NIGERIA AND THE PROMOTION OF AFRICA NATIONALISM (1960 – 1990)

ABSTRACT

African Nationalism is a political ideology and a movement promotion African unity, African identity and most of all African independence. The movement was a reaction to Colonialism and Imperialism in Africa.it was a movement that gained prominence in the 20th century especially after the WWII, where Africans began to see themselves as deserving of freedom and with the contributions of the educated African elites, such as Kwame Nkrumah, Nnamdi Azikiwe, W.E.B Dubois, Marcus Garvey, e.t.c The Concept of African Nationalism gained prominence and manifestations in Decolonisation and liberation struggles which ultimately led to the independence of the African continent. Nigeria, situated in West Africa, was one of the colonies under British West Africa who gained independence from British colonial rule on October 1, 1960. As the most populous black nation globally, Nigeria's rich history of nationalism can be traced back to the struggle for independence from British colonialism in the 1960s. This struggle was led by nationalist leaders such as Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, and Ahmadu Bello, who were committed to the liberation of Nigeria from foreign domination. Nigeria's independence became a pivotal moment for the promotion of African nationalism since it occurred when many other African countries were also fighting for their independence. Other African nations looked up to Nigeria, which inspired them to push towards achieving their own independence.