APC2602 ASSIGNMENT 1
FOR 1ST SEMESTER 2025
AVOID PLAGIARISM. WRITE IN YOUR OWN WORDS
FEND TUTORIALS
, Option A
Coloniality had a severe impact on Africa’s economic and political development. Write an
essay in which you discuss how and why the 1884-5 Berlin consensus and scramble and
conquest of Africa resulted in the dismemberment and fragmentation of Africa. In your essay
select an African state and explain its consequential political-economic development trajectory
caused by coloniality.
The Impact of the 1884-5 Berlin Conference and Coloniality on Africa’s Economic and Political
Development: The Case of Nigeria
Introduction The Berlin Conference of 1884-5 was a pivotal moment in Africa’s history, marking the
formalization of the Scramble for Africa, which resulted in the dismemberment and fragmentation of the
continent. Coloniality, a lingering structure of colonialism, has profoundly shaped Africa’s political and
economic trajectory. This essay examines how and why the Berlin Conference and the subsequent
conquest of Africa led to the fragmentation of African states, using Nigeria as a case study. Nigeria’s
political and economic development trajectory will be analyzed to highlight the consequences of
coloniality.
The Berlin Conference and the Scramble for Africa The Berlin Conference, convened by European
powers, sought to regulate colonial expansion and economic exploitation of Africa. Without African
representation, European nations partitioned the continent along arbitrary lines, disregarding pre-existing
ethnic, cultural, and political structures. The resulting boundaries forced disparate ethnic groups into
single political entities while separating cohesive societies across different colonies. This artificial
division laid the foundation for long-term political instability and economic dependency.
The Conquest and Dismemberment of Africa Following the Berlin Conference, European powers
embarked on aggressive military conquests to secure their newly claimed territories. Britain, for example,
consolidated its control over Nigeria by subjugating the northern and southern regions through military
force and treaties. The amalgamation of diverse ethnic groups—such as the Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba, and
Igbo—into a single colony in 1914 created deep-seated political and social tensions. This fragmentation
has persisted post-independence, contributing to internal conflicts and governance challenges.
Colonial Economic Structures and Dependency Under British rule, Nigeria’s economy was
restructured to serve European interests. The introduction of cash crops like cocoa, palm oil, and
groundnuts led to the exploitation of local resources for foreign benefit. The colonial economy
discouraged industrialization, ensuring that Nigeria remained a supplier of raw materials while relying on
FOR 1ST SEMESTER 2025
AVOID PLAGIARISM. WRITE IN YOUR OWN WORDS
FEND TUTORIALS
, Option A
Coloniality had a severe impact on Africa’s economic and political development. Write an
essay in which you discuss how and why the 1884-5 Berlin consensus and scramble and
conquest of Africa resulted in the dismemberment and fragmentation of Africa. In your essay
select an African state and explain its consequential political-economic development trajectory
caused by coloniality.
The Impact of the 1884-5 Berlin Conference and Coloniality on Africa’s Economic and Political
Development: The Case of Nigeria
Introduction The Berlin Conference of 1884-5 was a pivotal moment in Africa’s history, marking the
formalization of the Scramble for Africa, which resulted in the dismemberment and fragmentation of the
continent. Coloniality, a lingering structure of colonialism, has profoundly shaped Africa’s political and
economic trajectory. This essay examines how and why the Berlin Conference and the subsequent
conquest of Africa led to the fragmentation of African states, using Nigeria as a case study. Nigeria’s
political and economic development trajectory will be analyzed to highlight the consequences of
coloniality.
The Berlin Conference and the Scramble for Africa The Berlin Conference, convened by European
powers, sought to regulate colonial expansion and economic exploitation of Africa. Without African
representation, European nations partitioned the continent along arbitrary lines, disregarding pre-existing
ethnic, cultural, and political structures. The resulting boundaries forced disparate ethnic groups into
single political entities while separating cohesive societies across different colonies. This artificial
division laid the foundation for long-term political instability and economic dependency.
The Conquest and Dismemberment of Africa Following the Berlin Conference, European powers
embarked on aggressive military conquests to secure their newly claimed territories. Britain, for example,
consolidated its control over Nigeria by subjugating the northern and southern regions through military
force and treaties. The amalgamation of diverse ethnic groups—such as the Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba, and
Igbo—into a single colony in 1914 created deep-seated political and social tensions. This fragmentation
has persisted post-independence, contributing to internal conflicts and governance challenges.
Colonial Economic Structures and Dependency Under British rule, Nigeria’s economy was
restructured to serve European interests. The introduction of cash crops like cocoa, palm oil, and
groundnuts led to the exploitation of local resources for foreign benefit. The colonial economy
discouraged industrialization, ensuring that Nigeria remained a supplier of raw materials while relying on
