Final answer:
East African societies were different from those in West Africa as East Africa had more city-states and less central control, in contrast to West Africa which had large empires with centralized control.
Step-by-step explanation:
East African societies were different from those in West Africa in that East Africa had more city-states and less central control (option B). The east African coast was dotted with city states, such as Kilwa, which served as trading depots and were ruled by local kings. These city-states formed a culture known as Swahili, which was influenced by the settlement of Arabs and Indonesians along the coast. On the other hand, West Africa had large empires, such as the Ghana, Mali, and Songhai empires, which had centralized control and incorporated smaller kingdoms into their territory. Therefore, the correct answer is option B.