The British, under the powerful monarch overseeing a vast empire that stretched from the Atlantic sea to the Pacific oceans, were among the 1st to abolish slave trade in 19th century but continued to plunder the wealth of Africa and terrorize its people under the guise of colonialism. They stopped slave trade but overturned the continent by dividing it among themselves. The death of Queen Elizabeth II creates a mixed feelings on the continent of Africa. Should we celebrate her humanity without questioning the atrocities of her ancestors that made her so rich that she was an unnamed billionaire, an empire she sustained until it was no longer possible to hold.
She was the monarch compelled to modernize the British imperialist approach by granting independence to several former colonies in the process falsifying documents, hiding/distorting history, and installing their stooge who protected the kingdom's interests for decades after their hold on these colonies were superficially lifted. She created the Commonwealth with mixed intention - the symbolism of which is troubling. Why should any country identify with its former tax master?
Here are some of the atrocities of the colonial-British government under the monarch, for which they are yet to pay restitution for:
1. Enslavement of millions of African to work on British colonies in the Americas and at home
2. The humiliation, torture, banishment and dethronement of rebellious African kings and monarchs. Some were beheaded and their head sent to England as a trophy, a symbol of conquest. Some of those heads are still in the Kingdom's possession till today.
3. Arts and artifacts of African history were stolen. Some have been returned out of guilt. Majority still lace European Museums and palaces, there is no plan they will ever be returned soon.
3. Her majesty's army quenched rebellion with utter force. Even ordinary peaceful protest in the early 20th centuries were crushed with brutality.
4. They plundered the continent 's vast and rich natural resources, wood logs, gold, silver, copper, diamonds, other precious stones, name it.
5. The colonies were heavily taxed and proceeds returned to her majesty the Queen and her ancestors before her. That is why the monarch and their army generals built fat houses across the UK.
6... I can go on and on......
Did I hear some say the imperialists brought Christianity and education...hmmm.
Who said sub-Saharan Africans (SSA) were not educated before the colonial invasion; who said they did not have a sophisticated system of government? I will scream ignorance on such!
Africa was one of the best bastion of education, culture and government known to humanity before the marauding, her majesty's, army invaded the continent and polluted it. One of the oldest universities in the world is located in West Africa. Some of the richest people ever lived were is SSA. SSA had great kingdoms with superior system of government like the OYO KINGDOM and the OYOMESIS, the Benin kingdom with their tall city fence and sophisticated bronze work of arts that were plundered when the British invaded. Songahi Empire, Kano Empire, Bornu Empire, Mali Empire, Dahomey Empire..... and many more...
I watched one idiotic British commentator this week responding to the question of reparations by 1st talking about reparations for families and descendants of 2000 British soldiers who died trying to stop slave trade... what about families of millions of Africans forcefully removed from their land to build the British empire? Some of them were raised like games, son forced to sleep with his aunt, sister, cousin to raise humans for sale like chickens on a strange land. Who should be compensated first, the perpetrators of evil or the victims?
Queen Elizabeth II was a nice person but she did not re-write most of the wrongs perpetrated by her ancestors, especially on the continent of Africa. King Charles III has a lifetime chance to change that before his own time too is up...
We remember people by all of their life's decisions not by a few good deeds towards the end of their life. Africa continues to carry the bane and impact of colonialism.....it is hard celebrating the person that symbolized hardship for generations of Africans even till today.
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