2 shows the departure of the Pretoria Commando from this railway station to Norvals Pont during the Anglo-Boer War. Pretoria’s first railway station buildings were mostly replaced by the current, Herbert Baker designed, building in 1912.

01/04/2024

SOME AFRICAN COUNTRIES AND THEIR NICK NAMES.

• Swaziland - Kangwane🇸🇿
South Africa – Rainbow Nation 🇿🇦
• Rwanda – Land of a Thousand Hills🇷🇼
• Madagascar – The Red Island 🇲🇬
• Lesotho – The Kingdom In the Sky 🇱🇸
• Egypt – The Gift of the Nile 🇪🇬
• Burkina Faso – Land of the Upright Men🇧🇫
• Ghana- The gateway to Africa/The Blackstar of Africa🇬🇭
• Nigeria- The Giant of Africa 🇳🇬
• Namibia- Land of the Brave 🇳🇦
• Uganda- The Pearl of Africa 🇺🇬
• Malawi- The Warm heart of Africa 🇲🇼
• Zambia- The real Africa 🇿🇲
• Kenya - the pride of Africa 🇰🇪
• Tanzania - Brain of Africa (Bongo) 🇹🇿
• Gambia- the smiling coast of Africa 🇬🇲
• Ethiopia- the land of origin 🇪🇹
• Burkina faso - the land of upright men🇧🇫
• Morroco -the land of colours 🇲🇦
• Mauritius- the continental island 🇲🇺
• Comoros- the perfum island 🇰🇲
• Sierra leone - salone 🇸🇱
• Chad- the dead heart of Africa 🇹🇩
• Mali- the eyes of africa🇲🇱
• Djibouti - the pearl of the gulf of tadjiboura 🇩🇯
• Cabo verde - llha do 🇨🇻
• Sao tome and Principe- the chocolate island 🇸🇹
• Cameroun- the hinge of Africa 🇨🇲
• Seychelles - the land of perpetual summer 🇸🇨
• Gabon - Le bled 🇬🇦
• Somali - the horn of Africa 🇸🇴
• Botswana - Peaceful nation 🇧🇼

26/02/2024

TOP 10 universities in Africa2024

1. University of Cape Town 🇿🇦
2. Stellenbosch University 🇿🇦
3. University of Witwatersrand 🇿🇦
4. University of Johannesburg 🇿🇦
5. University of Kwa Zulu Natal 🇿🇦
6. University of Pretoria
7. University of cape coast 🇬🇭
8. Egypt-japan university of science and technology 🇪🇬
9. North West university 🇿🇦
10. University of western cape 🇿🇦

African countries with best universities

1. South Africa 🇿🇦
2. Egypt 🇪🇬
3. Kenya 🇰🇪
4. Ghana 🇬🇭
5. Morocco🇲🇦
6. Nigeria 🇳🇬
7. Tanzania 🇹🇿
8. Algeria 🇩🇿

This is according to : Times Higher Education , an excellent resource for checking universities' world ranking , recognition, quality and more

📷 University of Cape Town 🇿🇦

13/02/2024

Today's History

History:

It is generally believed that the first radio transmission was made by Guglielmo Marconi in 1895 and radio broadcasting of music and talk that was aimed towards a wider audience came into existence, albeit experimentally, sometimes around 1905-1906.
The radio came into existence commercially in the early 1920s. Radio stations came into existence almost three decades later and the radio and broadcasting system became a common commodity around the world by the 1950s.

Radio shapes public opinion through news programs and commentary programs. In shaping public opinion through commentary programs, it should not be based on half-truth and half lies, but based on what is happening with supported facts.

Radio plays the role in disseminating information through news, as people are listening, to keep updated on what is happening around, whether it is local, national, international, sports and weather.

Amid the existence of modern technology, radio broadcasting holds its own as people continue to listen to radio to be aware of what is happening around them as well as to be entertained.

📻

19/01/2023

Today we celebrate one of South Africa's 🇿🇦 most talented musicians, the legendary Brenda Fassie, born on 3rd November 1964. Brenda who is considered to be among the country’s finest singers was born in 1964 in Langa.

Often described as the "Queen of African Pop" Brenda is undoubtedly one of the finest voices the world of song has ever heard, and she surely ranks among the most popular artists in South Africa's music history.

Brenda Fassie is one of the 30 women featured last year in a comic book anthology, Femme Magnifique, which salutes women who crack ceilings, female trailblazers of yesterday and today.

