The emphasis of this paper is on the place of culture in the overall development and underdevelopment processes of Africa. The paper argues that the concept of culture is embedded in language, education, socialization, food, textbooks, cosmetics and jewellery, which form part of the propelling forces of change, development and underdevelopment in Africa. The paper is strongly influenced by the methodology of Marxist political economy, with a bias for dependency theory, which argues that the near absence of development is due to an unequal trade link between Europe and Africa.