Africanization

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Africanization, as used in this article, refers to the modification of place names or personal names to better reflect an "African" identity. In some cases, changes are not strictly a change of name, but simply a transliteration different from the European name (e.g. Antananarivo).

Examples:

Joseph-Désiré Mobutu changed to Mobutu Sese Seko
François Tombalbaye changed to N'Garta Tombalbaye
Étienne Eyadéma changed to Gnassingbé Eyadéma
Francisco Macías Nguema changed to Masie Nguema Biyogo Ñegue Ndong
Fernando Po island changed to Bioko Island
Democratic Republic of the Congo changed to Zaïre
Léopoldville changed to Kinshasa
Salisbury changed to Harare
Lourenço Marques changed to Maputo
Dahomey changed to Benin (in this case, both names are from Africa)
Bechuanaland changed to Botswana
Gold Coast changed to Ghana
Rhodesia changed to Zambia and Zimbabwe
Nyasaland changed to Malawi
Afars and Issas changed to Djibouti
Fort Lamy changed to N'Djaména
Tananarive changed to Antananarivo
Bathurst changed to Banjul
Pretoria changed to Tshwane (note: this controversial change has not as yet been effected.)
Many names of European origin in South Africa have undergone Africanization since 1994, see South African Geographical Names Council.

Other name changes take place when an African person converts to another religion.

Examples:

Albert-Bernard Bongo changed to Omar Bongo
David Jawara changed to Dawda Jawara
Jean-Bédel Bokassa changed to Salah Eddine Ahmed Bokassa

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