A peace-building organization in the country, Foundation for Peace Professionals (PeacePro), has called on former colonial powers, including the United Kingdom, to formally acknowledge and take responsibility for alleged injustices of the transatlantic slave trade and colonial rule.
In a statement by its executive director, Abdulrazaq Hamzat, while responding to remarks by the UK Labour Party leader, Kemi Bodenoch, who had opposed reparations for slavery and colonialism, he said that the remarks undermined impacts of atrocities of the slave trade.
Hamzat said that no amount of revisionism can erase legacy of slavery and colonialism, which he said involved the exploitation of millions that left enduring scars on societies around the world.
According to Hamzat, the harms inflicted on African nations and other colonized communities are incalculable, affecting generations economically, socially, and culturally.
Hamzat also said that, while reparations as being canvased by some may be necessary to address ongoing impacts, no compensation could fully account for the scope of suffering endured under the oppressive systems.
“While we advocate for reparative justice as an essential step toward healing and global reconciliation, we must also recognize that no compensation could ever fully account for the immeasurable loss endured,” said Hamzat.
“The legacies of slavery and colonialism are embedded in global economic and social structures today. Only by confronting these truths and accepting responsibility can former colonial powers begin to address these persisting inequalities”.
PeacePro’s statement draws parallels to the response following the Holocaust, in which nations accepted accountability and committed to reparations and ongoing education.
By contrast, little has been done to formally address the consequences of centuries of forced labour, cultural destruction, and economic exploitation that characterized the colonial and slave trade era.
PeacePro is urging governments, particularly those of former colonial powers, to adopt a comprehensive approach to reparative justice. This includes formal apologies, educational initiatives that openly address colonial histories, and efforts to address systemic inequities that are the lasting legacy of these atrocities.
PeacePro asserts that this approach is necessary to establish a foundation of global peace and respect among nations.
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