Africa is the world’s second-largest population and 2nd largest continent after Asia. Africa is a renowned name that has traveled way beyond the shores of the Nile to the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The name is one, over time, that is connected to historical heritages and tied to historical revolutions.
The ancient name of Africa was Alkebulan. Alkebu-lan “mother of mankind” or “garden of Eden”.” Alkebulan is the oldest and the only word of indigenous origin. It was used by the Moors, Nubians, Numidians, Khart-Haddans (Carthagenians), and Ethiopians. Africa, the current misnomer adopted by almost everyone today, was given to this continent by the ancient Greeks and Romans.”
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These first sets of Africans conquered empires, moving from one region to another, adding more territories to the Nation’s Masses creating today the 2nd largest continent in the world. The Moors to date, hold the topmost position as one of the strongest, richest, and most ost educated empires the whole of history has encountered.
The revolution of the present West African countries to have originated from ancient Kemet that is today’s Eygpt, West African states like Nigeria, Togo, Benin, Ghana, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Mali, South Africa, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Sudan among others.
The name Africa came into existence in the late 17th century. The name was only initially used to refer to the Northern parts of Africa. During this period colonialism was in practice, the Europeans roamed Africa and ruled over her people as slave masters. This influenced the change of name from Alkebulan to Africa. The word Africa was initiated by the Europeans and came into Western use through the Romans after the three Punic battles (264 BC to 146 BC) led by Publius Cornelius Scipio and the people of Carthage which is present-day Tunisia.
The word Africa is derived from both an andekand Latin origin. The Greek word “Phrike” means cold and horror, and the Latin word “Aprica’’ sunny.
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The name Africa ‘Alkebulan’ has been interpreted as, mother of Nations or mother of mankind, but Africa is also one of the oldest names of this continent.” The name Africa had various pronunciations due to Africa’s diversity in language. It is estimated that there are over 6,000 languages in the world and over 3,000 of them are from Africa.
However, some African historic scholars have suggested that the name Alkebulan is not about the name Africa. These scholars claim that the said name Alkebulan isn’t of Arabic origin nor is the meaning. The word Alkebulan in Arabic, Al is a prefix leaving just kebulan as a word, and so far the word is non-existent in Arabic, they claim.