Did any african states or kingdoms benefit from their contacts with european traders? who would be the likely beneficiaries? who would suffer the most?

African states and kingdoms did benefit from their contact with European traders, however these benefits were rather limited and at the expense of a lot of lives of peopel who were there and who were required to work for minimal wages. Another thing that could be included here would be the slave trade that existed between the African states and the European nations. 

The mountains on the east would be taller