What were the techniques used to impose or establish Colonialism in Africa

ESTABLISHMENT OF COLONIAL CONTROL AND AFRICA REACTION

Colonialism is the political, social and economic system in which one powerful nation invades and dominated the foreign weak nation by establishing exploitative structure in a country. The country which is dominated by the powerful nation is known as a colony where by those people from powerful nation or colonizing nation, who lead the colonized country are known as colonialists. The establishment of colonial control in Africa was made effective between 1885 and 1912 whereby all African countries became under colonial rule except Ethiopia and Liberia, which were not colonized. To achieve the objectives of controlling African continent, different approaches were used by the colonial power to impose colonial rule in Africa. The type of techniques used depended on reactions posed by the Africans. These techniques were;



1. Treaty making (Diplomacy)

European powers signed treaties with various African rulers from different territories. In most cases, these treaties served the interest of the colonizers. This was the most suitable way of imposing colonial rule over different African territories.



Such treaties were bogus and misled the local rulers in many ways such as they promised to protect Africans rulers from external forces as well as supplying weapons. Example Dr. Karl Peters signed many treaties with Chief Mangungo of Msovero on behalf of Germany East Africa Company; Kabaka Mwanga signed treaties with Imperial British East Africa Company in 1890 and 1902 under Fredrick Lugard. After the treaties African countries fell under the control of European powers.



2. Alliance of Collaboration

This method involves the alliance or collaboration between the colonizing power and African societies or with some local agents in order to occupy the land of neighboring societies. These alliances intensified divisions among African societies. Example, in Tanganyika Germans collaborated with Sangu and Bena against their neighbors, the Hehe. The collaboration gave them hope of making revenge to Hehe who had been enemies for a long time.



3. Military force and conquest

This tactics were used in areas where the colonizing power faced strong resistance from the Africans societies, military conquest was common tactic and it was employed either directly or indirectly. For example Portuguese employed military force and conquest to impose their rule in colonies of Mozambique and Angola while the British used the same tactics to administer the area led by Kabarega of Bunyoro in Uganda.



4. Intimidation

This means creating fear among the people by European by demonstrating their military strength or capability very close to the local rulers who did not accept colonial rule. Sometimes it was the form of military training near African villages, which were reluctant and sometime it was associated with actual killings. Example Germans used this method in 1884 to force the sultan of Zanzibar to sign Karl Peter’s treaty, the British forced Jaja of Opobo to submit his Kingdom.