Leaders of African Countries Pay Tribute to Queen Elizabeth II
08:02 GMT 09.09.2022 (Updated: 11:36 GMT 23.11.2022)
© Steve Parsons
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Queen Elizabeth II, the UK's longest-serving monarch, has died at the age of 96. This year, the UK celebrated the 70th anniversary of her reign and when she died, she had been the second-longest ruling monarch the world has known, the longest being France's King Louis XIV who reigned for 72 years.
As tributes for Queen Elizabeth II continue to pour in from politicians around the world, African leaders were among the first to give voice to their sorrow.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has, on behalf of the Government and people of South Africa, expressed his profound and sincere condolences.
"Her Majesty was an extraordinary and world-renowned public figure who lived a remarkable life. Her life and legacy will be fondly remembered by many around the world. The Queen’s commitment and dedication during her 70 years on the throne remains a noble and virtuous example to the entire world," President Ramaphosa said.
Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo tweeted: "May God bless her soul and give her peaceful rest in His Bosom until the Last Day of the Resurrection when we shall all meet again.”
Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo pays tribute to Queen Elizabeth II
© Photo : Twitter / @NAkufoAddo
Malawi’s President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera joined world leaders in extending his condolences: "For us as a nation, her inimitable legacy as a friend of Malawi will forever be etched on our hearts and indelibly marked on the pages of our history, a history she positively shaped in more ways than we can put into words.”
Burundi's President Evariste Ndayishimiye mourned the death of the queen. "I am deeply saddened by the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the Royal family and the friendly people of United Kingdom. She has been an inspiration for generations around the world and will be remembered for her great leadership,” he said.
Burundi's President Evariste Ndayishimiye pays tribute to Queen Elizabeth II
© Photo : Twitter/ @GeneralNeva
On Twitter, Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema wrote: "We are saddened to learn about the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Royal family and the people of the UK during this difficult period. May God comfort and give them peace, as they mourn Her Majesty. May her soul rest in peace.”
Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema pays tribute to Queen Elizabeth II
© Photo : Twitter / @HHichilema
Kenyan President-elect William Ruto said the Queen was "a towering icon of selfless service". "We will miss the cordial ties she enjoyed with Kenya and may her memories continue to inspire us. We join the Commonwealth in mourning and offer our condolences to the Royal Family and the United Kingdom," the new president continued.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari mourned the death of the Queen with following words: "My family and I, and the more than 200 million Nigerians have learned with immense sadness of the passing of the Queen and the end of her unique and wonderful 70-year reign. Her late Majesty was the only British Sovereign known to 90 percent of our population."
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, right, tours a mock-up market in the village of Karu in Nigeria, Thursday Dec. 4, 2003, on the second day of her official visit to the West African country during a meeting of British Commonwealth leaders. The market, staffed by a mixture of actual market-sellers and actors, was purpose-built for the event as part of a BBC radio soap-opera. (AP Photo/Ian Jones, POOL)
© AP Photo / IAN JONES
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud also tweeted: "I pass my deepest condolences & that of my nation to the government, people & Royal family of the UK on the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The Queen represented her nation & citizens with great honour & dignity at home & on the world stage throughout her reign."
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud pays tribute to Queen Elizabeth II
© Photo : Twitter/HassanSMohamud
Cameroon’s President Paul Biya expressed his grief with the words: "The death of Her Majesty ELIZABETH II is felt painfully and affects the Commonwealth of Nations. She had a unique stature and played an emblematic role throughout history."
Rwandan President Paul Kagame said: "I extend my deepest condolences to His Majesty the King, Her Majesty the Queen Consort, and the entire Royal Family, as well as the people of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth."
Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe expressed his feelings by saying: "The sadness at the passing of Queen Elizabeth II today goes beyond Great Britain and expands to the whole world, as the late Queen was undoubtedly a universal figure of her country's influence and friendship towards peoples worlwide."
Ali Bongo Ondimba, the president of Gabon stated: "The Commonwealth family is mourning Queen Elizabeth II. The Queen was a great friend of Africa and Africa [loved] her in return. I would like to extend my deepest condolences to the British people, to her son, my friend His Majesty King Charles III and family."
The British Empire was one of the largest empires in the world's history, a significant part of it consisted of British colonies in Africa. Between 1880 and 1900, Britain took control or occupied the lands of contemporary states of Sudan, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Northwest Somalia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Nigeria, Ghana, and Malawi. This meant that the British ruled 30 percent of the African people at one time, according to Independent Turkce.
In the early modern period, British traders brought products such as weapons to Africa in exchange for raw materials and slaves. These traders often were protected by the government through the creation of monopolies, which meant their trading company had exclusive rights to conduct commerce with a certain region or for a certain product.
8 September 2022, 20:10 GMT
British colonialism started to come to an end only with the end of the Second World War because of changes in how people behaved. Sudan gained independence from Britain in 1956. Then, in 1957, Ghana became the first country in Africa to regain its independence from Britain. Nigeria and Somalia followed Ghana in 1960. In 1961 Tanzania achieved its independence from Britain. Kenya followed its neighbor's success in 1963 and Zambia and Malawi in 1964. Gambia gained its independence in 1965.
Countries with settler communities took longer to secure their independence and establish majority rule. Zimbabwe achieved independence and majority rule in 1980, and South Africa was the last country to become free in 1994.
Despite its colonial past, relations between England and its former colonies are at an advanced and harmonious level.
