If one would approach the average American about what comes to mind when asked about their impression of the continent of Africa, there would be several uninformed viewpoints. Most of these myopic opinions are shaped by television sound bytes, and some are formed from generalizations. There is truth in stereotypes, but that truth is an incomplete narrative. With the exception of Afghanistan, Africa holds the position of listing the top twenty poorest countries in the world. (anetki.com) Aggregates of poverty yield disease, famine, and conflict which have all compromised Africa’s homeostasis. What seems to evade the average American’s conscious is that Africa was not always a continent filled with such calamities, or viewed as a collection of nations dependent on foreign aid. The continent has two distinct, defining periods that characterize Africa’s struggles. Evidence shows that western colonization of Africa began its destruction while contributing to dependency. The irony is that Africa’s dependency is exacerbated in the post-colonial era. Colonialism is not implemented achieved to bolster good faith with a new trade partner, but to serve the colonizer’s geopolitical or economic interest. (Gordon)
When conversations begin concerning Africa and Africans, it seems that the continent and its people are treated as one monolithic block instead of collection of nations with vast diversity. This would be tantamount to grouping China and India together, because the two nations are part of Asia. Another misconception is that ‘African tribes’ and Africa lacked civility until it was colonized. In fact, these blanket statements are unfounded generalization. According to Erhagbe, one of the over looked facts concerning Nigeria is the country’s tremendous degree of communication with other groups during the pre colonial era. He reflects on the political impact