Why colonial statues in Africa is such a complex history
The Rhodes statue being detached at the University of Cape Town, South Africa in 2015 at the peak of the Rhodes Must Fall campaign that called for its removal. PHOTO | X via @ibramxk
Colonial monuments in African public spaces have much more complex and often overlooked histories.
The turn of the millennium saw (neo)colonial statues deliberately erected to celebrate 19th century explorers and missionaries.
(Neo)colonial monuments were increasingly contested in the 2010s. Such protests have accelerated in recent years and have become more visible, thanks to social networks.
