Discuss

By borders, you mean tribal borders or modern state borders.

In my opinion, the modern state borders are more responsible for the death of the African culture. By forcing several societies into state units, they have to work together, which means most of the languages will die in favour of one or two that will be more dominant in trade, politics, population, etc.

Let's also not forget that there are ancient states split into parts as the modern borders did not give regard to preexisting nations.

1. I'm referring to both ancient and modern state borders.


2. Why are you referring to African culture as dead?


3. The language issue doesnt apply in Nigeria because the country has over 400 different languages. So, I dont really get the point there.

4. Ancient states split into parts- are you referring to migration/movement of people out of the ancient states, or ancient states spread across the borders of modern states?

Dead cultures.
The most affected is the African social structure, by creating porous tribal borders as a matter of necessity, for the sake of building a modern state. Being that most jobs are in the city, most men have moved to the city, leaving a vacuum. Who is making, enforcing and protecting the traditional laws as before?

This is also leading to people forgetting their language, traditions, and we have an up and coming generation that has no African cultural values in the cities.

Nigeria may have 400 different languages. But how many of them are used as official languages in education, govt institutions, business? You'll find that gradually, for convenience, people will take to one or two of the 400 languages to communicate. Am referring to the urban centers.

I was referring to tribes split between two modern states by the colonial borders. There are tribes with part of their people in one country, another portion in a country sharing borders. Or a King being of a different nationality from half of his subjects, which is ridiculous. To that extent, modern state borders should not be very strict. The people should be allowed to visit their relatives across borders.

I dont think relatives are prevented from visiting their relations across borders, unless there's something I'm missing.

If they know each other, then by all means unless it's not expedient to do so.