Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has denounced the persistence of modern-day slavery in Africa and beyond.
He made these remarks during his keynote address at the United Nations General Assembly, held at the UN Headquarters in New York, on Tuesday.
The event marked the annual observance of the International Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
This year’s theme was “Acknowledge the past. Repair the present. Build a future of dignity and justice.”
Soyinka highlighted the continued existence of slave markets in parts of the world, particularly in Africa, despite progress in combating slavery.
He emphasised the difficulty of recognizing contemporary forms of slavery, which, he said, often operate under complex conditions involving individuals, communities, classes, races, or religions.
“Extant slave markets endure in notable parts of the world, including, most ironically, within the resource centre itself – the African continent. Establishing this for Doubting Thomases is easy though – we can lead you to them, physically.
“Often more difficult to establish, however, is the condition itself that constitutes slavery. Yet we must address it. We must, since one is fed by, and feeds on the other, creating a vicious cycle. The agent of that condition can be an individual, a community, a class, a race, or a religion,” he said.
In his speech, Soyinka drew attention to the kidnapping of 279 female schoolgirls in Nigeria, referencing the incident as a chilling example of modern slavery.
He compared the fate of these girls, taken by captors and subjected to exploitation, to the historical horrors of slavery.
He further criticised the role of religion in perpetuating slavery, stating that world religions have often been complicit in the exploitation of Africans, aligning with militarism to support the transatlantic slave trade.
“The self-acclaimed world religions worked hand in hand with militarism for the promotion of the lucrative trade on the African continent, as did the instrumentality of laws and edicts,” he added.
Soyinka called for a collective effort to address the ongoing conditions of slavery that continue to affect many in the world.
