It is known that Africa before the advent of the colonial masters in it's own unique way attains an organised culture that encompasses a list of communities classified on the scale of a kingdom, tribe, clan and this possibly might not have ever been able to hit the timeline if it is incapable to uphold it's own economic and political organisation relying not on an extraneous jurisdiction. It can be regarded that the system of living among the Africans is unequally distinguished with evidence gotten through interpretation of images that were drawn on the walls of caves, statues that till date are still in place.
The Africa man probably was bewildered on meeting the colonial masters for the first time but this does not make him less before the visitors. The colonial masters had come along with their system of trade, and style of living which today is regarded as civilization to the black man but not forgetting that the black man also has it's own system of trade, it's medium of art and science that they have lived with for donkey years and they had a happy life with it.
When the Europeans first stepped on the soil of Africa, they were like tourist who saw beautiful sites, they had the experience of a totally different weather condition from what they were used to as they had always lived in the colder region of the world that requires of them to always keep warm if they were to stay alive, they had well built houses with specially made fire place, they always wear thick leather clothes but this was not the case of the Africa man who lives in just a small hut that could possibly get carried away by the wind and we were at ease with the cloth we wore though we may not be covered all over.
But system of trade and way of living was not all that the Europeans came along with, they also brought their system with wish they worship their God. They brought the Christian religion. And they have been so many controversies over this as it is seen as a tool of proselytizing the people of their original belief. It requires of you to give up whatever you had as a god and turn to follow their own God. It was the manner at which this was presented, that lured some persons into believing that they have been on the wrong path all their life, while some did not give into it as they held unto their true culture and religion.
Different views had been given about the colonial masters visit to Africa, and not every one is seen to emulate the concept of civilization of the Europeans as they still hold on to the culture and belief of their fore fathers while others sees it as a turning point for the ignorant black man believing it has come to reshape our way of living forgetting that it's heritage constitute a major portion of our everyday challenge today. It was actually designed by the colonial masters to enable their stay here be at ease. If we do not accept this reality, then why don't we take a look at some of the things that Africa had before the coming of the colonial masters.
MEDICINE
The Europeans introduced medicine in the form of tablet and syrup that has been refined from the products gotten from roots and herbs. The Africa man has spent years to study this roots and herbs and have a good knowledge of what it contains and what it can be used for, but simply because of the fact that the Europeans had presented their own products in the way and manner that is regarded by the Africa man to be more active and safe, they have desired to throw their good knowledge with which they had been living with for years into the dark. It is not true that the western medicine is of less side effect or more safe as every drug when wrongfully administered will always have an effect.
A good example that can best evaluate the value of the Africa medicine is seen during child delivery. Before the Europeans introduced Caesarean section, Africans already dated it's application far back as 1897 as recorded by Robert Felkin. For patients that were suffering from severe pain, banana wine was used to relief them of their pain, for patients that were suffering from bleeding, their tissues were scorched with a hot iron to stop the bleeding, severe cases that requires stitching, iron spikes were used and usually removed after a period of six days, paste from plants root and bark were applied and the wound is bandaged.
Thabo Mbeki once agitated that we should spend more of our time in carrying out research on what we have to find lasting solutions to the problem that befalls the land rather than putting all our hopes on the European to come and solve our problems for us. He related this during the time that HIV/AIDS swept across Africa nations.
Another good example can be deduced from the vaccination against small pox. It is shocking to know that Cotton Mather, the European who introduced small pox vaccination actually gained the knowledge from a slave known as Onesimus. can we picture the European being a student to the Africa who also was a slave? What do you think about the knowledge bestowed upon this Africa?. This will lead us to the next topic that talks about the knowledge of the African before the colonial masters arrived.
KNOWLEDGE
Egypt one of Africa's nation is known popular of it's antedated history before the existence of so many other places that you can ever think of. It has a detailed record of past event in one of the world's greatest library that was founded 295BC. You can imagine the information that is preserved in such a place. The knowledge of African's to ever of taught of having a library can make it to be seen that we were not completely illiterate as we were presumed to be. The use of 365 days in a year calendar can be traced to have first been used in Egypt, so we also had a sense of dating events, isn't that incredible?.
One of the ancient books of the Egyptians known as The book of the dead that had long been in existence before the ten commandments is seen to have a lot in common across the pages with the Decalogue but the Egyptian ancient book has been known of even before the commence of the record of the ten commandments so could it be that the prophets of old that wrote about the Decalogue had only plagiarized the ancient book of the Egyptians?
The Egyptians were also remarkable in their scope of science closely related to physics and mathematics and the product of their knowledge can still be seen today in the three pyramids of Giza whose structure is perfectly built to be in line with the three kings constellation. It is absolutely amazing that the Africans not just have a great taste in architectural works but also had the knowledge to build a sculpture that has been in existence for ages now. Do you still portray Africans as barbaric before the advent of the colonial masters? then let's proceed further to see more architectural works that were done.
ARCHITECTURE
The great works done in Egypt shows evidence of moral and intellectual advancement, ethically reasonable and highly developed society that Africans had but Egypt is just one of the many nations in Africa, let's consider the great Zimbabwe ruins that has been standing for more than 500 years now built from granite without the use of mortar. The builders stacked the granite one upon the other to build high walls that forms a conical tower. The position where this structure is built could be seen to have astronomical significance during some special events. This obviously could not be born from a savaged mind and we shall be opportuined to know even more about the level of literacy of the Africans before the Europeans arrived.
LITERACY
Before the Europeans arrived, they were some Africa countries that kept record of their history through the use of symbols and painting and having an encounter with the Europeans they had a more better approach to make down documentation.
Nevertheless, in Africa, they already were using the geometry which was an aspect of mathematics. It is known that before now, the visitors had believed they had reached it's brim in their knowledge of mathematics but the experience of geometry in Africa proved them wrong. The great mathematicians known today should be grateful for ever visiting Africa.
But not to withhold back,were the Africans completely ignorant of the concept of reading and writing ? no, not exactly. It is recorded that the Egyptian library had been in existence 295BC which was even before Christianity was formed so we can say that they were not completely ignorant.
You will now agree with me that Africa in it's own unique way was civilized before the Europeans ever taught of visiting. So dear Africans be proud of your melanin-rich ancestors.