NEO COLONIALISM AS A CONCEPT
Neo-colonialism is a policy by which a foreign power binds territories to herself by political ties with the primary object of promoting her economic advantage. Rather than attaining genuine sovereign status, a neo-colonial state is granted what is called ‘flag’ independence. With neo-colonialism, it then became almost impossible for African states to translate into concrete terms the pre-independence revolution of rising expectations. Thus, within a few years of independence slogans such as “seek ye first the political kingdom and every other thing shall be added unto it” turned into a mirage, or pipe dream.
“Neo-colonialism is also the worst form of imperialism. For those who practise it, it means power without responsibility and for those who suffer from it, it means exploitation without.
Contacts with the European colonizers
In his short, but scholarly work on neo-colonialism, Iweriebor (1997:3) identified four stages in African transition to a neo-colonial status . During these stages which, according to him, spanned a period of five centuries, Africa was subjected to both open exploitation and subsequently, underdevelopment of her economies. Iweriebor’s classifications are, perhaps a summary of Water Rodney’s “How Europe underdeveloped Africa”, or Basil Davidson’s book, with the title: “The Black Man’s Burden – Africa and the Curse of the Nation-state”.
The first epoch of African encounter with the Europeans was the period of slave trade from the 15th Century to the early 19th century, when slave trade was abolished, to pursue what was called ‘legitimate trade’. During this period Africans were parceled and shipped to Europe and North America to provide cheap labour. The “surplus value” produced as a result of this massive exploitation contributed significantly to the industrialization of Western Europe.
The period of mercantile trade or imperialism from the early to late 19th century constitutes the second era of exploitation. This epoch inaugurated in Africa the operations of British Companies like the British South African Company, British East African Company and the United African Company as well as companies of other colonial powers, like France, Portugal and Spain. (Iweriebor 1997:4). But because Western imperialism considered the exercise of sovereignty by Africa as exemplified in several treaties of friendship, signed with African traditional rulers objectionable, they pressurized their home countries to colonise Africa. This was the antecedent to the scramble for, and the eventual partition of Africa in Berlin in 1885; which set the stage for the third epoch.
The era of colonial domination was that of direct political domination, economic exploitation, and cultural imperialism. When it suited the Europeans, this colonial subjugation of Africa by superior firepower was justified on the altruistic ground of “civilizing mission”. In other instances, it was based on the myth of racial superiority. The tenor of this era was the forceful conversion of African land and resources, as well as African rulers as colonial agents, under ordinances issued in the name of the Crown.
But the more enduring consequences of the colonial era were the establishment of the structure, and institutions to foster African economic and ideological dependence on the West. This was achieved through the development of export crops tied to external vagaries, commerce “base” tied to Western outlets and “investment” in extractive industries. Colonialism also created a bourgeois class which Nkrumah (1970:10) called “African bourgeoisie,”.
NIGERIA UNDER DEVELOPMENT AND NEO COLONIALISM
Modernization and civilization are the proposed benefits of colonialism and imperialism but the truth is far from it has the main reason was about individual selfish interest in the benefit of the metropole countries at the detriment of the satellites countries..
Have come to think and cogitate why we are called the third world and not the first word, what’s the yardstick or the criteria of determining development which is a process and not static without taking into notice the inequal and unfair relationship of exploitation and oppression by the European countries and the Americans not only on Nigeria but on the continent of the black called the negros.
As a developmentalist I wouldn’t want to cover our own people who acts as Compradors to support the devilish act against humanity. In relation to Walter Rodney who extensively spoke on how Africans contributed to the development of Europe and they brought about out under development as a result of taking not only our natural resources and raw material but as well as human as European merchandise through the inimical slave trade which ended in the 19th century but guess what, we have a new mode of modern day of slavery trough human trafficking which is being engineered by our fellow Africans.
I laugh when critics opined and most especially modernization theorist who postulated that Europe and America is the yardstick to follow by the Africans to develop thier society while they are aware that there’s no any other continent to provide us with what we provided them with to develop.
It’s so glaring they have developed far more better than us technologically but do you know that we were a lot of youthful resources as well as energetic people of great thinking if they were not taken as slaves and also if truly they wanted to develop why would they engage in brain drain by taking our most useful Labour power to thier country to contribute to Thier development, our political leaders has a lot of blames too but will discuss on thier own flaws in my writing on Nigeria political structure and the faults of political inheritance from the colonialist. I wouldn’t want to sound too critical by criticizing collinialism but it has done more harm than good to is as a nation.
Collinialism, Christianity and capitalism are of the same origin which was why it was heavily denounced by majority of the pan Africanist like Du boss, Edward Blyden, Nyerere, Nkrumah as well as the Iconic Mugabe but what happens to all this leaders when the policies of this leaders were anti colonialist internal problem looms for the administration, Ghana waged war against Nkrumah which was why he fled to Nyerere.
Our contemporary political crisis on this country is as a result of our inheritance of a political system which is not compatible with our national ethical values and culture as country.
If truly we are independent we should be free from thier dictatorial rules but though we gained independence from colonialism and not neo Colonialism which is the oder of the day.
This people are of no good to us then and now, they were the architect behind the civil war in Nigeria as well as the genocide in Rwanda, they pledge thier support for people who will be in support and loyal to thier diabolical and anti pan African acts, a case of the Americans supporting Buhari and the states being the most power successfully diverted the support of France and Britain to the incumbent president as against the then president.
They make hate speech against us and they are always eager to know about us, they create our problems secretly and try and be the Jesus christ of the contemporary world by trying to help us through military support or by granting us bail out funds from the money looted into thier country or the money they got from us,
In the words of Azikwe zikism let’s us all be Agitators as well as applied the principle of consciencesism and Ujama ideology of Julius Nyerere.
Together we can build a United African nation and a United Nigerian States where we see ourselves as Nigerians and of not any tribe and we realize the goals of our past heroes.
Written by
SHOKÓYÀ ÓLÀKUNLÈ ADEBOYE
Social philosopher of Africa
A fresh graduate of the department of sociology from olabisi onabanjo University. He’s a qualified social researcher, business strategist and a socio political analyst..
Email :[email protected]
08131130914
And
ADEGBOYEGA LATEEF OLAMILEKAN, STUDENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE FROM OLABISI ONABANJO UNIVERSITY.
Political researchers
Email…. [email protected]
08135951612/08181477493
