The Slave Trade era may have ended in the 19 century, but they chose to remember. Their campaign was targeted at ending other forms of slavery.
Pupils, youths and women were determined to sensitise the town about the gory history of slavery and the need to avoid modern slavery. While singing anti-slavery songs, the crowd moved through the streets.
While the world was remembering the victims of slavery and the trans-Atlantic slave trade last Wednesday, the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) Lagos, decided to take the celebrations to one of the slavery the routes the ancient town of Badagry.
As a United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) designated Slave Trade Route widely noted as a key port in the export of slaves to the Americas, Badagry presented a perfect site for the commemoration of the International Day of remembrance of victims of slavery and the trans-Atlantic slave trade. The community prides itself in the several slave trade museums, most of which are private, established by families whose forefathers were direct victims of slavery or collaborators of slave traders.
These vivid reflections of that tragic history drew UNIC Lagos in partnership with African Rennaisance Foundation to the place. It also chose to add the voices of women and the young in its campaign against the hideous act.
This year’s Day of Remembrance, according to the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, pays particular tribute to the many women who suffered and died during the slave trade. “Women slaves played a key role in maintaining the dignity of their communities. Too often their leadership and brave resistance have been underestimated or forgotten,” Ki-moon said.
He noted that ‘tragically, slavery has still not ended’ as it ‘stubbornly persists in many parts of the world, in the form of forced labour, trafficking, sexual exploitation or captivity in slavery-like conditions. While calling for renewed commitment toward ending modern slavery, he said: “so our children will live in a world free of racism and prejudice with equal opportunity and rights for all”.
Badagry and its monarch played host to UNIC- organised. series of activities to mark the day.
An arts exhibition on the 2015 theme: Women and Slavery was held along with a film screening of a documentary, entitled: They are we. There were students’ briefing; awareness rally; slave dance/cultural display and visits to two Slave Trade Museums and the Slave Port.
The campaign train stopped first at the Mobee Slave Trade museum rich in relics of slavery, such as the ankles and neck shackles; the mouth locks; the Canons; etc. Seeing the neck shackles and attempting to carry some of chains weighing about 100kg, the pupils were shocked that it was meant to be put on a human’s neck.
The train moved next to the Seriki Faremi Williams Abass Slave Museum where the pupils and other participants inspected the slave cells, and had the ankle shackles demonstrated.
The National Information Officer of UNIC, Oluseyi Soremekun, who, thereafter, delivered UN Secretary General’s message in English and Yoruba, volunteered to have his ankles locked. After taking it off, he said: “It was physically painful and mentally disturbing as there was no freedom of movement, no freedom from violence and very traumatic. When the ankle locks were removed few minutes after, it left a ‘bangle mark’ on my ankles.”
The day’s activity ended with a discussion session. His Majesty, De Wheno Aholu Menu-Toyi I, The Akran of Badagry Kingdom, who was represented by His Honour, High Chief (Dr) Owheton Ahumbe II, the Agoloto of Badagry, urged parents who were in the habit of giving their children to other people to raise because of poverty to desist from such act, saying such children ran the risk of being subjected to slavery-like conditions.
African Rennaisance Foundation, Executive Director, Babatunde Mesewaku, provided a historical insight into Slave Trade in Badagry, urging that slavery be remembered and all such acts capable of bringing back the sad memories be shunned.
