A secessionist movement is defined as a pressure group that advocates for separation or a break away from an establishment, such as a religious body, a nation state, or an educational institution.
Immediately after the European colonial powers were chased out of Africa, the continent broke out in a rash of political separatist groups, each agitating for the right to secession and autonomy.
While the reasons put forward by the various secession groups were diverse and varied, they had a common theme: they wanted out of a nation state crudely put together by colonial powers simply for the ease of administration.
Here, Face2Face Africa has put together a list of some of the most important secessionist groups in Africa. This list is by no means exhaustive, and it neither endorses nor censures the activities of the many active separatist movements in Africa.
By way of criteria, all the secessionist groups mentioned are currently active, seeking greater autonomy, and have a clearly identified, inhabited geographical region they desire to be self-governing or completely independent.
