I REFER to the article, "How Bismarck plundered Africa’s juiciest riches" (May 18).The author, Adekeye Adebajo, refers to the conference of western powers chaired by Otto von Bismarck in 1884, to discuss the opening up of Africa’s interior that Dr Adebajo states caused "such devastating consequences".The word "colonialism" and its aftermath is today conveniently bandied about as the prime reason for Africa’s problems of political and socioeconomic underdevelopment.Dr Adebajo ignores the fact, that in the 19th century, explorers David Livingstone (pictured), Richard Burton, John Speke and later Samuel Baker found an Africa in tribal conflict and desolation. Africa’s "juiciest riches" were not evident and had still to be discovered and developed.Human history is the development of civilisations. Their emergence, achievements and their rise and fall is the result of interactions, appropriations or their subjugation by people of other civilisations.The Greeks and the Romans "colonised" ...
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