This essay is situated within the debate on the relative effect of colonialism on political and economic development outcomes on the African continent and argues that the colonial effect was undeniably indelible. Specifically, through the exploration of contending approaches to the study of ethnicity in Africa, we examine the colonial imprint on the evolution, consolidation and contemporary consequences of ethnic affiliation in Africa. It submits that the colonial imprint on Africa is irrefutable and incontestably a continuous influence on contemporary Africa, and the challenges of conflict and governance emanating therefrom must be confronted headlong by African governments and peoples.