‘Africa going back to era of slave trade,’ Soyinka warns

Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka has warned that Africa is witnessing a resurgence of slavery, likening the continent’s present realities to the dark era of the transatlantic slave trade.

Speaking at the United Nations during the annual ceremony marking the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, Soyinka condemned the ongoing trafficking and exploitation of Africans.

The Nobel Laureate highlighted the persistence of modern slavery, particularly in Africa, where children are kidnapped and trafficked under the guise of religious mandates. He pointed to the Chibok kidnappings as a stark reminder that human bondage remains a brutal reality.

Reflecting on past struggles for freedom, he recalled witnessing Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s impromptu dance during the final phase of apartheid’s dismantling in South Africa—a moment he described as a testament to the power of liberation. However, Soyinka warned that true freedom remains elusive as new forms of enslavement continue to emerge.

He criticized the notion that some forms of slavery are less inhumane than others, calling such distinctions ethically inadmissible. Soyinka argued that slavery, at its core, is about ownership—where individuals are treated as commodities and denied their fundamental right to volition. He referenced the film Django Unchained to illustrate the brutal reality of being owned by another human being.

Soyinka also denounced the historical complicity of religions and governments in the slave trade, noting that religious conversion was once viewed as a threat to the profitability of slavery. He lamented the resurgence of neo-theocratism, which continues to perpetuate master-slave relations under new guises.

In his call to action, Soyinka urged for reparatory justice and the continuation of UNESCO’s Routes of Enslaved Peoples project to raise awareness about the lasting impact of slavery.

He introduced The Heritage Voyage of Return, a symbolic journey from the Diaspora to the West African coast, designed to promote learning, reconciliation, and cultural exchange. The voyage, he said, would include seminars, readings, films, and exhibitions, serving as both a memorial to the past and a bridge to a more just future.