West Africa have always been a part of main Africa it seems. But the truth is for the major period of when people lived in West Africa, it has been alienated from main Africa. For a brief period, during the early Iron Age. The area between the Nile River to the Senegal River up to Morocco, the whole area was green. This allowed everyone – around the Nile valley to the AtlanticOcean – to mix together.

Then, West Africa began to cut away from Main Africa. It all started when old Sahara starts to dry up. Climatic change affected the once green area. Its rivers dried up, oases came. Its trees gave way, shrubs taking their place. Its wet sand became stony dry. The fast horse that blazes through the forest in days became useless. The slow moving camel became the lord of the Sahara. That was how West Africa lost contact with the rest of Africa.

With this sudden change, some people northward to become the Berbers. Others eastwards around the Nile valley to become the Nubians and the Ethiopians. Others braved it and went southward instead and became the people of West Africa.

Throughout the ages, these people (West Africans) have developed systems of government. Economies that cater to their needs at any particular time in history. Here are ten groups of people whose dealings made them exceptional among those in West Africa.

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10. The Touaregs

The Touaregs are a warring tribe who lived in the Sahara Desert. For the most of their existence, they have lived by raiding trading Caravans. These Caravans travelled the Sahara desert for trade between Northern and West Africa. As time went by, the Touaregs would not allow any trading party to pass until they levy them. This was neccesary for a smooth passage through the desert.

It is debatable whether the Touaregs were right in their dealings with the other groups. Be it the merchants, who came from North Africa or the West African traders, who went northward. But one thing that is clear is that had the Touaregs not given protection to the trading parties. Many of the trading parties would have lost in the vast desert.

Since the desert is home to the Touaregs, everything about the desert seems familiar to them. Without them protecting the merchant. Trade would have been difficult without which many great cities like Kano, Timbuktu would not have grown. And the wealth that came from the Sahara trade would not have happened.

9. The Igbo people


The Igbo people whose home lies in the south-eastern part of Nigeria are a unique people whose mode of existence is awe-inspiring.
There are two distinct type of Igbos – the ones around Onitsha-Awka area who prefer a monarchy system of government. Kingdoms like Benin and Idah influenced them.
The others prefer a segmentary style of government. In which communities also called clans governed themselves without the need of a central power.

Among their achievements is the ability to keep peace among themselves. Although worth mentioning is that there were few inter-clan clash but this was insignificant compared to the tranquillity that existed among them. With this peace they were able to create arts, make sculptures and pottery, organise magnificent festivals.

8. Kru of Liberia

The Kru people, like the Igbos also run a segmentary mode of government. At a time when the great seafarers of Europe could brave into the open sea and skilfully master the waves. They were matched by the Kru who equally could sail even though they didn't built ships that could master the wave.

Their economy was relatively good that at the height of the slave trade, they weren’t involved in the sale of human being. With pride they lived with other culture. This pride made them reject the forceful adoption of Americo-Liberian parentage for their children. Their argument - they can't allow their children become children of former slaves. They even had a mark they called mark of freedom.

They were so industrious that at the late 19th century they outnumbered the American settlers in all professional field. Not even when the settlers discriminated against them by shoving them into technical training, did they still fade.

7. Dahomey of Benin

Despite living in an environment that offered them little economic value, Dahomey were able to forge a kingdom of their own out of their poverty. Breaking the yoke of a vassal state to Oyo off their shoulder, they first started out by uniting the Aja group of states to form the kingdom of Dahomey. It took about a hundred years before they declared independence from Oyo. However, it was worth it.

Dahomey had one of the most efficient woman warriors of all time. That at the time they attacked Abeokuta in 1851 it was the female corps that organised the attack.

Their nationalist sentiment was close to the one that was ignited in Europe at about that time. Foreigners could become citizens in a ceremony presided over by the king. Everyone regardless of who they are whether slave-born or aristocrat had a role to play in the nation’s progress.

Their skilful leaders also ensured that, at a point when the slave trade has been abolished and their economy largely depended on the slave trade, they were able to steer the country into a palm-oil based economy.

6. Songhai of Mali

The Songhai of Mali was a large empire and trading state that span about 1.4 million square kilometres. The empire was one of Africa largest and controlled the gold trade of West Africa.
The government was one of the most centralized in West Africa, with five provinces. Each provinces had leader with their own court.
At the time of its peak it was almost at par with Europe. However, this glorious empire faded away due to internal strife and external attack.
They also had great architecture, maximixing space optimally.
Their art form influenced the various people about them.
Their shortcoming is that they couldn't do for Timbutku what the Mamluks did for Cairo.

5. The Hausas

The Hausas are not really an ethnic group but a people who are connected by their trade activities and overtime assimilated their culture together. The introduction of Islam helped to cement this friendship. While other ethnic group claims a common origin, for the Hausas it is not so. Their origin remains unknown. This piece do not seek to unravel their origin.

The Hausa states were incredible in their organization and growth. Kano for instance, became known for its large market, its magnificent walls made of wooden beams and clay. It was also a centre of Islamic learning that it was known all over the Islamic world.

Gobir, present day Sokoto was rich for its riches in cattle and cattle products. They made great sandals that they export to Timbuktu in present day Mali. This was corroborated by the great traveller Leo Africanus.

