Fifty years after independence, how will you celebrate?

Independence celebrations in DRC in 2009. Source: Radio Okapi on Flickr.

Twenty-seven African countries celebrate 50 years of independence this year. If you live in one of those countries and you, or someone close to you, witnessed that historic day, tell us your story on the FRANCE 24 Observers.

How are you celebrating independence day in your country? What remains of colonial life; do old habits die hard? What's changed in the past 50 years? Send your response to observers@france24.com, along with your Observers username (if you've got one), a photo of yourself, and your phone number, or simply post it into the comments section below the post (once it's online).

We're particularly interested in accounts of people who saw independence firsthand. Don't hesitate to interview a parent, friend or relative about their experiences.

List of African countries which gained independence in 1960:

1 January 1960: CAMEROON

27 April 1960: TOGO

26 June 1960: MADAGASCAR

30 June 1960: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

1 July 1960: SOMALIA

1 August 1960: BENIN

3 August 1960: NIGER

5 August 1960: BURKINA FASO

7 August1960: IVORY COAST

11 August 1960: CHAD

13 August1960: CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

15 August 1960: CONGO

17 August 1960: GABON

20 August 1960: SENEGAL

22 September 1960: MALI

1 October 1960: NIGERIA

28 November 1960: MAURITANIA

Comments

freedom

Submitted by sees in the dark on Tue, 09/02/2010 - 21:05.

I am happy that somewhere in the world this crime has been reversed. Now I hope the newly free brothers and sisters on the African lands go all the way,and go back to there ways and cast off europeans ways? Not because there bad or anything, they work fine for europeans, its just not Africans ways thats all, they need to what and where they came from,so they will know where to go? Heres our learning web site, we after all started ALL FEDERAL REPUBLIC FORMS OF GOVERMENTS! IN THE WORLD?!? Dont belive then read the site?

web site.... http://www.ratical.org/many_worlds/6Nations/

"Africa Celebrates 50 years

Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Tue, 02/03/2010 - 10:58.

"Africa Celebrates 50 years of Independence". What a misleading Headline. Its the same as " Europe Celebrates 50 years of Independence". Is there something like that? Yes there are many African States who gained their freedom in 1960 but can someone please be specific. This headline further misleads the reader in thinking that "Africa is one Big Country". As an African, when I read the Headline at first I was wondering what the Journalist actually means. A better title would be, ".... so many ... African States celebrate 50 years of Independence". We learn alot from the Media but inaccurate information could lead to the miseducation of Readers. So many other countries and most of Sub- Saharan African countries are not celebrating 50 years of Independence as they only gained independece a in later years.

RE: Africa celebrates 50 years

Submitted by Sophie Team Obs... on Tue, 02/03/2010 - 11:32.

Dear Unregistered user,

I'm not sure which article you're referring to as this one is entitled "50 years after independence, how will you celebrate?", and then goes on the say that 27 African countries will celebrate 50 years of independence this year, in the very first line.

So the headline "Africa Celebrates 50 years" doesn't actually exist.

Best,

Sophie