Many African people loved and even cherished as well as valued their traditional foods and drinks. They always adored their culture more than foreign culture. For instance, in the mid 1930s in Gold Coast a traditional drink known as akpeteshie was introduced and distilled from sugar cane juice. Additionally, the distillation of local akpeteshie drink spread across the Gold Coast region in Ghana at a faster pace (Akyeampong 216).
After the invasion of Europeans colonialism in African states, the colonists took over everything which made them to mistreat the native in their own land. They exploited Africans mercilessly in terms of forced labors, forced taxes and denial of their human rights which led to the introduction of movements that opposed the oppression as a result of colonialism. In Kenya, the Mau Mau movement was established to fight the colonial regime. Kenyatta and Mathu further formed political parties based in central provinces in the quest and struggle to outdo the colonial regime (Throup 405).
In most African countries, development was the key aim for many people who participated in the struggle for independence. Leaders struggled to rebuild their nations in terms of political, economic and social aspects. Most of the African countries gained their independence between 1945 to1994 and thus leaders dedicated much of their time to stabilize economy and political background of their nations. After the lifting of ban in Kenya in 1951, many Africans were encouraged to participate in growing of coffee as well as other economic activities which saw the colonialism GNP grow by a bigger margin. The GNP grew to 30% after independence something that signified the growth of Kenya’s economy (Cooper 93).
However, in some African countries civil or internal war erupted as a result of greed for power, natural resources and wealth. In Congo, war started as a result of scramble for petroleum in the year 1963 to 1968 (Klieman 200). In Uganda, the Ugandan army under President Yoweri Museveni fought against the Lord Resistance Army which was under the leadership of Joseph Kony due to struggle for political power and greed (Finnstrom 201). In the year 2007, Kenya experienced the worst post-election violence after supporters of both sides clashed over allegations of rigged results.
Works Cited
Akyeampong, Emmanuel.”What’s in a Drink?Class Struggle, Popular Culture and the Politics of Akpeteshie.”The Journal of African History, Vol.37 No.2 (1996), pp.215-216.Cambridge University Press.
Cooper, Frederick. “Africa Since 1940.” The Past of the Present. pp. 91-100. Cambridge University Press.
Finnstrom, Sverker. “Wars of the Past and War in the Present: The Lord’s Resistance Movement/Army in Uganda.” The Journal of the International African Institute, Vol. 76, No. 2 (2006), pp.200-220. Cambridge University Press.
Klieman, Kairn, A. “Oil Political, and Development in the Formation of a State: The Congolese Petroleum Wars.” The International Journal of ASfrican Historical Studies,Vol. 41, No.2 (2008), pp. 169-202. Boston University African Studies Center.
Throup, David. “The Origin of Mau Mau.” African Affairs, Vol. 84, No. 336 (Jul., 1985), pp. 399-433. Oxford University Press.
