Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has strongly criticized the persistence of modern-day slavery in Africa and beyond.
Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York during the annual observance of the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, Soyinka highlighted the ongoing exploitation and oppression in various parts of the world. This year’s theme, “Acknowledge the past. Repair the present. Build a future of dignity and justice,” underscored the need for global action.
Soyinka pointed out that despite historical abolition efforts, slave markets still exist, even on the African continent itself. Addressing skeptics, he stated, “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.”
However, he noted that modern slavery is not always visible, as it takes on new forms of economic, social, and religious subjugation. “The agent of that condition can be an individual, a community, a class, a race, or a religion,” he said.
Drawing attention to the abduction of schoolgirls in Nigeria, Soyinka likened their fate to historical slavery. Referencing the 279 kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls, he said, “Taken into a forest, divided up among their captors, and scattered to all corners of the world, their fate is to succumb to sexual duties, even where underage. These are the twenty-first-century horrors that spice the humdrum fare of daily existence.”
Soyinka further criticized the role of religion in enabling slavery, arguing that throughout history, faith has been used as a tool of oppression. “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 stated.
The event featured UN Secretary-General António Guterres, UNGA President Philemon Yang, and representatives from 193 UN member states. Previous keynote speakers have included Nikole Hannah-Jones (creator of The 1619 Project), Lisa M. Coleman (NYU senior leadership), and artist Christopher Cozier.
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