The way colonialism works is colonisers named the countries they ‘discovered’. While some countries changed their names after independence, many still held on to the names given by their colonisers.
Here’s how Nigeria got its name: According to legend, British journalist Flora Shaw came up with this name in the late 19th century. She named it after the Niger River, which flows through the country, and it's still called that till today.
Here are some African countries that still have their colonial names:
1. Sierra Leone
Portuguese explorer Pedro da Cintra named the lofty mountains growing up on what is now the Freetown Peninsula the "Lion Mountains," or "Serra Lyoa," in 1942.
This is how the term "Sierra Leone" originated. After a series of English naval visits and subsequent British colonisation, the name was anglicised to "Sierra Leone."
2. Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
The term Ivory Coast is referred to in French as Cote d'Ivoire. They are called by their French and not the English version.
The origin of the name can be traced back to pre-colonial West African days when European traders named coasts after the most popular goods they traded. Its commerce in ivory, or elephant tusks, gave rise to the moniker "Ivory Coast."
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3. Cameroon
The region known as "Rio dos Camarões" (River of Prawns) was named after the profusion of shrimp found in the Wouri River by Portuguese explorers in the 15th century, who gave the name Cameroon.
The name was later modified to "Cameroon" under British and French colonial administration.
4. Guinea
It was historically associated with the Berber word "aginaw," which means black and denoted the colour of the local population.
The region around the Gulf of Guinea was referred to as "Guinea" by the Portuguese and later by other European nations.
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5. Mauritius
This island country was named by the colonists from the Netherlands after the Dutch prince Maurice of Nassau. The name Mauritius persisted even after the French and British took control of the island.
How fascinating is it that these countries never changed their names? Perhaps they liked the name, felt it captured their essence, or there was no reason to change it.