The whole of Africa was rocking Vulindela in the 2000's ❤

17/01/2023

In 1579, a tall African man now known by the name of Yasuke arrived in Japan.

His height was roughly 6 feet, 2 inches and he had skin like charcoal historians said. The average height of a Japanese man in 1900 was 5 feet 2, so Yasuke would have towered over most Japanese people in the 16th century.

In 1579, his arrival in Kyoto, the capital at the time, caused such a sensation that people climbed over one another to get a glimpse of him with some being crushed to death, according to historian Lawrence Winkler.

In 1581, the Bantu man alongside Alessandro Valignano set foot in Japan’s capital and booming metropolis, also serving as headquarters of the then daimiyo, Oda Nobunaga. It was here that accounts describe multitudes of people from far and wide coming to witness the tall, strong dark-skinned man.

So strange was this man, that natives likened him to a deity and once broke down the gates of a missionary church to catch a glimpse of him. Oda Nobunaga upon seeing this wonder of a man himself ordered that he strip down and wash off the dark ink from his skin convinced that he might have been a missionary playing a joke. Much to his surprise, no ink came off nor did the skin tone change in the slightest.

Genuinely intrigued by this enigma of a man, Nobunaga quickly took an appreciation for his integrity, but of more significance perhaps, his physical prowess even openly stating that he possessed the strength of ten men! It was with this royal decree that he entered into Nobunaga’s service effectively becoming a samurai. The mysterious Bantu man was even accorded a name, Yasuke!

Other than a piece of land and a house upon it, Yasuke like other samurai was afforded two blades. A long sword- (katana) and another short ceremonial sword. In addition to this, logic dictated that Yasuke learnt how to not only fight but carry himself honourably and diligently as thousands of samurai did before him.

Through the ranks, he rose quickly and soon enough, Yasuke was Oda Nobunaga’s closest companion. He even had the rare privilege of dining with the warlord, a fete even native allies were yet to achieve.

It is recorded, Yasuke rode with Oda Nobunaga into battle and unleashed his ferocity and raw strength, laying waste to all who stood up to the tower of a man relative to the native’s short build. More to this, it was customary for Yasuke to ride alongside his master Oda Nobunaga as he surveyed newly conquered lands. A position of envy to many of Oda’s subordinates. Worse still, occupied by a foreigner. This was not going to last long, however.

In 1582, on their way back from conquest, Nobunaga famously split his army and sent them forward to scour the area for new lands to conquer while he rested in a temple nearby. A surprise attack was launched and Nobunaga’s remaining forces were quickly overpowered. To avoid capture, Nobunaga was forced to commit ritualistic su***de (sepeku).

In the midst of the chaos, Yasuke saw the futility of the fight and rode ahead to secure Nobunaga’s heir, Oda Nobutada. Despite waging a defence fit for the history books and Yaskue’s best efforts, the young prince’s armies were overwhelmed and he too was forced to commit sepeku.

In the same breath, Yasuke was captured and was quickly banished owing to him not being native Japanese. He was sent back to the Jesuit Missionary Church where he was met with his former master Alessandro Valignano who sang and rejoiced upon his safe return.

Much about him remains a mystery: it’s unconfirmed which country in Africa he hailed from, and there is no verifiable record of his life after 1582. But Yasuke was a real-life Black samurai who served under Oda Nobunaga, one of the most important feudal lords in Japanese history and a unifier of the country. Yasuke is now the subject of two films and a Netflix Anime series.

17/01/2023

Only in Africa!

This Kenyan man claims he is the real Jesus who crucified and resurrected according to the bible and now has many followers after performing various miracles, most recently turning water into tea during a wedding ceremony in Bungoma, Kenya.

His wife sincerely believes that she is married to the biblical Jesus.

16/01/2023

Only a few people have ever heard of the African Roman Emperor who influenced Britaiń in the first century. His name is Lucius Septimius Severus, born on 11 April 145 and died on 4 February 211.

He was a black Roman Emperor born in Leptis Magna, present-day Al-Khums in Libya. Severus was born into a family of great wealth and they were distinguished and of equestrian rank. His mother was of Italian descent and his father was from North Africa.
He was the first emperor born into a regional family of non-Italian origin. His mother’s ancestors came from Italy to North Africa. They belonged to the gens Fulvia, an Italian aristocratic family that had its origins in Tusculum.

His father was an unknown provincial with no political status. He had two cousins who served as consuls under emperor Antoninus Pius between 138 and 161. They were named Publius Septimius Severus and Gaius Septimius Severus.

