By Masimba Mikichi
Newcastle, England (News of The South) – The Partition of Africa came into being at the Berlin Conference in 1885. The principle of the partition of Africa was that any territory where a European country had spheres of influence, that African territory legally became a colony of that European power.
The effects of the partition of the continent of Africa were varied, namely social, political and economical. This article will only dwell on the effects of the artificial borders created by the partition to Africans. The colonial powers designed artificial boundaries without the knowledge of the land and local needs of communities.
The assertion is supported by Lord Salisbury the British Prime minister in 1906. He said, “We the British and the French have been engaged in drawing lines upon maps were no Whiteman’s foot ever trod. We have been giving away mountains and rivers and lakes to each other, only hindered by the impediments that we never knew where the mountains and rivers and lakes were.”
Lord Salisbury went on to sign the Anglo- French convention on the Nigeria and Niger boundary without the knowledge of the land and emotional needs of the local communities. Poor demarcation of the African Borders often contributed to border disputes which degenerated into wars and it also separated people who shared the same cultural values and history. Recorded cases on border disputes are as follows: Conflict between Mali and Burkina Faso over the Agacher strip and conflict between Nigeria and Cameroon over the Bakasi peninsular.
In the horn of Africa these artificial borders created by the partition of Africa also split the Somalis into British Somalia, French Somaliland, Italian Somalia, Ethiopian Somalia and the Somali Region of northern Kenya.
The Afar people of Ethiopia were split amongst Ethiopia, Eritrea and Djibouti. The Anyuua and Nuer tribes were split between Ethiopia and South Sudan .These demarcations ended up ethnic groups to live in a country where they have so sense of belonging and national pride. This has led to ethnic wars Cases of inter ethnic wars are between the Hutus and Tutsis in Rwanda. The conflict between the Konkomba and Nanumba of the northern part of Ghana. The Alavanyo and the Nkonya of the Volta region of Ghana.
In southern Africa artificial borders were created to separate Zimbabwe, Mozambique ,South Africa Malawi and Zambia. These countries share a common history and culture. Had it not been of these artificial borders created by the partition it is one’s belief that the present day Zimbabwe wouldn’t have been landlocked, it’s land would have expanded into Mozambique giving it access to the Indian ocean and it would also have expanded into South Africa giving it access to the Indian Ocean without paying any tariffs. lt is indeed true that the partition of Africa is causing more harm than good to the inhabitants of the continent. People of the same clan and culture now need visas and passports to visit or attend funerals of their relatives who live across the river.
Reference
1 Jeffrey Herbst,” The Creation and Maintenance of National Boundaries in Africa,”(International Organisation,43, no.4,1989),673-92.
2 Lord Salisbury quoted in Anenge,J.C, The International Boundaries of Nigeria 1985 1960*London,Longman Press,1970),3.
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