How does Mbemba's life illustrate the complex relationships between African coastal kingdoms and Europeans in search of power, cultural hegemony, and wealth?

The dynamics that played out in the lifetime of Nzinga Mbemba, King Afonso I of the Kingdom of Kongo typified the ambiguous nature of the socio-economic and international relations that still takes place even in the 21st century.

Explanation:

King Afonso, a Christian convert successfully established trade with the Europeans. The Europeans, however, wanted more than Wine and agri-produce. It was a dispensation when Slave Trade was still legal and a norm with the Europeans, perhaps even more lucrative than the agri-produce they came to  Kongolese for.

Against the wishes of the King, the Kings subjects sold out their own free people to the Europeans in exchange for Portuguese merchandise. He threatened to stop trading with the Europeans altogether if this didn't stop.

These dynamics are very similar across the coastal kingdoms of the African continent where the colonianism became hegemonic and has translated to neo-colonianism to date.

A good example is Nigeria where history records that the British left power to the North who to date believe it is their birth to rule not just the Northern states/region but to also dominate the other regions such as the south-south, south-west and the south-east.

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