The Influence Of Septimius Severus on the British.
He responded to the cry for help by the British governor. He needed protection from brigands who were attacking Britiśh citizens.

In response to the danger, he built the walls of Roman London, about a square mile to help protect London. These walls are defined by what Septimius Severus did for Britäin.

He set up camp in York and fought alongside garrisons to help protect London from the dangers. After killiņg the incoming emperor, Didius Julianus, he fought other claimants to the throne and defeated them.

The claimants were Pescennius Niger and Clodius Albinus. Niger was defeated at the Battle of Issus in Cilicia, while Albinus was defeated three years later at the Battle of Lugdunum in Gaul. A short punitive campaign beyond the eastern frontier won him the Kingdom of Osroene as a new province.

He waged wärs in the east against the Parthian Empire and sacked the capital in 197. This helped to expand his territory on the eastern frontier to Tigris. His territory increased and was fortified at Limes Arabicus in Arabia Petraea.

He campaigned in Africa and Mauretania against the Garamantes in 202. He captured their capital Garama and expanded the Limes Tripolitanus close to the southern desert frontier.

14/01/2023

15 Interesting Facts About Ethiopia🇪🇹

1. The Ethiopian calendar is different from the Georgian calendar. There are thirteen months in the Ethiopian calendar, which means they are currently in 2014.

2. Ethiopians also measure the hours of a day to a different schedule based on the logic that the clock starts when the day does. Ethiopia, however, observes 13 calendar months per year. This makes the Ethiopian calendar 7 years behind the rest of the world.

3. Ethiopia is the only African country never to have been brought under colonial rule. The Italians tried but failed woefully and were defeated by the solid Ethiopian forces.

4. Ethiopia has the world's oldest Bible and the most unique.

5. Ethiopia is home to one of the world's best coffee. In fact, coffee production is huge in Ethiopia.

6. According to some archaeological findings, Ethiopia is the cradle of humankind. Meaning life actually started in Ethiopia.

7. In 1960, an Ethiopian named Abebe Bikila became the first Black African to win gold in the Olympics. He won it by running barefoot.

8. Addis Ababa's name translates to ‘New Flower’ in Amharic. The city is one of the oldest cities in the world.

9. Ethiopia is home to some of the world's tastiest, healthiest and most diverse cuisines on the continent of Africa.

10. The biggest festival in Ethiopia, Timket, is a three-day annual festival that honours the baptism of Jesus Christ in the river Jordan. It's one of the world's largest festivals that takes place annually. The festival attracts millions of people from all over the world.

11. Ethiopia has the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites on the continent. Ethiopia takes first place as the African country with the most UNESCO World Heritage sites. There are 9 total ranging from religious sites to natural areas. Among them are the Simien National Park, Konso Cultural Landscape and the rock-hewn churches.

12. Over 80 languages are spoken in Ethiopia. There are over 80 languages spoken with English being the language of educational systems in addition to local languages which include Oromo, Amharic, Somali and Tigrinya.

13. Over half of Africa’s mountains are in Ethiopia. Along with Ethiopia’s incredible cultural and historical significance, the natural beauty is in a league of its own. In addition to a gorgeous landscape of low desserts and volcanic plateaus, Ethiopia is incredibly mountainous. In fact, around 70% of Africa’s mountains are in Ethiopia.

14. Ethiopia is Africa’s oldest country. Originally founded in 980 BC, Ethiopia is the oldest independent nation on the continent. Additionally, Ethiopia has remnants of some of the most ancient human beings on earth dating back millions of years making it one of the most important archaeological areas in the world. Not only that, but it is the second most populated country with more than 106 million people.

15. Ethiopia is the only country in the world with its own unique Alphabet.

Hey! Welcome to this channel . This channel is here on Youtube purposely to promote African content and to show the world why Africa is sp...

13/01/2023

Gerhardus Christian Coetzee (8 April 1955 – 12 January 2023) was a South African professional boxer who competed from 1974 to 1986, and in 1993 and 1997.[1] He was the first African ever to fight for, and win, a world heavyweight championship, having held the WBA title from 1983 to 1984. He held notable knockout wins against WBA world heavyweight champion Michael Dokes and former unified world heavyweight champion Leon Spinks, as well as a draw with future WBC world heavyweight champion Pinklon Thomas.

