This is a new form of colonialism by which the former colonial masters in Africa have used their political and economic power to maintain influence over their former colonies. Britain, France and other colonial masters were still interested in their African colonies but were forced to grant independence under nationalistic pressure. They therefore devised means of maintaining their influence in Africa so as to continue exploiting Africa's cheap raw materials, cheap labour, get market for their finished goods and make fresh investments in Africa.

It can also be defined as the 20th century colonialism in Africa which aims at safe guarding and perpetuating colonial interests like religious domination, economic exploitation and ideological transplants from USA, former USSR, Israel, Britain, Japan, among others. Kwame Nkrumah regarded it as the last form of imperialism.

Under neo colonialism, the weak African countries are independent only in name, flags, national anthems and boundaries (theoretical independence). They are politically independent but economically, militarily, culturally and technologically dependent on the richer states of the world,

The term neo-colonialism was probably first used by Ghana's 1^st president Kwame Nkrumah. When Malaysia got her independence from Britain 5 months after Ghana's in 1957, Nkrumah gave a speech, which ridiculed the move to independence. He said that in practice nothing had changed except the flag and the position of leadership. He emphasized that the British were still controlling that Country's economy, which was more oriented towards Britain. This arrangement was seen as nothing but a new variety of colonialism.

In the 1960s Nkrumah and other scholars expanded on the meaning of neo-colonialism. Nkrumah further explained this concept in his book, which had the same title as Lenin's. A few excerpts from Nkrumah's book will help us derive a clear meaning of neo-colonialism.

The essence of neo-colonialism is that the state, which is subject to it, is in theory independent and has all the outward trappings of international sovereignty. In reality its economic system and thus its political policy is directed from outside .... . The result of neo-colonialism is that its capital is used for exploitation rather than for the development of the less developed parts of the world. Investment under neo-colonialism increases rather than decreases the gap between the rich and the poor countries of the world. Neo-colonialism is also the worst form of Imperialism. For those who practice it, it means power without responsibility, and for those who suffer from it, it means exploitation without redress..... Neo-colonialism is based upon the principle of breaking up former large united colonial territories into a number of small non-viable states, which are incapable of independent development and must rely upon the former imperial power for external defence and even internal security. Their economic and financial systems are linked as in colonial days as those of the former colonial ruler.... "Aid" therefore to a neo-colonial state is a revolving credit paid by the neo-colonial master, passing through the neo-colonial state and returning to the neo-colonial master in form of increased profits.

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