Colonial Statues: How African Countries Responded From Liberation to

Cecil Rhodes, King Leopold, Paul Kruger.
Statues honoring leaders of colonial rule have been pulled down over the years in Africa after countries won independence or newer generations said relics had to go.
Though a statue of imperialist Cecil John Rhodes was taken down in Zimbabwe - formerly Rhodesia - at independence, it was only in 2015 that his statue was removed from the University of Cape Town in South Africa in light of pressure from the #RhodesMustFall movement.
Other statues, including colonial figures in South Africa and a colonial general in Senegal, still stand.
Yale historian Benedito Machava says different forms of decolonization appear to account in part for variations across the continent in how post-colonial governments and societies confronted the symbols and memorials of colonialism.
New campaigns in the U.S. and Europe are now following Africa’s lead. Monuments to slave traders and colonial rulers have become the focus of protests around the world, driven by a reexamination of historical injustice after the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in the U.S.
Should they go or stay? Let us know your views below.
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[@ryanjones7681]

Yes. Let's follow the example of Africa. Cause they've been doing so well the last few thousand years...

[@episkyros]

Ryan Jonas, why has the African continent not been doing so well the last few *thousand* years?

[@patsmith2571]

@@episkyros Constantly fighting wars over land and natural resources.

[@episkyros]

OK, @@patsmith2571, but that's not what Ryan Jonas is alluding to with his comment.

[@berrybluebird3842]

Every single bad thing that has happened to Africa in the past 100 years is directly the result of colonial imperialism and the irreversible damages that followed.

[@Cherry-pu4mx]

​@@berrybluebird3842thts cool and all, but can we just stop crying about it and actually fix this continent

[@biulaimh3097]

Cecil Rhodes was very found of saying: "Africa will be conquered by modern powers, and all I ask is that it be us" (the English). Well, now Africans and Asians are crossing the English Channel and all they ask is for England to become theirs. The English have destroyed Irish culture so you guys might as well come here too and when you get here, please do not give up your language or bother about speaking English. You are entitled to your culture.

[@berrybluebird3842]

Can someone please explain to me why we SHOULDN'T break every single one of these monuments to racial and ethnic cleansing?

[@h.e.pennypacker4567]

Hey guys, remember the Rwanda genocide? Just to name one of the many bloody conflicts in Africa.

[@briandegoede4483]

Yes, instigated by the west who watched while people killed each other. What's your point?

[@h.e.pennypacker4567]

Brian de Goede
That folks need to take responsibility for their actions, and in the case of Rwanda their evil actions. Stop blaming others (i.e.West).

[@Alexa-Raine]

@@h.e.pennypacker4567 Blaming the ones responsible makes sense, tho.
Your argument is that because they have internal strife, they shouldn't remove statues memorializing colonizers?
That's called a non-sequitur..
Look it up.

[@h.e.pennypacker4567]

Alexandria Starz
Responsible for what exactly? Now, if they want to remove statues, that’s fine, but it wont change their internal turmoil which affects their society’s as a whole. Problem is that folks don’t like to take responsibility for their own actions. The colonizers left a long time ago, yet those countries in Africa (or most of them) are still very unstable.

[@Alexa-Raine]

@@h.e.pennypacker4567 They aren't claiming it'll fix turmoil, stupìd ...
You're the only one who brought that up.
They want them gone because they don't like them.

[@dirkventer]

This video is rubish, because it only looks at a one side view. Statues should be used to educate people about the past, so that people don't make the same mistake.

[@colly8143]

A country that forgets its past has no future

[@veritasiumtry2015]

Eh
mahati maghandi in Uganda must also go down.

[@Inkulabi]

All power to the people

[@briandegoede4483]

The statues should have gone to museums in 94. The TRC should have continued. It's not too late to do both

[@SymphonyBrahms]

Both Rhodes and Kruger were colonialists who made fortunes off the colonies. And Victoria received jewels and money from those colonies as well. Take the statues down and put them in a museum.

[@politereminder6284]

Wonderful! In depth!

[@arielg7000]

so not cool man

[@arielg7000]

@@motionenergy808 well dobe

[@arielg7000]

Well done