The most accurate description of the outcomes of African resistance to imperial rule would combine elements from the first two options:
African resistance to colonial rule was fierce, ongoing, and sometimes successful in the short term. In the long term, however, European empires often quieted resistance by force and political strategies, although resistance was never completely subdued.
This perspective acknowledges the intensity and determination of African resistance movements, which did achieve some short-term victories, while also recognizing the eventual overwhelming power of European empires to suppress these movements through military and political means. However, it rightly points out that resistance to colonial rule persisted in various forms, even after major uprisings were quelled.