A Salute to Our African Nations

A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER: This article continues our salute to the independence anniversary of African nations. This acknowledges our respect and appreciation of our brothers and sisters among us as we work together to build better lives.

Uganda’s path to independence was shaped by its long history of diverse kingdoms and ethnic groups, particularly the influential Buganda Kingdom. By the late 19th century, British explorers, missionaries, and traders had established a strong presence, leading to Uganda’s declaration as a British protectorate in 1894. Britain ruled indirectly through traditional leaders, granting Buganda and other southern kingdoms privileges that deepened regional inequalities. As education and nationalism spread in the 1940s and 1950s, Ugandans began demanding self-rule through organized political movements like the Uganda National Congress and the Democratic Party.

Uganda achieved independence from Britain on October 9, 1962, with Apollo Milton Obote as its first prime minister and the Buganda king, Edward Mutesa, as president. At independence, Uganda possessed one of Africa’s strongest economies and education systems. However, tensions between ethnic regions and political leaders soon destabilized the nation. Obote’s 1966 coup and Idi Amin’s brutal dictatorship plunged Uganda into years of turmoil. Despite its difficult postcolonial history, Uganda’s independence marked the beginning of its ongoing struggle to balance unity, democracy, and stability.

Lesotho’s march to independence rests on both the earlier consolidation of Basotho identity and the gradual loosening of colonial control. In the early 19th century, Moshoeshoe I unified disparate Sotho-speaking groups, and in 1822 declared himself king, laying the foundations of what would become Basutoland. As Boer settlers from the Orange Free State pressed into Sotho lands, Moshoeshoe sought British protection; in 1868 Basutoland formally became a British protectorate, and by 1884 it was transferred into direct British colonial administration. Unlike many other territories, Basutoland was not subsumed into the Union of South Africa, London deferred action to preserve Basutoland’s separate status.

In the mid-20th century, pressures for self-governance mirrored wider African decolonization. In 1955 Basutoland’s colonial council won the right to manage internal affairs, and in 1965 general elections installed the Basotho National Party (BNP), led by Leabua Jonathan, as the governing party. On October 4, 1966, under the Lesotho Independence Act 1966, Basutoland ceased to form part of British dominions and became the Kingdom of Lesotho, with Moshoeshoe II as monarch and Jonathan as prime minister. Though independence brought new constitutional and political challenges—including later coups, exiles of the king, military rule, and constitutional restoration in 1993—this moment marks the culmination of the Basotho’s longstanding aspiration for autonomy.

Guinea’s path to independence was deeply influenced by centuries of empire, religion, and colonial resistance. Islam spread into the region in the 11th century through the Almoravid Empire, and Guinea later flourished under the Mali Empire in the 13th century. After the decline of the great West African empires, smaller kingdoms rose to power, including the Fulani-led Islamic state of the 18th century, which introduced an early written constitution and rotating leadership. By the 19th century, however, French colonizers secured control of Guinea, incorporating it into French West Africa and exploiting its rich natural resources, including bauxite and gold.

Following World War II, anti-colonial sentiment grew across Africa, and Guinea emerged as a leader in the movement. In a historic 1958 referendum, Guineans voted overwhelmingly against continued association with France, making it the first French colony in sub-Saharan Africa to demand full independence. France reacted harshly to Guinea’s rejection by withdrawing their administration and destroying the infrastructure, such as medical supplies, and dismantling essential services. Led by Ahmed Sékou Touré, Guinea declared independence on October 2, 1958, charting a bold path toward self-rule.

Nigeria’s road to independence was shaped by its rich cultural diversity and long history of powerful states, including the Sokoto Caliphate, the Oyo and Benin Empires, and decentralized societies in the east and south. British colonization formally began with the 1914 amalgamation of the northern and southern protectorates into one colony. Over time, Western education, urbanization, and new political movements fueled resistance to colonial rule and gave rise to leaders who demanded self-governance.

Nationalists such as Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, and Ahmadu Bello mobilized their regions and formed parties like the NCNC and Action Group to push for independence. After World War II, reforms and mounting pressure made continued British rule unsustainable. On October 1, 1960, Nigeria achieved independence, with Azikiwe serving as the country’s first Governor-General and later its first President.

Guinea-Bissau’s struggle for independence was one of the most determined anti-colonial movements in Africa. A Portuguese colony since the 19th century, the territory endured decades of exploitation under Lisbon’s rule. By the 1950s, frustration with Portuguese repression fueled the rise of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), led by Amílcar Cabral. Unlike many independence movements, PAIGC built a strong rural base, organizing farmers, establishing schools and clinics, and waging a guerrilla war beginning in 1963. Despite Portugal’s military campaigns, Cabral’s strategy of mobilizing the population and securing international support steadily weakened colonial control.

On September 24, 1973, the PAIGC unilaterally declared Guinea-Bissau’s independence, which was recognized by many countries even before Portugal’s 1974 Carnation Revolution forced Lisbon to formally concede. Guinea-Bissau thus became one of the first Portuguese colonies in Africa to win independence through armed resistance. The victory symbolized the resilience of its people and set an example for liberation movements across the continent, even though the post-independence years would bring significant political instability and recurring coups.

Mali has been shaped by both its rich precolonial legacy and the rise of Pan-African nationalism in the 20th century. After centuries of empires and kingdoms, the region was conquered by France in the late 19th century and incorporated into French West Africa as French Sudan. By the mid-20th century, growing nationalist movements, led largely by the Sudanese Union–African Democratic Rally (US-RDA) under Modibo Keïta, began pressing for autonomy. 

In January 1959, French Sudan joined with Senegal to form the Mali Federation, an ambitious attempt to unite West African states under one political structure. However, disagreements between leaders in Dakar and Bamako led Senegal to withdraw, and on September 22, 1960, French Sudan declared itself the independent Republic of Mali with Keïta as its first president. Mali’s independence marked a symbolic victory for African unity and anti-colonial struggle, as the new nation sought to model itself on socialist principles and solidarity across the continent, despite facing immediate political and economic challenges.

On September 6, 1968, Eswatini (Swaziland) officially gained its independence from the United Kingdom, becoming one of the last African states to do so in that decade. Swaziland spent much of the 20th century under British administration as a high commission territory. While colonial rule shaped its governance, the monarchy remained a central force in preserving Swazi traditions and identity. By the 1960s, as independence movements spread across Africa, pressure grew for Britain to transfer power. Swazi leaders, through a peaceful, negotiated process, worked with British officials to establish a framework for sovereignty that recognized both modern governance structures and the traditional monarchy.

The country adopted a constitutional monarchy at independence, but over time it evolved into an absolute monarchy with the king holding significant authority. In 2018, King Mswati III changed the nation’s name to Eswatini, embracing the local name long used by its people and distancing the country from its colonial legacy. Today, Eswatini celebrates Independence Day—also known as Somhlolo Day—each year on September 6, honoring its peaceful transition from British rule and the continued resilience of its national identity