If you can’t recall a single African warrior you learned about in school, it doesn’t mean you were a terrible student of history. It means your school, like most schools in the U.S., probably failed to teach you about any African warriors.
We are here to introduce you to 13 African warriors you’ve probably never heard of.
1. Yaa Asantewaa
Yaa Asantewaa was a Ghanaian brave warrior queen born circa 1840 into the Ashanti Kingdom. She led an army that fought the British invasion. Her area was under British attack and Kind Prempeh was exiled from Seychelles.
The Ashanti people view the Golden Stool as the heart of their existence. Frederick Hodgson, the British Governor, made a terrible mistake. He demanded that the Golden Stool be sat on and owned by him.
This really upset the Ashanti people. They took on the British under Yaa Asantewaa’s control. She was also exiled in Seychelles and lived there until her death.
2. Almamy Suluku
Born in 1820, Almamy Suluku was a smart, powerful Limba ruler who managed to maintain his independence for a long, long time. When he became war captain, he made his Kingdom, Biriwa, one of Sierra Leone’s largest. Almamy Suluku encouraged trade in gold, foodtuffs, ivory and hides to make the kingdom rich and prosperous. He is still renowned as one of Africa’s most powerful warriors.
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3. The Dahomey Amazons
This was a Fon women-only military regiment in the Kingdom of Dahomey, which is nowadays’ Republic of Benin.
The Dahomey Amazons, also known as Mino, translates as ‘our mothers’. These women were highly trained to become fierce fighters. They had the reputation of executing soldiers right in the middle battles. Moreover, they were serving as torturers to those who didn’t become their captives.
In 1851, Seh-Dong-Hong-Beh, one of this regiment’s most famous leaders, led an army of approximately 6,000 women against the Abeokuta’s Egba fortress. Despite the fact that the Dahomey Amazons fought with swords, spears, and bows, only about 1,200 of them survived this battle, because of Egba’s deadly European cannons.
In 1890, they battled the French forces along with the King’s male soldiers in the First Franco-Dahomean War. During this war, the French army lost multiple battles to these skilled women warriors, as they weren’t prepared for the females’ agility and ruthlessness.
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4. Kwame Nkrumah
Kwame Nkrumah was Ghana’s very first Prime Minister and later became the country’s president. He was a revolutionary who led Ghana to independence in 1957 from Britain.
Nkrumah, a Pan-Africanist anti-colonialist, trained as a teacher and was prepared for it. He also founded the Convention People’s Party (CPP). After being sentenced and imprisoned, he was released when his party (CPP), won elections in 1951. Kwame was a firm believer in the Africans’ liberation.
In 1964, he formed a one-party state and became Ghana’s president.
5. Amanirenas
(*13*)Amanirenas and Akinidad (Photo: African History)Amanirenas was one of the most courageous Kingdom of Kush’s Queen-Mothers. Amanirenas, a Meroitic King of Kush, ruled between 40 BC to 10 BC.
During her reign, more specifically in 24 BC, Augustus, the renowned Roman Emperor, attached Amanirena’s people. Akinidad, her son, led an army of around 30,000 soldiers, defeating the Romans at Aswan, Egypt. Additionally, they knocked down Caesar’s statues in Elephantine.
Although the Romans tried to fight back, they were held back by Amanirenas’s and her troops’ powerful resistance. After 3 years of bloody fighting, the parties finally reached an agreement to end their conflict. Besides other agreements, the Romans finally agreed to return their soldiers and give back the land that they’ve taken. Amanirenas is still renowned for her devotion to combat and her willingness to fight alongside her soldiers.
6. Carlota Lucumí (also known as La Negra Carlota)
Kidnapped as a child from the Yoruba tribe, Carlota Lucumí was brought to Cuba in chains. After she arrived in Cuba, she was forced to become a slave in Matanzas.
Carlota, Fermina and another woman led an organized rebellion in 1843 at Triunvirato sugar plantation, where they were enslaved. Fermina was taken prisoner after her rebellion plans were exposed.
During this time, Carlota Lucumí and her fellow warriors managed to secretly communicate and freed a lot of slaves, including Fermina. They organized an armed rebellion against five of the most brutal slave plantation operations in the region. The Spanish landowners eventually captured, tortured, executed Carlota and made her a prisoner for the next year (Year of the Lash in 1843-1844).
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7. Nzinga of Ndongo and Matamba
She was a powerful and smart ruler of the Ndongo and Matamba Kingdoms (nowaday’s Angola) of the Mbundu people in the 17th century. Nzinga of Ndongo and Matamba wisely and fearlessly fought against the Portuguese for her Kingdoms’ freedom.
She built her army by offering sanctuary to runaway slaves and Portuguese-trained African soldiers. Nzinga of Ndongo & Matamba sparked quite a rebellion among Ndongo’s residents. They formed an alliance with Ndongo against the Portuguese.
Nzinga then started working on developing Matamba as a trading power as well as a gateway to Central Africa’s interior. Matamba became a powerful kingdom, which resisted numerous Portuguese colonization attempts.
8. Behanzin Hossu Bowelle (also known as The King Shark)
Behanzin Hossu Bowelle was the bravest and most powerful West African King who ruled during the 19th century’s last years. He was known for his signature nodding of the head when he meant death or life for his subjects. He was credited with one of his greatest victories, namely defeating the French 1890 expedition and making them pay for the port of Cotonou.
9. Ezana of Aksum
Ezana of Aksum led the Kingdom of Aksum, located in today’s Northern Ethiopia and Eritrea. As a child, he succeeded Ella Amida (his dad) as ruler. He was also the first Christian leader to be elected. King Ezana was a military commander and built numerous structures and obelisks.
10. Steve Bantu Biko
Steve Bantu Biko was one of the South African Students Organization’s founders and a major African leaders against Apartheid. Biko was elected as SASO’s first president. The organization’s main goal was calling all black students to take part in South Africa’s restoration to its rightful owners. His ideas are also believed to have been the basis for the Black Consciousness Movement.
Biko was banished from his hometown, and he was then arrested for violating his ban in 1977. He was severely beaten during interrogation, and he died at the age of 30 from his injuries.
11. Cetshwayo Kampande (also known as The Zulu King)
Cetshwayo Kampande was a true hero. He fought in a war against the British, causing the greatest defeat which the English had never experienced from other opposing African leaders. The British invaded Zululand, and the Zulu King defeated them.
12. Bai Bureh
Bai Bureh was a Sierra Leonean leader and military strategist that lead the Temne and Loko uprising against British rule in 1898 in Northern Sierra Leone.
British Colonials imposed a HUT Tax in Sierra Leone, which required Africans pay taxes in cash, grain, stock, labor, and other forms. Bai Bureh refused adherence to the new rule, and was issued a warrant for his arrest.
Bureh declared war in 1898 on the British in Sierra Leone. Bai and his soldiers fought for many months and eventually won. This led to the deaths of hundreds of British troops. After holding the British troops hostage for several months, Bai Bureh surrendered to his forces and was exiled into modern-day Ghana. Later, he was brought back to Sierra Leone and made the Chief of Kasseh.
13. Hannibal
One of the most famous and enfoumous military leaders of all time, Hannibal of Carthage lived from 247BC to 183BC.
Yes, much has been said about Hannibal’s legacy, but even more should be said.
Hannibal’s great military adventures had his troops taking on the Roman Empire and crossing the Pyrenees and the Alps with elephants. Legend has it that all Roman families lost at most one family member to Hannibal armies in the first great world war.
These are just few of the most influential African warriors in the history of Afria. Please share your favorites with us below!
