What are the marxist ideas on the development of pre-colonial African societies?

Not much to write home about. Little was known in Europe in Marx's day, and he tended to write off pre-colonial societies. Some see an African variant of a stagnant "Asiatic mode of production", others a local feudalism with some slavery thown in, some a slave-based economy developing feudal elements. A few adventurous souls have hypothesised an "African mode of production" based on village organisation modified by long-distance trade.