“The imitation of the victor by the vanquished may be an unconscious phenomena, or consciously due to mistaken belief that the victory of the conqueror was attributed not to their superior solidarity and strength, but to the inherent inferiority of the customs and beliefs of the conquered. Perhaps, the greatest negative, psychological impact of colonialism in Africa is colonial mentality and inferiority complex, which plagues the entire continent”. – Ibn Khaldun, Historian and Philosopher

THE church and the state have always been strange bed-fellows in Africa and indeed the world.
The hunting down and killing of Mlimo at the Matobos, the hanging of Mbuya Nehanda and Sekuru Kaguvi were a direct annihilation of the nerve centre of African religion in Zimbabwe.
Missionaries co-operated with colonial authorities in the exploitation and cultural subjugation of Africa.
As agents of imperialism, the early European Christian missionaries penetrated Africa at the onset of colonial occupation.
Missions in Africa were, consciously or unconsciously, agents of socio-cultural change; the religious arm of the introduction to colonisation.
Europe and their missionaries had theories that justified their conquest and governance of non-Western territories.
These theories were based on pseudo-scientific racism and cultural arrogance. Europeans did not only display technological superiority over the African, but also exuded a feeling of moral and racial superiority.
They credit themselves as principal agents of the ‘three ‘C’s’: Christianity, commerce and colonisation.
The traders, missionaries and colonial administrators had a common interest and frequently co-operated with each other while sometimes they had dual roles.
In fact, the cloak of the early missionaries was woven from the same cloth as that of the colonisers – ‘a white cloth’ representing the sole interests of her Imperial Majesty Queen Victoria of Great Britain.
Inevitably the indigenous Africans were the victims of their religious poison – from Cape to Cairo.
Jesuit missionary, Fr Andrew Hartmann, accompanied the Pioneer Column to Mashonaland in 1890 as its chaplain.
Canon Balfour of the Anglican Diocese of Bloemfontein also accompanied the Pioneer Column as a chaplain.
Rhodes later gave the Anglicans £600 (pounds) towards the expenses of Anglican missions in Mashonaland.
While preaching equality of men in the eyes of God, Africans were compelled to abandon their traditional religion and culture, in favour of ‘Western values’ justified by ‘humanitarian’ principles.
From their point of view, Africa became the ‘whiteman’s burden’ or a ‘sacred trust’ in their responsibility.
In colonial Africa, the universality of old African cultural ideals was destroyed together with indigenous belief systems.
Colonial mentality was the outcome of intensive European propaganda, brainwashing and psychological warfare against Africans and anything African. Colonial mentality resulted in a lower or negative self-image, lack of self-esteem and the belief in one’s own inferiority.
The legacy of Christian missionaries in Africa lives up to this day.
Christian missionaries were practical partners in killing self-esteem in the African.
Missionary education and tutelage did not emphasise self-confidence, creativity and courageous spirit.
Europe saw Africa as a continent with a defective religion and its people as natural victims of psychic malfunction.
Africans were thought to be incurably inferior to Europeans and naturally incapable of adopting the ‘civilised standards’ of the ‘superior’ races.
It was speculated that through the process of intensive ‘conversions’, a colony that excelled in adopting Western values to the maximum could achieve a pseudo-independent status and merit the description like ‘overseas France’ or ‘overseas Portugal’ and brought about the theory of ‘paternalism’ or ‘permanent trusteeship’.
Apart from technological superiority, there was also a deliberate assertion of moral and racial superiority.
The whiteman placed himself at the pinnacle of the hierarchy, while the blackman who was perceived to be irredeemably inferior and senseless was placed at the bottom.
The justification of colonial rule as a philanthropic and humanitarian gesture is not new.
According to them, their intervention was aimed at salvaging the continent from self-extinction.
Modern-day charismatic evangelists have taken this defunct and outmoded idea of colonial Christianity and their deceitful aspiration for human upliftment to another dimension – that of self-aggrandisement and enrichment; using the Bible and the word of God for their political and economic aspirations.
This too, is not new.
Men of the cloth have always felt the need to meddle in issues of governance and state, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, where there is a history dating from Desmond Tutu, Allan Boesak; Bishop Lamont, and Father Weiner to Bishop Abel Muzorewa, all staunch promoters of Western colonial values.
London-born Fr Peter Prestage (1842 – 1907) felt that colonisation was necessary in order for Christianity to make meaningful strides in the colony (Zimbabwe).
On May 29 1883, he wrote: “Until the Matabeles are put down by brute force, they will never improve.”
When Leander Starr Jameson asked if the clergy would approve the chastisement of the Ndebele, he said: “I trust the Matabele Kingdom will be smashed up.
“It was founded upon a basis of injustice – a powerful military organisation set in motion for the self-aggrandisement of the king and his advisers at the expense of the denial and violation of the natural to his subjects and his tributaries, who were deprived of security of life, security of property and the sanctity of the family.
“The Matabele system of government was a system of iniquity and deviltry.”
In July 1893, Reverend Shimmin of the Methodist Church said: “Missionary progress would be severely handicapped as long as the Ndebele question remained unsettled.
“The struggle must commence at once.
“On this point the clergy, the farmer, the English and the colonial are at one”
A political alliance was thus established between the missionaries and Rhodes to ‘break up’ the Ndebele Kingdom.
The churches, chequered history in the colonisation of Africa tore many indigenous societies apart; the dignity of africanhood and the mental and cultural imprisonment of indigenous minds are some of the psychological scars that resulted from the missionaries’ acculturalisation which remains unreconciled today.
Missionary ideology was full of paradoxes: While sharing the racist theories of the age, the missionaries colluded with the colonial government when it suited their interest.
These interests served to uphold the pretensions and arrogance of the colonial masters, keeping the African in subjugation.

Dr Tony Monda holds a PhD. in Art Theory and Philosophy and a DBA (Doctorate in Business Administration) and Post-Colonial Heritage Studies. He is a writer, lecturer, musician, art critic, practising artist and Corporate Image Consultant. He is also a specialist Art Consultant, Post-Colonial Scholar, Zimbabwean Socio-Economic analyst and researcher.
For views and comments, email: tonym.MONDA@gmail.com