Gerrie Coetzee
Statistics
Real name
Gerhardus Christian Coetzee
Nickname(s)
The Boksburg Bomber
The Bionic Hand
Seer Handjies
("Sore Little Hands")
Weight(s)
Heavyweight
Height
1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)
Reach
206 cm (81 in)
Born
8 April 1955
Boksburg, East Rand,
Gauteng, South Africa
Died
January 2023 (aged 67)
Stance
Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights
40
Wins
33
Wins by KO
21
Losses
6
Draws
1
One of Coetzee's nicknames, "The Bionic Hand", came about because of persistent troubles with his right hand, which required the insertion of several corrective items during three surgeries. His Afrikaans nickname was "Seer Handjies", or "Sore Little Hands", named so by fellow South African boxing great Kallie Knoetze.

Coetzee died of cancer on 12th of January 2023, at the age of 67

10/01/2023

In 1992, the Legendary Nigerian FELA ANIKULAPO KUTI and the Legendary Jamaican SHABA RANKS had a ☘️Weed Smoking Contest at the Kalakuta Shrine.

Shabba Ranks (born Rexton Rawlston Fernando Gordon; 17 January 1966) is a Jamaican dancehall musician. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, he was one of the most popular Jamaican musicians in the world.

Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti (born Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti; 15 October 1938 – 2 August 1997), also known as Abami Eda, was a Nigerian musician, bandleader, composer, political activist, and Pan-Africanist.

He is regarded as the pioneer of Afrobeat.

In 1992, Jamaica’s Rexton Rawlston Fernando Gordon, a.k.a. Shabba Ranks came to Nigeria to perform at a concert but decided to visit Afro-beat legend, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti at his Kalakuta Shrine early in the day.

Of course he was very blunt about the purpose of his visit. Out of youthful exuberance, he promptly told Abami Eda that he’d heard about his smoking legacy and that he’d come to collect his bragging right of being the guy who out smoked Fela.

Well, there is a saying that “It is not wise to go on a drinking or smoking challenge with another man if you do not understand your own system”. Baba 70 as he’s also known, accepted the challenge and the G***a Kings drew and puffed their smokes away while exchanging banters.

Turns out each successive wraps of blunt got bigger and bigger until Shaba Ranks passed out and fell asleep. It seems he was beaten black and blue because when he woke up he was informed he has missed his concert last night.

10/01/2023

Highest Paid Players in Africa's Leagues Per Year

1. Ali Maaloul 🇹🇳 ($1.5 million) | Al Ahly

2. Percy Tau 🇿🇦 ($1.2 million) | Al Ahly

3. Keagan Dolly 🇿🇦 ($1.189 million) | Kaizer Chiefs

4. Ramadan Sobhi 🇪🇬, Ahmed Fathi 🇪🇬 ($1 million each) | Pyramids FC

Mohamed Awad 🇪🇬 ($1 million) | Zamalek

Hussein El Shahat 🇪🇬 ($1 million) | Al Ahly

8. Aliou Dieng 🇲🇱, Ramy Rabia 🇪🇬 ($900,000 each) | Al Ahly

10. Mohamed El Shenawy 🇪🇬 ($864,000) | Al Ahly

11. Yasser Ibrahim 🇪🇬, Salah Mohsen 🇪🇬 ($840,000 each) | Al Ahly

13. Khama Billiat 🇿🇼 ($696,000) | Kaizer Chiefs.

10/01/2023

ZAMBIA HAD A SPACE PROGRAM IN THE 1960S

In 1964, still living the dream of their recently gained independence, Zambia started a space program that would put the first African on the moon, catching up to the United States and the Soviet Union in the space race.

Although it sounds unlikely during the 1960s, Zambia was home to a space program, but it was not a very successful one. It started because a Zambian citizen was intent on beating the Americans and the Russians in being the first to send a man to land on the moon.

16-year-old Matha Mwamba was chosen as the first person to attempt a mission to Mars. Nkoloso claimed that by the end of 1964 the teenage girl astronauta, along with two cats and a Christian missionary, would make the journey to the Moon and then on to Mars.

Asides from the space program, there was also a grant for £7 million that was applied for in order to send 12 astronauts and a cat to Mars but this was denied and the space program failed. This is probably our favourite fun fact about Africa.

08/01/2023

The first Black Africans to compete in the Olympics were Tswana tribesmen from South Africa 🇿🇦

August 30 1904, two Tswana tribesmen, Len Tau (Len Taunyane) and Yasmani ( Jan Mashiani), they were referred to as LenTau and Yasmani because officials could not pronounce their surnames, became the first black Africans to compete in the modern Olympics when they ran in the Summer Olympics men's marathon held in St Louis. They had been in St Louis on a Boer Ear Exbibit in Louisiana Purchase Exposition held alongside games when they decided to enter the marathon at the last minute.

