African Entrepreneurship Record

Chapter 1225: Chapter 234: Fleeing Toward the Free World

Upper Volta Colony.

In the last century, the UK, France, and Germany fiercely competed for control over the Upper Volta Region. Eventually, the French Government outmaneuvered the others and gained control over this core inland area of West Africa, placing it directly under the leadership of the French Governor stationed in West Africa.

Located at the upper reaches of the Walter River, it’s known as the Upper Volta Region.

The Walter River is the second-largest river in West Africa, primarily flowing through former nations like Burkina Faso (Upper Volta), Ghana, Togo, Benin, and regions thereof. In the past, the Walter Reservoir located within Ghana was the largest man-made lake in the world, equivalent to twice the size of Qinghai Lake, the Far East Empire’s largest lake. Today, most of Ghana belongs to the UK Gold Coast Colony.

The UK’s Gold Coast, France’s Upper Volta, Dahomey Colony, or the Portuguese Vida in the east, all are neighbors of the current Togoland Colony belonging to East Africa, illustrating the intensity of past competition over West African colonies.

Portuguese Vida, this hardy little area has persevered through the most challenging days of the last century and is one of Portugal’s few remaining colonies in Africa.

And now, East Africa has replaced Germany as the new master of Togoland, and is determined to surprise its elder brothers in England and France.

Within Togoland, a massive migration army is ready for departure.

Morning, as the military bugle sounded.

The Black Slaves in Lome camp instinctively climbed up from their straw mats.

This was a habit they developed while working as laborers in East Africa. East Africa always enforced full military management of Black Slaves, so when they heard the Lome naval base’s wake-up call, these internally terrified Black Slaves had no time to deliberate and quickly rose from their straw mats on the ground.

East Africa still had some conscience, though not much. Even a coarse straw mat was a significant improvement for many Africans who used the ground as their bed.

It’s worth mentioning that these Black Slaves brought to the camp were not entirely destitute. East Africa had prepared for each of them a small cloth bag containing a wooden rice bowl, a wooden spoon, a towel, a toothbrush, and a set of clothing.

The cloth bag and clothing were their sole assets retained from their labor in East Africa, which they carried with them wherever they went. After all, East Africa’s vast projects didn’t allow these Black Slaves to stay on a single construction site long-term.

The cloth bag had a strap, looking like a simple shoulder bag that one could carry at any time, designed to save materials.

As for clothing, they had to be washed daily when possible. Although there was only one set, Africa’s temperatures were high enough that clothes would dry overnight, so the East African Government didn’t think they needed spare clothes.

In the camp dormitory, the Black people got up by inertia. Former memories told them that soon after the wake-up call, if their beds weren’t tidied, they might receive a beating. But today, they waited for a long time without seeing the East African overseers who usually checked on them.

About half an hour later, Andel slowly brought soldiers to unlock the dormitory doors.

”Wow! This is truly surprising. Do these Black people usually get up this early?” Andel said in astonishment, seeing the Black Slaves who were already dressed but lost.

Andel was just a soldier; he hadn’t served as an overseer on East African construction sites, so he wasn’t familiar with these Black people’s daily routines in East Africa.

Originally, he thought this group of Black people should still be lazing about in bed. However, the reality was entirely different from his expectations, and Andel even doubted that he was hallucinating.

Although surprised by the performance of these Black Slaves, who had been trained in East Africa for years, Andel quickly regained his composure.

”Let’s have breakfast!” Andel ordered.

The Black people understood this phrase, but did not move immediately, since the usual procedure was for the East African overseers to wake them, line them up for washing, and then line them up for meals.

But now, Andel directly announced breakfast, which confused them. Many held towels and toothbrushes, ready to clean themselves first.

East Africa was indeed a country that valued hygiene, even for Black Slaves. Otherwise, they wouldn’t equip them with towels and toothbrushes. Besides these, East Africa also periodically provided soap and toothpaste, though Andel as a soldier and not an overseer was unaware of these provisions.

Seeing these Black Slaves standing still, Andel thought they hadn’t understood his meaning, so he had soldiers guide them to the dining place.

Eventually, one brave Black person explained the situation to Andel in an indescribable German dialect: ”Report sir, usually we wash and then eat. Are we not doing that today?”

After being under East Africa’s control for so long, many Black people naturally learned German.

”Oh! Is there such a custom?” Andel asked, puzzled.

East African Black Slaves were managed by professionals and didn’t directly interface with the military, so Andel’s lack of knowledge was normal.

However, since these Black people’s ”awareness” was high, Andel decided to accommodate their request, as maintaining hygiene was ultimately a good thing.

He said, ”Take them to the washing area, then to eat.”

So, under the guidance of East African soldiers, the Black Slaves went to the camp’s washing room, cleaned their faces and mouths simply, then put their towels and toothbrushes back into their cloth bags, took out their bowls and spoons, and arrived at the dining area.

Without a doubt, it was familiar communal meals—with various strange fruits, vegetables, and grains cooked into porridge. But the Black Slaves cherished it and ate heartily.

At 2 p.m., Andel finally welcomed the other troops tasked to receive this batch of Black Slaves. A total of one thousand Black people were escorted by over fifty East African soldiers, starting their long march inland into Togoland.

From Lome to the destination, the journey spanned over five hundred kilometers. East African Government had already set up more than twenty checkpoints along the way. These Black people would reach the converging area of Togoland (East Africa), Upper Volta (France), and Gold Coast (UK) in two weeks, marching nearly fifty kilometers a day.

East Africa truly intended to ”release” this batch of Black Slaves near the borders of East Africa, England, and France, which was undoubtedly good news for these Black Slaves, meaning they would regain their freedom after nearly twenty years of brutal exploitation in East Africa.

And this final five-hundred-mile journey could certainly be called a long march for freedom.

January 13, 1916.

The first batch of Black Slaves arrived at Togoland’s Hall Border Station. After East African officers distributed the dry food packages prepared for them, they said to the Black people, ”Starting today, you are free!”

”Run towards the west or the north! Do not look back. I fear I might have the urge to shoot anyone who turns around. Across the border lies the world of freedom. Once you reach there, you will have nothing to do with East Africa ever again.”

The surprise came so suddenly that these Black people didn’t react. When East African soldiers raised bayonets to drive them towards the English and French colonies, they finally realized, ”We are free! East Africans no longer need us!”

”Woohoo...” After realizing it, these Black people cried out bizarrely, dancing for joy.

Every Black person’s face was filled with delight. Twenty years—twenty long years of oppression, beatings, and exploitation—today, they were finally free!

They ran barefoot towards the English and French colonies, until East African soldiers were no longer in sight. Everyone cheered once more, some even knelt on the ground to weep, pressing their heads to the earth and kissing the free land. It was the first time in twenty years they had been reborn.

After seeing off the Black people, East African soldiers were happy. The freed Black people were happy, too. Yet England and France had not yet discovered East Africa’s little scheme. After all, it’s not easy to immediately notice the exiling of eighty thousand Black people to their colonies.

This was just the first batch, which would not alarm the colonial governments of England and France. But when East Africa transports all eighty thousand Black Slaves to their colonial territories, there might be a good show to see.