ARTICLE

                               IS COLONIALISM A FACILITATOR OF CIVILISATION

—Oh! Thanks to the Europeans for their intervention in the deteriorating life-style of we Africans.

—The white men have contributed immensely to the development, and socio-economic increase in African’s standard of living.

—Had it not been for the intervention and political tutelage of the Europeans, so unspeakable would Africa’s crudeness have been.

These and many more have been said by individuals of different countries, background and perspective. These not to appraise or mar the image of any colonial master, but to critically analyse the positivity and negativity of such to an acknowledge reality.

Colonisation; refers to the domination of a country by another country or people—especially when achieved through coercion—and the acquisition of the territory in this manner. While civilization on the other hand is an advanced level of development in a society that is marked by complex social and political organisation, and material, scientific, and artistic progress.

Colonisation was not a determinant nor was it a facilitator for the present development and experienced civilization of African nations. Only was it a means of socio-economic exploitation due to the ignorance and crudeness of African communities­—crudeness; a term of theirs for the natural status and psychological existence of the African artlessness. If civilization was a human, it would know when and how it would have gotten its way out into the open to the socio-economic and political demands of every available country of the earth. The fact that they (Europeans) got to experience the gradual reality of civilization’s emergence does not and should not have been an excuse for them to exploit Africans.

On these assertions would emphasis be laid on the views and perspectives of an average African towards the possible acknowledgement of what and how so far can be said that Europeans have facilitated African’s civilization.

Regardless of my view as a writer, views of contributors, or personal intuitions; would you say that Africa’s civilization, socio-economic and political development is as a result of European humane attribute, or just an excuse of exploitation?

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