▁many ▁states ▁would ▁achieve ▁independence ▁in ▁that ▁year ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁" well ▁n igh ▁explos ive ▁rapid ity ▁with ▁which ▁the ▁pe op les ▁of ▁Africa ▁in ▁all ▁se ctors ▁are ▁emer ging ▁from ▁colonial ism ." ▁The ▁concept ▁of ▁a ▁" Year ▁of ▁Africa " ▁drew ▁international ▁media ▁attention . ▁ ▁The ▁myth ology ▁of ▁the ▁year ▁was ▁also ▁influenced ▁by ▁the ▁" W ind ▁of ▁Change " ▁speech , ▁delivered ▁on ▁ 3 ▁February ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁by ▁ ▁Harold ▁Mac mill an . ▁Spe aking ▁in ▁Cape ▁Town , ▁Mac mill an ▁acknowled ged ▁that ▁imperial ▁powers ▁would ▁have ▁difficulty ▁continu ing ▁to ▁control ▁their ▁colon ies . ▁The ▁speech ▁represented ▁an ▁ad mission ▁by ▁the ▁British ▁political ▁el ite ▁that ▁the ▁British ▁Empire ▁was ▁over ▁and ▁could ▁not ▁be ▁rev ived . ▁ ▁This ▁inspired ▁a ▁reaction ▁from ▁the ▁Empire ▁Lo yal ist ▁wing ▁of ▁the ▁Conserv ative ▁Party ; ▁see ▁Conserv ative ▁Monday ▁Club . ▁Afr icans ▁also ▁react ed . ▁In ▁the ▁words ▁of ▁Gu ine an ▁Foreign ▁Minister ▁C aba ▁S ory : ▁ ▁Independ ence ▁ ▁During ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁independent ▁countries ▁rose ▁from ▁nine ▁( with ▁populations ▁of ▁ 9 5 ▁million ) ▁to ▁twenty - six ▁( with ▁populations ▁of ▁ 1 8 0 ▁million ), ▁gain ing ▁their ▁independence ▁from ▁Belg ium , ▁France ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom . ▁ ▁From ▁France ▁In ▁response ▁to ▁mount ing ▁conflict ▁in ▁Al ger ia —