Challenge: make 1 or more African state modernise

What you wanna do is get an African nation become modernised, and obviously avoid colonisation. They should at least be modernised to Thai standards or failing that, survive. I'd prefer for them not to be protectorates but if it's needed to survive, then DO IT.
Some possible countries:
Sokoto Caliphate
Madagascar
Kongo
Ethiopia
Morocco
Possibly the Barbary States
Bornu
Lunda
Some sort of Madhist state
Darfur
Zanzibar
Egypt
If you have any more suggestions for countries I'll edit in.
POD of 1700 or after

I know they might not all be plausible but they just suggestions (bad ones)
If you can have them be able to beat at least a second rate European power (like Portugal, I reckon) so a bit like Madagascar waring with Portugal and taking Mozambique. Also if you can have two or more not colonised and make some sort of anti colonial alliance with each over and maybe the Ottomans and Persia maybe they could help independence movements across Africa. Sorry for making this so long. Anyway if you can have win a war or have 2 or more survive and I'll post a pancake through your letter box.
 
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Can a European country ally with said country(ies) and form a fairly strict trade agreement with codicils regarding military access to European communities and facilities. In other words, can the local country(ies) get useful sponsorship and simply do their best to AVOID a colonial relationship. They might need technical help on some kind of scale. One good hired mechanical engineer can't build a railroad line by himself, for example.
 
Madagascar will be hard. Contrary to popular belief Merina only got into power after the rise and primacy of Sakalava. So unless Sakalava take over the Central Highlands and are unimpeded by European political meddling (ASB as far as I'm concerned) it won't work.

Tbh any African nation able to develop without European subjugation and political manipulation is ASB looking at history in general on the continent.

Morocco is dealing with an industrial revolution right across the strait that would compete with them greatly. How could they compete with the UK, France and other nations?

Ethiopia and Egypt with early hydropower would be interesting and possible though.
 
Per my post of 8:35 yesterday: a Protectorate includes a pledge to defend a particular territory from all comers, regardless of other terms. What I'm asking is: can the territory skirt the terms of what appear to be colonial status but work to create something...Special. Unique. Under the wire f**king brilliant? I call it a Reverse Aqaba.
 
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Per my post of 8:35 yesterday: a Protectorate includes a pledge to defend a particular territory from all comers, regardless of other terms. What I'm asking is: can the territory skirt the terms of what appear to be colonial status but work to create something...Special. Unique. Under the wire f**king brilliant? I call it a Reverse Aqaba.
In Africa? No.

The five communes of Senegal shows the volatile history of European powers and their positioning of aligned subjects/collaborators
 
Can a European country ally with said country(ies) and form a fairly strict trade agreement with codicils regarding military access to European communities and facilities. In other words, can the local country(ies) get useful sponsorship and simply do their best to AVOID a colonial relationship. They might need technical help on some kind of scale. One good hired mechanical engineer can't build a railroad line by himself, for example.
Yes
 
Madagascar will be hard. Contrary to popular belief Merina only got into power after the rise and primacy of Sakalava. So unless Sakalava take over the Central Highlands and are unimpeded by European political meddling (ASB as far as I'm concerned) it won't work.

Tbh any African nation able to develop without European subjugation and political manipulation is ASB looking at history in general on the continent.

Morocco is dealing with an industrial revolution right across the strait that would compete with them greatly. How could they compete with the UK, France and other nations?

Ethiopia and Egypt with early hydropower would be interesting and possible though.
How could early hydropower be developed, and what date do you think it could be created
 
Without example or explanation I'm gonna disagree totally.
How could early hydropower be developed, and what date do you think it could be created

Bernard Forest de Bélidor was the teacher of Abhram Petrovich Hannibal, favored African "Ethiopian" godson of Peter the Great.

Bélidor wrote a book called Architecture Hydraulique which basically shifted the trajectory of hydropower to what it is today.

Have old Hannibal plump, old and retired in 1762 looking at his grandkids wanting to "go home" (though he was not Habesha most likely) a powerful man such as he could send envoys personally to Ethiopia and basically intiate an earlier Russo-Ethio political and technological era.

Cossacks and Slavs were instrumental in Ethiopia's "modernization" from the early 19th century on, with folks like Moritz Hall (1838–1914), a Jew from Cracow and cannon-caster of Negus Tewordros II for example.
 
Without example or explanation I'm gonna disagree totally.


Bernard Forest de Bélidor was the teacher of Abhram Petrovich Hannibal, favored African "Ethiopian" godson of Peter the Great.

Bélidor wrote a book called Architecture Hydraulique which basically shifted the trajectory of hydropower to what it is today.

Have old Hannibal plump, old and retired in 1762 looking at his grandkids wanting to "go home" (though he was not Habesha most likely) a powerful man such as he could send envoys personally to Ethiopia and basically intiate an earlier Russo-Ethio political and technological era.

Cossacks and Slavs were instrumental in Ethiopia's "modernization" from the early 19th century on, with folks like Moritz Hall (1838–1914), a Jew from Cracow and cannon-caster of Negus Tewordros II for example.

What wonderful homework you do.
Impressive.
 
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