Their many achievements also include building great governments. Although they never tried to build a Hausa empire or kingdom, their respect for one another made them live peacefully for a long time. Among their leaders were Muhammad Rumfa who ruled Kano in the 15th century and Queen Amina of Zaria who maintained peace and built Zaria’s first city wall.

4. Asante

At the height of their powers, Asante covered the whole of present day Ghana only the Fanti of the coast were excluded.

Asante which at a time was just Kumasi rose to become an empire that covers Ghana. In contrast to other forest people that were unable to extend their kingdom through the thick forest the Asante did it. What the Mamluk of Egypt couldn’t do in Nubia. Even the great Oyo was in the shrubby part of Nigeria.

Asante had a nationalistic attitude which is symbolised by their golden stool. It was with this attitude that they were able to stand up to British imperialism. It might be argued that Asante also have imperialistic agenda but the truth remains that they did not meddle into the affairs of conquered territory. They only sent a representative that would report to Kumasi in a while.

Already blessed with a fertile land, they made use of it by cultivating cash crops that yielded great proceeds for them. With gold in abundance, they made sure they control the coastal port so they could get a good deal from their efforts.

3. The Benin People

The Benin kingdom stands tall among the kingdoms of West Africa in not just its vast size but its splendour. At the height of its power, it had Lagos as a colony. It even have the kingdom of Idah in present day Kogi state as vassal state, parts of Nupe were also included. It also conquered as far as the river Niger.

When a Dutch explorer entered the Benin Palace for the first time he had this to say:
The king's palace or court is a square, and is as large as the town of Haarlem and entirely surrounded by a special wall, like that which encircles the town. It is divided into many magnificent palaces, houses, and apartments of the courtiers, and comprises beautiful and long square galleries, about as large as the Exchange at Amsterdam, but one larger than another, resting on wooden pillars, from top to bottom covered with cast copper, on which are engraved the pictures of their war exploits and battles...

The City, which was the centre of the kingdom was perhaps West Africa's most planned city. It has roads running in different direction for about ten kilometres.
The city also have a massive walls around it to protect it from invaders.
As at the 16th century it has street lamps around it.
It also had artists who made magnificient artworks in bronze. When the British invaded in 1897 they looted many artworks from the palace.

2. The Yoruba

The Yoruba stands on a class of its own. Right from time they have built large urban areas like Owu, Ife, and Oyo et al. Oyo was the biggest and the centre of a large empire that protected Yoruba land and added other vassal states that paid tribute to the empire.

This urban areas is unparalled in West Africa. Not even Timbuktu was as large as Oyo. Oyo was about 127 square kilometres. It contains a population of about a hundred thousand. It was organised in a way that however large it was, certain family lineage were in charge of various unit to order it.

In crafts, Oyo spinned cotton to make high quality clothes. This quality was exported to Ibadan that at a time Ibadan cotton was superior to that of Manchester.

In warfare, Oyo was able to conquer all the kingdom around them save for the Hausa states. Their cavalry was unconquered.

Aside Oyo, other Yoruba states like Egba, Ijebu also were important.

After the fall of Oyo Ibadan was birthed by former warlords and instead of the lineage and age-grade system that existed prior to that time the Ibadan generals reward people based on their contribution to its (Ibadan) republic.

1. The Creole of Sierra Leone

After the abolishing of the slave trade Sierra Leone colony was made by the British to resettle former slaves. These slaves live in Freetown and were beneficiaries of British favour.

Although the slave trade has been abolished, some people were still involved in the slave trade. To put a final stop to the slave trade the British sent warships to capture slave ships. When the slaves are captured it was hard to send them back to their place of origin. Instead, they were sent to join the settlers at Sierra Leone. This new set of slaves were called recaptives.

The settlers not wanting to assimilate the recaptives into their rank segregated them and made them live outside Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone. But as time went by the recaptives’ children assimilated into the Freetown community and were called Creoles.

The Creoles themselves are not from a particular ethnic group but a conglomerate of various culture.

The reason they made this list and this high is that they brought civilisation to Anglophone West Africa. Samuel AjayiCrowther, a Creole, translated the bible into Yoruba – taught in Fourah Bay College; was first African bishop.

All educated West Africans indirectly were taught by the Creole. The first indigenous African newspaper was established by the Creole. They even went as far as Congo for missionary and educational work.

As at the early and mid-19th century Freetown was West Africa’s richest city and it exported its Creole masterpiece all over West Africa as traders, educationist, activists and other people of importance.

Had the British tried to spread education themselves across West Africa, it would have taken longer and the emancipation of West Africa would have taken longer.

Spreads mat

wtfcoded:
Spreads mat

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What a joke

liohan:
No be only mat... Carry pillow join

hehhehehe, since i no fit afford pillow, make i just manage am like that.

liohan:
9. The Igbo people


The Igbo people whose home lies in the south-eastern part of Nigeria are a unique people whose mode of existence is awe-inspiring.
There are two distinct type of Igbos – the ones around Onitsha-Awka area who prefer a monarchy system of government. Kingdoms like Benin and Idah influenced them.
The others prefer a segmentary style of government. In which communities also called clans governed themselves without the need of a central power.

Among their achievements is the ability to keep peace among themselves. Although worth mentioning is that there were few inter-clan clash but this was insignificant compared to the tranquillity that existed among them. With this peace they were able to create arts, make sculptures and pottery, organise magnificent festivals.

that pic, 'ohafia war dance'.
#Priceless.