[El_Phil]

The entire colonial period was far less than perfect it is true, but you really can't judge what happen by modern standards. Compared to what the other colonial powers were doing (Spain instantly springs to mind, but there were others) England was one of the nicer ones relatively speaking.

By the standards of the time colonising and 'civilising' the rest of the globe wasn't a right, it was a duty, even a holy command if you listened to the Popes of the time. Different times, different values is my main point I suppose.

Given nothing especially technical had developed in sub-Saharan Africa before Europeans I do wonder why anything would suddenly happen given more time. That is a bit of a sweeping generalisation I admit, but it's solid. The artwork, cultural, etc was around. The smelting metalurgy or anything similar I hadn't heard of it and would seriously doubt.

North Africa is a different kettle of fish however, but I'll hold my hands up and say I'm a bit shaky about that part of the world. However I do remember that Ethiopia had a very advanced civilisation that never really recovered from Italian gas attacks.