Tau ran barefoot on an insuitable course and over dusty roads, so dusty that it caused many of the athletes to collapse. Tau finished ninth and Mashiani came twelfth. This was a disappointing to Tau as many observers were sure he could have done better if he had not been chased nearly a mile off course by aggressive dogs.

This channel is to educate and motivate, not to promote any kind of negativity.

05/01/2023

On 5 January 1965, members of the African National Congress (ANC) Mac Maharaj, Laloo Chiba, Raymond Nyanda and Andrew Masondo arrived at Robben Island. They were all taken to B Section where their leaders such as Nelson Mandela, Elias Motsoaledi and Walter Sisulu among others were being kept after the Rivonia Trial. There were suspicions by Maharaj and the leadership of the ANC that Raymond Nyanda was sent to prison as a planted spy.Robben Island was used as a prison to house political prisoners and common law prisoners in the 1960s. Over the course of time, several hundred political prisoners passed though its prison doors while others died before their release. After undergoing scrutiny by political prisoners, Nyanda received news that he had 'won' his case on appeal and that his sentence was shortened. He was removed from Robben Island. Maharaj and Masondo were released in 1976. Chiba was released in December 1982

02/01/2023

TODAY IN HISTORY

On 2 January 1964, Kwame Nkrumah, first Ghanaian President survived fifth assassination attempt. Shortly thereafter, he declared Ghana a one party state. During the same year Nkrumah forced a constitutional amendment allowing him to dismiss any judge. Ghanaians were not happy with the amendments and other changes that he introduced. In August 1962, Nkrumah narrowly escaped death when he was bombed in Khungulu village. Following the 1962 attempt to eliminate him, three of his close allies, Foreign Minister Ako Adjei, Information Minister Tawia Adamafio, and party boss H. H. Cofie-Crabbe were jailed. Just months after he was re-elected, on 24 February 1966, he was deposed as President.

31/12/2022

Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area and 20% of its land area.[7] With 1.4 billion people[1][2] as of 2021, it accounts for about 18% of the world's human population. Africa's population is the youngest amongst all the continents;[8][9] the median age in 2012 was 19.7, when the worldwide median age was 30.4.[10] Despite a wide range of natural resources, Africa is the least wealthy continent per capita and second-least wealthy by total wealth, behind Oceania. Scholars have attributed this to different factors including geography, climate, tribalism,[11] colonialism, the Cold War,[17] neocolonialism, lack of democracy, and corruption.[11] Despite this low concentration of wealth, recent economic expansion and the large and young population make Africa an important economic market in the broader global context.

30/12/2022

30 December 1935
Born Alhaji Omar Bongo Ondimba, he was president of Gabon for 41 years, making him one of the longest serving non-monarch rulers in the world. In 1990, under intense pressure from its citizens, Gabon introduced a multiparty system; Ondimba had led the country under a one party system since he came into power in 1967. During his 41 years in office, he was implicated in a number of corruption scandals including embezzling state funds for his own personal gain. Bongo was a Muslim, having converted to the religion in 1973. He adopted the name “ Omar” soon after. He was married three times and was reported to have fathered about 30 children by the time of his death.
References

29/12/2022

On 29 December 1948, a well known human rights activist Rev. Michael Guthrie Scott, who lived in South Africa, besieged the United Nations(UN) for justice regarding 30 000 Herero people who had had their land and rights taken away. Rev. Scott got sympathy from the U.N., but did not get any concrete action on behalf of the Herero. The Reverend was supported by an Indian delegation and the New York-based International League for the Rights of Man (now the International League for Human Rights). In the same year (1948) Rev. Scott was banned in South Africa and Namibia. Rev. Scott was not a stranger to the UN as he attempted on countless occasions to put pressure on the UN for Namibia’s independence from South Africa. In 1946 he participated in a passive resistance campaign by Indian protesters in Tobruk, Durban and was arrested and sentenced to three months imprison. The resistance campaign was against the Asian Land Tenure and the Indian Representation Act. After a long battle with cancer, Rev. Scott passed away in London on 14 September 1983.

