Demonstrate how Christianity was

used by the European colonists to

uproot and control the African mind
during the colonial era (100 marks)
 Introduction
• Colonialism is the act of terrorizing and gaining political rule and
economic control over another country.
• Christianity was used by the Europeans powers as an excuse to colonize
and exploit Africa.
• The European missionaries came to Africa at the same time as the
domination and colonial takeover of Africa.
 Christian Mission
• The European powers saw teaching Africans about Christianity as their duty also, what they usually
referred to it as “The White Man’s Burden”
• Main mission of the European powers was to civilize the Africans using Christianity.
• They believed that the African culture was barbaric and backward and saw Africans as “children ”
who needed guidance.
• They used the Bible and gun to enforce the Christian beliefs into Africans.
• Michael Crowder writes:
“Christian Europe, which had abolished the slave trade, felt morally superior to heathen
Africa…..this sense of moral superiority was reinforced by theories of racial superiority which
placed the white man at the top of the hierarchy, the black man at the bottom. Thus the European
colonial powers found nothing wrong in occupying and ruling lands belonging to African
peoples” ( Crowder, 1968:5).
Use of Bible to control African mentality
• The Bible was used to degrade African culture.
• Missionaries preached peace and forgiveness in the face of gross injustice,
thus preventing any rebellion to occur and maintaining the power they had
over the Africans.
• Missionaries would also preach about turning the other cheek and that there
was a better life in another world.
• In some way, Christianity took a rather practical approach in colonization as
they suppressed the African Mind.
 Use of Bible to control African
mindset(Cont’d)
• Musa W.Dube wrote a popular story of the Bible and the White Man
“When the white man came to our country he had the Bible and we had the
land. The white man said to us: 'Let us pray’. After the prayer the white man
had the land and we had the Bible”(Dube 2000:3)
 Proliferation of church centered Schools
• Missionaries built many churches and schools that spread all over the African land.
• Education was another instrument that the missionaries used to uproot the African
mindset.
• It softened the hearts of the Africans towards their colonizers.
• Missionary education was used as a great asset in order to confuse the Africans.
• Missionary education was only given to those that had chosen to convert to
christianity.
• Though the European powers disguised education to the Africans as an award and
privilege, they used this tool to switch the African culture and traditions with
European ideologies.
• Missionary education mainly targeted young Africans as they were more accepting
and gullible.
• In doing that they would use these educated Africans to gain authority over the
people.
• Gray Seidman viewed this domination as follows:
'Africans learned about European culture. They read European books and learned
about European ways of doing things' (Seidman 1985:95).
 The Impact of Christianity on Africans
• Due to the missionaries having succeeded in making the Africans more humble, they would be sent to
discuss treaties which would lead African to slavery.
• This intern lead to Africans loosing their land and resources as the missionaries had forcefully drilled
the words of peace and humility using the bible and gun.
• The provision of education soon became an award to the Africans.
• In which they did not educate on self-confidence and creativity but in order to bring down the self
esteem in the Africans.
• They presented the means of being educated as a privilege that they were being given.
• Though the missionaries thought they were being good Samaritans, their actions caused a great deal
of violence and death, hence showing their ignorance towards the whole situation.
 Conclusion
• We conclude by saying that missionaries devoted and illustrated the bible
with the intent of colonialism in all capacities
• By using the Bible, missionaries were able to psychologically make
Africans docile.
• Hence making it easier for European powers to intervene and takeover.
• In addition, the Bible was used to dispatch Africans from their traditional
cultures, by describing it as evil.
 References
• Fage.J.D. A History of Africa Third Edition, 1995 11 New Fetter Lane
London.
• Rudyard.K. (1899,02). The White Man’s Burden. McClure’s
Magazine(1893-1926),OL. XII., 2. Retrieved from:
http://search.proquest.com/docview/135628529?accounted=10747
• Ayandele et el.(1966).The Missionary impact on Modem Nigeria, 1842-
1914: A Political and Social Analysis. London: Longman.
• Iwe,N.S.S.(1985). Christianity, Culture and colonialism in Africa. Port
Harcourt: COE.
• Crowder.M.(1968). West Africa under Colonial Rule. London: Hutchinson.
 References (cont’d)
• Kalu.O.(1985). The History of Christianity in West Africa. Harlow, Essex:
Longman.
• Moffat, R. 1842. Missionary Labours in Southern Africa. London: John
Shaw.