What we forgot about the Frontline States, and why it matters today?
Education is one of the most powerful tools for shaping collective identity and social cohesion. In Africa, where colonial education systems often distorted or erased indigenous histories, the teaching of African history remains not just an academic exercise but a political and moral necessity. Restoring African history to its rightful place in classrooms can help abate intolerance, foster mutual respect, and build a shared sense of belonging among young Africans.
One of the most instructive historical examples of unity, solidarity, and shared struggle is found in the Frontline States—a coalition of Southern African nations that stood together against colonialism and apartheid. Unfortunately, this thought has been evoked by recent news in the media, where we saw a leader of a movement that targets African foreign nationals under the banner of Operation Dudula[1] unable to recalling the conceptualisation and existence of frontline states[2] during the struggle of liberation in South Africa. This article is no means a platform to ridicule the leader, but to conscientize Africans against misinformation and encourage young people to familiarise themselves with African history. This experience offers a powerful lesson on cooperation, resilience, and moral courage that is deeply relevant to contemporary African politics.
The Erasure of African Narratives
It is no secret that the colonial education systems were designed to legitimise European dominance and undermine African agency. African scholar, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o (1986) argues in his book Decolonising the Mind, that the colonial classroom alienated Africans from their own histories and cultures[3]. Students learned more about European explorers and monarchs than about Shaka Zulu, Queen Nzinga, or the liberation struggles that shaped modern Africa. This is part of the reasons why many African young people are not aware of great innovations such as frontline states.
This historical erasure continues to foster cultural and intellectual inferiority and division among African peoples. When young people are denied knowledge of their shared struggles and achievements, intolerance and xenophobia easily take root. Reclaiming African history, therefore, is essential to rebuilding a sense of collective dignity and empathy.
What are frontline States? A Case Study in African Solidarity
The Frontline States (FLS) comprising Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, and later Zimbabwe which were formed in the 1970s to support liberation movements in Southern Africa. Under the leadership of figures such as Julius Nyerere, Kenneth Kaunda, and Samora Machel, these nations provided political, military, and diplomatic support to movements like the African National Congress (ANC) and SWAPO[4].
Despite facing severe economic and military retaliation from apartheid South Africa, the Frontline States demonstrated a remarkable commitment to Pan-African solidarity. As Southall (2013) notes, their cooperation “transcended national interests and represented an ethical commitment to the liberation of the region.”[5] This history embodies the principles of mutual support, shared destiny, and tolerance—values that can serve as antidotes to today’s challenges of tribalism, xenophobia, and political intolerance across the continent.
The Role of African History in promoting tolerance among Africans
Teaching the story of the Frontline States in African schools can promote tolerance in several key ways such as building empathy and regional awareness by learning about how countries like Zambia or Tanzania sacrificed economically for South Africa’s freedom helps students appreciate interconnected struggles and the humanity of others beyond national borders. Secondly, this would assist in abating causes of xenophobia in societies where migrants from neighbouring countries are often scapegoated, historical lessons about solidarity in the liberation era can counter xenophobic narratives and highlight shared heritage. Thirdly, it could fostering a Pan-African Identity where there would be understanding historical examples of cooperation, young Africans can envision continental unity not as a distant ideal but as a lived reality rooted in their past and lastly to encourage critical thinking through African history that will allows learners to interrogate colonial legacies, understand current socio-political dynamics, and imagine more equitable futures.
Integrating African History into basic education in all schools across Africa
For African history to contribute meaningfully to tolerance-building, it must be mainstreamed in school curricula, not confined to special topics. Governments and educational bodies can implement the following;
-Revise history syllabus to prioritise African perspectives and regional cooperation stories such as the Frontline States;
-Incorporate oral histories and local narratives into teaching materials.
-Promote teacher training in decolonial pedagogy.
-Encourage inter-country educational exchanges to strengthen shared understanding.
As Ndlovu-Gatsheni (2018) asserts, “decolonising the university begins with the decolonisation of the mind,” which starts at the primary and secondary levels of education.
Conclusion
When properly taught, African history transcends the mere chronicling of past events; it constitutes a vital resource for cultivating a tolerant, cohesive, and self-aware continent. The narrative of the Frontline States, for example, exemplifies how solidarity and collective action can overcome entrenched political and social divisions. Despite differences in culture, language, and colonial experience, these nations coordinated efforts to support liberation movements and challenge systems of oppression, demonstrating that unity in pursuit of justice can prevail over fragmentation.
Integrating such historical lessons into African educational curricula is not solely an intellectual endeavor; it represents a strategic and ethical investment in the moral development of future generations. Exposure to the interconnected histories of African societies, their cooperative resistance, shared struggles, and cultural interrelations fosters critical consciousness and equips students with the analytical and ethical frameworks necessary to confront intolerance, prejudice, and sectarianism. In this context, African history functions as both a repository of collective memory and a guiding instrument, shaping informed, principled, and socially responsible citizens capable of contributing to a more inclusive and unified continent.
Yolokazi Mfuto is a communications strategist at DDP and she writes in her own personal capacity.
References
Chirwa, W. C. (1999). The Malawi government and South African labour recruiters, 1974–1992. The Journal of Modern African Studies, 37(1), 47–72. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022278X99003058
Magaziner, D. R. (2010). The law and the prophets: Black consciousness in South Africa, 1968–1977. Ohio University Press.
Mbita, H. (n.d.). Southern African liberation struggles: Contemporaneous documents, Volume 1. Southern African Development Community (SADC). https://www.sadc.int/sites/default/files/2023-03/Vol_1._EN._Hashim_Mbita_Southern_African_Liberation%20Struggles.pdf
Ndlovu-Gatsheni, S. J. (2018). Epistemic freedom in Africa: Deprovincialization and decolonization. Routledge.
Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o. (1986). Decolonising the mind: The politics of language in African literature. Heinemann.
Operation Dudula. (n.d.). Home. https://operationdudula.org.za/
Southall, R. (2013). Liberation movements in power: Party and state in Southern Africa. James Currey.
Hopewell Chin’ono [@daddyhope]. (2024, May 3). [Post]. X (formerly Twitter). https://x.com/daddyhope/status/1979957477912277479
[1] https://operationdudula.org.za/
[2] https://x.com/daddyhope/status/1979957477912277479
[3] Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o. (1986). Decolonising the Mind: The Politics of Language in African Literature. Heinemann.
[4] https://www.sadc.int/sites/default/files/2023-03/Vol_1._EN._Hashim_Mbita_Southern_African_Liberation%20Struggles.pdf
[5] Southall, R. (2013). Liberation Movements in Power: Party and State in Southern Africa. James Currey.
