THE SCRAMBLE FOR AFRICA: THE BRITISH EXPERIENCE IN NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA

Abstract 

The late nineteen century saw a small group of the European powers involving in the division of Africa. It was yet at the primary level where a very petite group had the concession to have African land space. Between 1880 and 1900, ninety per cent of the African territory was partitioned amongst a hand full of European powers. Germany, Italy and Belgium had 2.5 million square miles of lands shared between them, France gained 3.5 million and Britain gained 5 million square miles of African land. This could not have been achieved without the participation of African elites as catalysts of European conquest of Africa. This study seeks to appraise the contribution of Britain and other European powers in the partitioning of Africa particularly in the Southern and Northern Africa. It also seeks to investigate different theories which have been propounded over time to assess European imperialism. This essay brings to a general conclusion that the British gaining land in Africa was not just by their strength, they some worth rely on the African people whom this imperialism is pointing at to achieve their success. 

Keywords: imperialism, Africa, partitioned, elites, Britain, appraise and territory.