How Berlin Conference provided fertile grounds for inter-ethnic conflicts in Africa - Historian narrates

A historian, Yaw Anokye Frimpong, has blamed the persistent inter-tribal wars in many parts of Africa on the Berlin conference that began in 1884.

According to him, the conference which was held to find ways around the law that made slave trade illegal after its abolishment in 1807 created artificial boundaries which have now become the bane of many African countries, particularly countries in sub-Saharan African.

Mr Frimpong who was speaking in an interview with Kafui Dey revealed that at the conference, European nations divided African territories among themselves and in so doing separated various ethnic groups.

“Philosophically, they decided that if you’re cutting it up, do not give respect to ethnic identities but ensure that at all material times, the boundaries would affect tribes, would be in their middle so that the one on the right and the one on the left will fight between themselves.”

This, he said, is the reason most African countries have similar tribes and ethnic groups.

“The capital of the Bono ethnic group is called Bono Manso, it’s in Ivory Coast. Then Jaman that fought Ashanti consistently and should have been part of us is also there. Then the Mole Dagbani people, the Mossis should have been part of the Dagomba Mamprusi people and then they are there. And then go to the Volta region it’s even worse… between Benin and Nigeria, it’s the same thing. That is what they did to us so that to this day there will always be that inter-tribal fighting then it helps the big man at the top to relax and enjoy."

Yaw Anokye Frimpong was quick to add that, while it brought about many fights in Africa, the Berlin conference prevented the Europeans from fighting among themselves.

“But for the Berlin conference, the first world war would have started earlier because everybody was ready to have a stake here… the Ashanti empire fell in 1874, the moment the empire fell, the French came in… the British knew that if they did not do anything about this situation, Ashanti itself eventually would go there and if Ashanti goes the other ethnic groups that Ashanti was controlling, the bono, the Akyem, the Akuapem, Akwamu and Denkyira, all of them would have gone.”

Watch the interview below

Do you know what the famous 'Berlin Conference' did to Africa?

Find out here:

Check first reply for full video pic.twitter.com/tjFtjzGApL

— Kafui Dey (@KafuiDey) August 5, 2023