Many African countries faced problems after independence from European rule in the 1980s. Key issues included disease, poverty, drought, poor education, civil wars, ethnic conflicts, and genocide. Diseases like HIV/AIDS, malaria, and famine have had devastating impacts and remain major problems today. Civil wars erupted in countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, and Rwanda due to ethnic tensions. Overall, independence brought freedom but also new hardships as countries struggled with health, economic, and political stability challenges.