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State formation in simple terms can be define as process through which a state came into being. According to Wikipédia, State formation is the process of the development of a centralized government structure in a situation in which one did not exist. using Africa as a study case, state formation can be referred to as the historical process through which a political entity centralise it's authority, administrative structures and defined territorial boundaries.
In the history of Africa, state formation was been influenced by both internal and external factors. Internal factors such as ethnical diversity and economic factors.It is important to stress that many African states are composed of diverse ethnic, linguistic, and religious groups. This heterogeneity can make it difficult to forge a sense of national identity and common purpose but despite this different people in the Africa society lives together in peace irregardless of the difference, which is also a unique feature of the African states. also internal influence such as colonialism and the imperialist movement had a long lasting impact on African states, Colonial powers imposed artificial borders that often divided ethnic groups and created new political entities. They also established centralized administrative systems that laid the groundwork for modern states. However, colonialism also undermined traditional forms of authority and social structures, which has contributed to instability in some post-colonial states.
States in the pre-colonial African society was often characterised by a consolidation of powers by a capable elite.from a centralised society to a decentralised society, they all have a system of ruling and consolidating their powers in their communities. Most of these settlements often grow into large and stable kingdoms and empires, the establishment of these administration and the expansion of their territory were often achieved through diplomacy and conquest.
WHAT IS STATE?
A State is an independent, sovereign government exercising control over a certain spatially defined and bounded area, whose borders are usually clearly defined and internationally recognized by other states.
A State is a political division of a body of people that occupies a territory defined by frontiers. The state is sovereign in its territory (also referred to as jurisdiction) and has the authority to enforce a system of rules over the people living inside it. That system of rules is commonly composed of a constitution, statutes, regulations, and common law.
There are various definition of state given by scholars, The most commonly used definition of a state is by the German sociologist MAX WEBER.
Max Weber In his lecture “Politics as a Vocation” (1918) defines the state as a “human community that (successfully) claims the monopoly of the legitimate use of physical force within a given territory.” what Max Weber meant by this is the people represented by the government has the ultimate authority to make and enforce policies without the interference of an external body.
There are however four indispensable features of a state that without them a state cannot exist. These features basically makes up the definition of a state.
• Territory
• Population
• Government
• Sovereignty
• TERRITORY: a state must have distinct and well defined borders. Even in recent times we have witnessed conflicts occuring between states over where borders should be placed. Hence, the importance of a well defined territory cannot be overemphasized.
• POPULATION : these are the people that make up the state, It refers to the people who live within the defined boundaries of the state. They contribute to the state's economy through work and innovation. Even the government often derives its legitimacy from the consent of the governed, which is the population.The population's characteristics, like ethnicity, skills, and beliefs, contribute to the state's culture and identity.
• GOVERNMENT: A government is a body, entity invested with the power to manage a political unit, organisation and more often a state.
• SOVEREIGNTY: the state must have the supreme authority to make and enforce a system of rules over the people living inside of it with the interference of a foreign body.
Furthermore, Factors such as GEOGRAPHY, ECONOMIC RESOURCES, GOVERNMENT, IDEOLOGY AND ETHNICITY determines the growth and development of that particular state and also the stability of a particular state and are crucial in state formation.
• GEOGRAPHY: Geographical features such as rivers, mountains and coast lines can shape the boundary and accessibility of territories.
• ECONOMIC RESOURCES: the effective use of the raw materials a land is blessed with helps to fund that particular state. It not only stabilizes the state, it also provides for the people in that particular state.
•GOVERNMENT: the importance of a capable leader in the building of a state cannot be overemphasize. As they are vested with the power to control the affairs of the state, the type of government in power determines the direction of the state. In essence, the type of leader in power can either make of break a state.
• IDEOLOGY: This is a set of beliefs or philosophies attributed to a person or group of person. It usually helps in shaping / providing a common identity for people living in a state.
• ETHNICITY: people often move from one place to another as a result of culture.whivh some societies are homogeneous, some are diverse and the state serves as a home to people of different places, whose innovation and knowledge can also contribute to the development of a state.
Throughout history, we have various instances of state formation, early state were formed through trade especially through the spread of Islam and the coming of Europeans.There was emergence of empires across various part in Africa for example; the Mali empire and the Ashanti empire in West Africa, The Zulu kingdom of South Africa, the kanem borno empire in central Africa e.t.c
THE GHANA EMPIRE
The Ghana Empire, also known as the WAGADOU Empire, was a powerful and influential state in West Africa that emerged in the 4th century AD and flourished until the 13th century when it was conquered by mali empire
The Ghana Empire originated from the Soninke people, a subgroup of the Mande-speaking population. The Soninke were skilled traders and farmers who had established a network of trade routes and settlements in the region.
