Getty Images/BBC News Queen Elizabeth II wearing the Imperial State Crown and carrying the Orb and scepter after her coronation.
After the death of Queen Elizabeth II, much of the world mourned her passing. But the Western world, where the legacy of British colonialism stands out, mourned even more.
But the reactions from the African continent are not so clear-cut. The monarchical system of Great Britain wreaked havoc on the continent – and many problems traceable from British colonial domination still fester.
And we must not forget, Africa is an enormous continent with infinite diversity, a large portion of which the British Monarchy touched.
From Nigeria
Euronews reported that Uju Anya, a Nigerian professor living in the United States “criticized” the Queen on Twitter. Anya said she wished the Queen would experience “excruciating” pain before her death. The revelation sparked a firestorm. Meanwhile, Euronews also reported that Paul Apel, an influential Nollywood filmmaker, expressed sorrow after the Queen died.
From South Africa
South Africa recently rehashed conversation around repatriation, with many South Africans calling for the return of the Great Star of Africa or Cullinan I, “a diamond cut from a larger gem.” The mineral is alleged to have been “stolen” from South Africa, according to reports from CNN.
From Kenya
Meanwhile, in the Eastern region of Africa, young Kenyans of the bustling capital, Nairobi, seemed out of touch with the situation. Many Kenyans, for example, said they barely knew the Queen. To a number of them, she was a distant figure, better known through fictional portrayals of her on popular TV series such as “The Crown.”
The Reality of the Queen’s Passing
This is the reality of the Queen’s death in Africa — three completely different nations from distinctly different regions of the continent — reckoning with their peculiar and particular histories as it relates to British colonialism.
