A Developmental Analysis of Pre-Colonial African Economy

Development is a porous concept. It is often relative in outlook and usually has no generally accepted yardstick. Consequently, the relativity of the term has been largely manipulated by European Colonizers in their wholesale designation of pre-colonial African economy as underdeveloped. Through the qualitative mode of historical analysis, this study probes into the nature and structure of pre-colonial African economy. It is found that far from being underdeveloped, it was self-sustaining and continuously expanding, save the perceived obstacles. The obstacles were taken into consideration in subsequent analysis. This piece concludes that, due to the self-sustaining feature of this economy, it may be said to be relatively developed. Therefore, any attempt to describe it otherwise is either a form of double standard proportion or description hypocrisy.