Christian missionaries

In the colonial era, Christian missionaries were deeply respected in various societies. This is because the majority of them traveled far from their familiar surroundings and countries to new ones, where they had to deal with disease and hostility (Okon, 2013). The evangelical mission was launched at a crucial juncture when the West’s reputation among Africans was tarnished as a result of their exploitation during colonialism.

The evangelical missionaries’ impartiality was their initial strategy for winning over new followers. Through Western education, they promoted constructive cultural transformation and preached forgiveness and peace. However, despite their message of peace they were viewed, to some level, as colonialists. This is due to the fact that they depended on Western traders for upkeep, who exploited the Africans economically. Their protection also came from the Western soldiers, who really mistreated Africans. The Africans, enlightened about Christianity, but not convinced concerning the legitimacy of the Europeans, started their own churches.

Question 2:

The British implored the use of indirect rule over their protectorates in East Africa. This was a system where they integrated existing African leadership structures with their own. This protectorate was governed by the Imperial British East African Company, a privately sponsored company, tasked with the development of the protectorate (Bates, 2015). The Germans, on the other hand, used direct rule in which they imposed their own leaders, in total disregard of the existent structures. This led to resentment, resulting in rebellions such as the Maji Maji war, one of the fiercest resistance by Africans to colonization (Giblin, & Monson, 2010). Later on, the Germans were prompted to start adopting local existent leadership structures.

References:

Bates, F. (2015). British rule in Kenya. Washington State University, 26(12:10-1)

Giblin, J. L., Monson, J. (2010). The Ngindo: Exploring the center of the Maji Maji rebellion. Maji Maji: Lifting the Fog of War. Leiden: Brill 2010.

Okon, E. E. (2013). Christian missions and colonial rule in Africa: Objective and contemporary analysis. European Scientific Journal, 10(17), 192-207.