Following Germany's defeat in WW1, Cameroon was split and handed over to France and Britain - with the majority of the country under French rule alongside a small British minority. Upon reunification, this uneven split has lead to the country facing a socio-political issue involving minority English speakers and the declaration of the self-declared state Ambazonia. In this episode we discuss the history of Cameroon and how this separatist movement came to be. Don't forget to leave us a review on...
Aug 25, 2020•38 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Western Sahara is often described as Africa’s last colony. Since 1884 the people of Western Sahara, the Sahrawis, have been fighting to regain access and ownership of their country from their former coloniser Spain, and most recently Morocco. The United Nations describes Western Sahara’s current situation as an ‘incomplete process of decolonisation,’ however, their ability to bring it to an end has yet to yield positive results. In this episode, we explore Western’s Sahara’s story and the people...
Aug 11, 2020•30 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Colonel Muammar Gaddafi was a divisive figure, as he represented very different things to different people. We begin the first episode of season two by discussing what motivated Gaddafi's Pan-Africanist ideas, as well as the impact of Arab colonisation in Northern Africa and the idea behind the term "sub-Saharan Africa". Don't forget to leave us a review on your podcast platform! We are on Instagram @itsacontinentpod and we're now on Twitter too: @itsacontinent Music provided by Free Vibes: http...
Jul 28, 2020•50 min•Season 2Ep. 1
On the 6th March 1957, Ghana gained independence from British colonial rule, changing its name from the Gold Coast. In this episode we discuss the events leading to independence - from the mistreatment of African soldiers fighting for Allied forces in WW2, to a new constitution. We also draw similarities to Ghana's road to independence with the recent Black Lives Matter protests, demonstrating how black people have continuously been campaigning for equality. Music provided by Free Vibes: https:/...
Jun 16, 2020•46 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Wangari Maathai was a distinguished environmentalist born in Kenya during British colonial rule. As a well-educated black woman, she used her knowledge and experience to educate and mobilise others in her community to fight for change, but faced numerous challenges: from discrimination at work to threats from the Kenyan government. Her determination and fearlessness never waned as she continued to fight for the environment, human rights and democracy in Kenya. In 2004, she became the first black...
Jun 02, 2020•31 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Quite often – and misleadingly, Liberia is referred to as one of the only two African countries that were not colonised. Whilst Liberia was not carved up by Europeans in the Scramble for Africa, the country was actually founded by the American colonisation society, and many freed black Americans were sent to live in Liberia, despite living in America for generations. These black Americans and their descendants ended up controlling and colonising indigenous Liberians for over 100 years. Music pro...
May 19, 2020•36 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Robert Gabriel Mugabe led Zimbabwe for almost four decades, and within that period he went from being a hero who helped free his country from colonial rule to an authoritarian who did whatever it took to stay in power. In this episode, we discuss the rise and subsequent fall of this Zimbabwean leader. Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg Warm Nights by Lakey Inspired: https://soundcloud.com/lakeyinspired/... Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 https://creativeco...
May 05, 2020•31 min•Season 1Ep. 5
After a brutal genocide in 1994, Rwanda came back to be a thriving and sustainable country within a short space of time. Considering Rwanda’s difficult history comprising of colonialism and genocide, it’s encouraging to see one million people lifted out of poverty, women being elevated in society and life expectancy doubling. However there is a shadow lingering over Rwanda's rapid comeback- a number of human rights issues. Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg Warm Nights by Lakey ...
Apr 21, 2020•47 min•Season 1Ep. 4
From 1880-1920 the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) was under the rule of King Leopold II of Belgium. Within that time period, the atrocities committed under his rule led to the loss of 10 million Congolese lives, half of the country's population. In this episode, we explore the lead-up and subsequent rule of King Leopold II and the impact this had on the DRC. Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg Warm Nights by Lakey Inspired: https://soundcloud.com/lakeyinspired/... Creativ...
Apr 07, 2020•34 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Thomas Sankara was the president of Burkina Faso from 1983-1987. He remains an inspiration to young Africans and those committed to a pan-Africanist future. His progressive policies, when it came to women’s rights, sustainability, education, and healthcare, were innovative and ahead of his time. We’ll discuss Sankara’s legacy and what could’ve been if he was able to fully galvanise Burkina Faso and perhaps the African continent. Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg Warm Nights by ...
Mar 24, 2020•35 min•Season 1Ep. 2
The Nigerian Civil War took place from 1967-1970. For a recent historical event that inflicted trauma onto many Nigerians, this story still appears stifled compared to other modern historical events. The total number of Nigerian-Igbo people killed in this conflict is still unknown but it is estimated to be in the millions and it's important that we recognise this. We'll talk about how this war came to be, Britain's involvement in this conflict and the longer reaching consequences from the civil ...
Mar 10, 2020•43 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Welcome to It's a Continent! In this new podcast, we aim to decolonise African history by recounting key moments which have shaped the continent. We will bring previously unhighlighted stories to light whilst recognising the contributions that African countries have made to our wider society. Follow us on instagram: @itsacontinentpod Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg Warm Nights by Lakey Inspired: https://soundcloud.com/lakeyinspired/... Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unpor...
Mar 02, 2020•2 min
