‘Slave trade is back’ – Soyinka alerts at UNGA
Nobel Prize-winning writer, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has strongly criticised the persistence of modern slavery across Africa and beyond.
Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, Soyinka delivered a keynote address condemning the ongoing exploitation of vulnerable populations. His speech was part of the annual commemoration of the International Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
This year’s theme, “Acknowledge the past. Repair the present. Build a future of dignity and justice,” underscored the urgent need to confront historical injustices and their lingering effects.
Soyinka lamented the existence of active slave markets in different parts of the world, including Africa, despite global efforts to eradicate slavery. He pointed out the challenge of identifying modern forms of servitude, which often disguise themselves within intricate social, economic, and religious structures.
“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,” he asserted.
Soyinka explained that “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.”
During his speech, Soyinka referenced the abduction of 279 Nigerian schoolgirls as a harrowing instance of modern-day slavery. He drew parallels between their ordeal—being forcibly taken and subjected to exploitation—and the brutal history of transatlantic enslavement.
Additionally, he criticised organized religion for its historical and ongoing role in enabling slavery. He accused religious institutions of aligning with military and political forces to sustain oppressive systems, particularly during 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 remarked.
Soyinka concluded his address with a call for unified global action to dismantle the conditions that continue to trap countless individuals in modern slavery.