27/12/2022

The tomb of Emperor Askia Toure at Gao, Mali. Alamy.
The Songhay Empire would not be the first military power to set too much store by its cavalry. Founded in 1464 out of the ruins of the Malian Empire, Songhay was the largest of the indigenous empires in Africa. At its zenith, it covered around 540,000 square miles, stretching east-west for 1,200 miles along the River Niger with the Sahara to the north and the Sudan savannah to the south. Although it incorporated the great centre of Islamic learning and culture at Timbuktu, its capital was sited further east at Gao.

Internally, its biggest problem was succession. While some emperors, such as Askia Toure (1493-1528) and Askia Dawud (1549-82), were able to secure their thrones and rule successfully, the succeeding periods were characterised by fratricidal rivalries and rifts.

But it also had a powerful enemy. In January 1590 the Moroccan sultan Al-Mansur sent Emperor Askia Ishaq II an ultimatum. Ishaq sent back spears and horseshoes; a sign that his horsemen would prevail. Besides, if Moscow had its winter to defend it from Napoleon, Songhay had the Sahara. Al-Mansur was undeterred. He had arquebuses and cannon on his side. The Songhay were so disdainful of the new technologies of war it is said that they threw captured Moroccan fi****ms into the Niger.

The 4,000-strong Moroccan army entered the Sahara in late December, provisioned by 10,000 camels and 1,000 pack horses. Meanwhile, Ishaq’s army – at least 40,000 strong, although possibly more than twice that – was assembled too slowly to attack the invading army as it emerged exhausted from the desert.

These then were the circumstances of the Battle of Tondibi, not far from Gao, which was fought on 13 March 1591 (though some reports suggest it may have been the day before.) One report says that Ishaq’s plan was to break the Moroccan line by driving hundreds of stampeding cattle into it. But, terrified by the noise of the cannon, the cattle turned and crashed into the Songhay army instead. Their ranks scattered; Ishaq himself fled. In the end only a small group of Songhay warriors, who had roped themselves together, were left standing. They fought to the last.

26/12/2022

The history of Africa begins with the emergence of hominids, archaic humans and around 300–250,000 years ago—anatomically modern humans (Homo sapiens), in East Africa, and continues unbroken into the present as a patchwork of diverse and politically developing nation states.[1] The earliest known recorded history arose in Ancient Egypt, and later in Nubia, the Sahel, the Maghreb, and the Horn of Africa.

Pre-colonial African states from different time periods

Contemporary political map of Africa (Includes Sub-Saharan Africa and North Africa)

Obelisk at temple of Luxor, Egypt. c. 1200 BC

Baguirmi knight in full padded armour suit, early 20th century.
Following the desertification of the Sahara, North African history became entwined with the Middle East and Southern Europe while the Bantu expansion swept from modern day Cameroon (Central Africa) across much of the sub-Saharan continent in waves between around 1000 BC and 1 AD, creating a linguistic commonality across much of the central and Southern continent.[2]

During the Middle Ages, Islam spread west from Arabia to Egypt, crossing the Maghreb and the Sahel. Some notable pre-colonial states and societies in Africa include the Ajuran Empire, Bachwezi Empire, D'mt, Adal Sultanate, Alodia, Dagbon Kingdom , Warsangali Sultanate, Buganda Kingdom, Kingdom of Nri, Nok culture, Mali Empire, Bono State, Songhai Empire, Benin Empire, Oyo Empire, Kingdom of Lunda (Punu-yaka), Ashanti Empire, Ghana Empire, Mossi Kingdoms, Mutapa Empire, Kingdom of Mapungubwe, Kingdom of Sine, Kingdom of Sennar, Kingdom of Saloum, Kingdom of Baol, Kingdom of Cayor, Kingdom of Zimbabwe, Kingdom of Kongo, Empire of Kaabu, Kingdom of Ile Ife, Ancient Carthage, Numidia, Mauretania, and the Aksumite Empire. At its peak, prior to European colonialism, it is estimated that Africa had up to 10,000 different states and autonomous groups with distinct languages and customs.[3][4]

From the late 15th century, Europeans joined the slave trade.[5] That includes the triangular trade, with the Portuguese initially acquiring slaves through trade and later by force as part of the Atlantic slave trade. They transported enslaved West, Central, and Southern Africans overseas.[6] Subsequently, European colonization of Africa developed rapidly from around 10% (1870) to over 90% (1914) in the Scramble for Africa (1881–1914). However following struggles for independence in many parts of the continent, as well as a weakened Europe after the Second World War (1939–1945), decolonization took place across the continent, culminating in the 1960 Year of Africa.[7]

26/12/2022

26/12/2022