DUBAWA verifies claims by Kenyan Journalist Jeff Koinange

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A veteran Kenyan journalist and long-time Cable News Network (CNN) Africa correspondent, Jeff Koinange, has made several claims about Liberia in a video circulating on social media (Facebook) as he talks about a book he wrote.

DUBAWA decided to fact-check two claims made by the renowned journalist as part of our mandate to promote truth in public discourse.

Claim 1: “Liberia is the only African country in Africa that was never colonised.”

Verdict: Misleading! Except for a five-year period of occupation in Ethiopia by Mussolini’s Italy, Ethiopia and Liberia remain the two African countries that were never colonised by European powers. Many authorities, including a report by the BBC, name Ethiopia and Liberia as the only two countries that were never colonised.

Journalist Koinange made the claim in a video circulating on social media (Facebook) in which he explained his experiences while covering the West African country’s civil crisis.

Journalist Koinange said, “Liberia is the only African country that was never colonised. Yes, it was created as a colony for free African-American slaves, but the colonisers never colonised it.” This claim is found between 3:43 and 4:10 minutes/seconds of the over five-minute video.

So, is it true that Liberia is the only country in Africa that was never colonised? DUBAWA felt compelled to verify this claim due to the potential to mislead readers. 

Verification

To put issues into perspective, it is essential to define colonisation.

The Cambridge Dictionary defines colonisation as “the act or process of sending people to live in and govern another country.” 

The researcher dug into Liberia’s history and found that in 1816, some white Americans came together to form the American Colonization Society (ACS) to deal with the growing wave of free black slaves in the United States of America and how they could be resettled in Africa.

In 1822, the first group of free black slaves, led by members of the ACS, landed on Providence Island at the mouth of the Mesurado River. They were followed shortly by Jehudi Ashmun, a white American, who is often regarded as the true founder of Liberia.

According to history, before Ashmun left in 1828, the territory had a government, a digest of laws for the settlers, and the beginnings of profitable foreign commerce. 

When the American Colonization Society (ACS) insinuated that Liberia was strong enough and could stand on its own, Roberts proclaimed it an independent republic in 1847. Most countries recognised it from 1848 to 1856, until the United States formally recognised it in 1862.

The story of Ethiopia

The researcher also discovered that Ethiopia, another African country, was not colonised by a European power. According to Exploring Africa, Ethiopia was able to resist all colonisation attempts by the British, particularly those by the Italians.

The site stated, “Indeed, Italy was able to colonise a part of ancient Ethiopia, the area along the Red Sea. This was the colony and is now an independent country of Eritrea. Under the leadership of Emperor Menelik, Ethiopia resisted European attempts to colonise all of Ethiopia. Ethiopia won a decisive victory over Italy at the Battle of Adowa in December 1895. During the battle, approximately 4,000 Italian soldiers were killed.”

The BBC filed a report in January 2024 that confirmed the historical narrative about Ethiopia. It said: “Ethiopia is Africa’s oldest independent country and its second largest in terms of population. Apart from a five-year occupation by Mussolini’s Italy, it has never been colonised.”

Several other reports, as can be seen here and here, including the Oxford bibliography, state that Ethiopia, just like Liberia, was never colonised, even though Italy militarily occupied it from 1936 to 1941.

Conclusion

Based on all the available research information, Liberia and Ethiopia are the two African countries that were never colonised by European powers, not just Liberia.

Claim 2: “George Weah, a mandingo, is the president of Liberia, and the original Americo-Liberians did not like the idea.”

Verdict: False. Ex-Liberian President George Weah is not a mandingo, as his biography on the Liberian Executive Mansion website states.

Journalist Koinange claimed, “Liberia, with still a lot of tension and ups and downs, George Weah became president, and the original Americo-Liberians did not like the idea of a native and a mandingo being president.” Journalist Koinange claimed that it is found between 3:01 and 3:42 minutes/second of the over five-minute video circulating on Facebook.

Verification

To verify this claim, the researcher reviewed the profile of the former Liberian President, Ambassador George Weah.

George Weah, a former Liberian president born on October 1, 1966, became the 25th president of Liberia on January 22, 2018, succeeding then-President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Weah, whose parents are deceased, has an ancestry background to the Kru and Bassa ethnic groups in Liberia. His father hailed from Grand Kru County, while his mother came from Grand Bassa County.

What is mandingo?

Mandingo is one of the many ethnic groups in Liberia, and they are predominantly Muslim.

The mandingos in Liberia are mainly found in Lofa and Nimba Counties. Lofa County is located in the northern part of Liberia, shares borders with the Republic of Guinea and Sierra Leone, while Nimba County is located in the northeastern part of Liberia and shares borders with the Republic of Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire   

In Africa, the mandingos are also referred to as the Mandinka people. They are found in West Africa, in countries like The Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Liberia, Guinea-Bissau, Niger, and Mauritania. 

Conclusion

Based on research, Kenyan Journalist Jeff Koinange’s claim that the ex-Liberian President is a mandingo is false.