In the 4th century AD, a powerful king named Kaya Maghan emerged among the Soninke people. He united various Soninke clans and expanded his territory through conquest and strategic alliances. Kaya Maghan established his capital at Kumbi, which became the center of the Ghana Empire.
Kaya Maghan's successors continued to expand the empire through military campaigns and diplomatic maneuvers. The empire's territorial expansion reached its peak during the reign of King Tairu in the 9th century AD.
The Ghana Empire was organized into a decentralized system, with the king at the center and various regional governors and administrators. The king was considered divine and held absolute power, while the governors and administrators managed the day-to-day affairs of the empire.
The Ghana Empire was a major commercial power, with trade routes stretching from the Mediterranean to the Niger River. The empire controlled the trans-Saharan trade in gold, salt, and other valuable commodities. The Soninke people were skilled traders and merchants, and their expertise contributed to the empire's economic prosperity.
The Ghana Empire was initially animist, but Islam was introduced in the 8th century AD through trade and cultural exchange with North African Muslims. Islam gradually became the dominant religion, and the king and his officials adopted Islamic titles and practices.
THE ZULU KINGDOM
The Zulu Kingdom, also known as the Zulu Empire, was a powerful and influential state in southern Africa that emerged in the 18th century.
The Zulu people were originally a small tribe living in the region of present-day KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. In the early 18th century, they were a relatively insignificant group among the many Nguni-speaking tribes in the region.
In 1816, a young Zulu warrior named SHAKA became the leader of the Zulu tribe. Shaka was a skilled military strategist and leader who transformed the Zulu tribe into a powerful and centralized state with a powerful and disciplined military
Under Shaka's leadership, the Zulu Kingdom expanded rapidly through conquest and assimilation of neighboring tribes. Shaka's army conquered many of the surrounding tribes, incorporating them into the Zulu Kingdom. By the 1820s, the Zulu Kingdom had become a powerful and dominant force in the region.
The expansion of this kingdom led to a period of widespread mass migration known as the MFECANE (meaning "the scattering" in Zulu). Many tribes were forced to flee their homes and migrate to other parts of southern Africa, leading to significant social, political, and economic changes in the region.
After Shaka's death in 1828, his half-brother Dingane took over the throne and continued to expand and consolidate the Zulu Kingdom. Dingane established a centralized administrative system, with a powerful council of advisors and a network of regional governors.
In the late 19th century, the Zulu Kingdom faced significant challenges from British colonization. The British annexed the Zulu Kingdom in 1897, and it became a British colony.
THE KANEM-BORNU EMPIRE
The Kanem-Bornu Empire was founded by the ZAGHAWA nomadic people in the 9th century.
The Kanem-Bornu Empire was strategically located between North Africa, the Nile River valley, and the sub-Sahara region, making it a significant trade hub. The empire traded in goods such as salt, copper, tin, cotton, hides, kola nuts, ivory, ostrich feathers, camels, gold, slaves, embroidered cloth, silk, jewelry, and iron weapons. agriculture as well as livestock rearing and crops were also encouraged for both domestic consumption and trade.
The political structure of the Kanem empire had most likely grown out of rival states coming under the control of the Zaghawa.
Kanem-Bornu was founded about the mid-9th century, and its first capital was at Njimi, northeast of Lake Chad. Toward the end of the 11th century, the Sef mai (king) Umme (later known as Ibn ʿAbd al-Jalīl) became a Muslim, and from that time Kanem-Bornu was an Islamic state.
Its territory at various times included what is now southern Chad, northern Cameroon, northeastern Nigeria, eastern Niger, and southern Libya
In the late 14th century the Bulala people forced the Sef to abandon Kanem, and the capital was moved to Birni Ngazargamu in Bornu, west of Lake Chad.
Under its able rulers of the 16th century (Muḥammad Dunama, ʿAbd Allāh, and especially Idrīs Alawma, who reigned c. 1571–1603), Kanem-Bornu (thereafter sometimes called simply Bornu) was extended and consolidated.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the Fulani of Nigeria disputed Bornu’s suzerainty over the Hausa states to the west of Lake Chad and drove the mai Aḥmad from his throne. During the 17th century, the empire began to decline, and finally dissolved at the end of the 19th century.
It is important to take note of a similar pattern in the history of each empire. In the course of their state formation, their strategic location, their economic activities which enables them to trade with other regions which lead to further development of the region, The capable government, the integration of various settlements into their own region through conquest were all important factors that aid the growth and development of a state in the said regions.