Why was there continuous political instability in west africa between 1500 and 1700?

The reason why there was continuous political instability in West Africa between 1500 and 1700 is that traders provided a regular supply of guns to tribal leaders.

Explanation:

This reason is also deeply intricated to Transatlantic slave trade. Slavers and traders offered guns to tribal leaders in exchange for slaves. They manipulated tribal leaders into thinking they needed guns to defend themselves from other tribes getting guns from other imperial powers. In exchange for the guns, slavers would get those men, women and children from rival tribes taken as prisoners. Eventually, pre-emptive strikes or self-defense gave way to raiding enemy tribes.

This dynamic resulted in ethnic distrust and hostility among the tribes in West Africa that persists today.