Africans Sold Africans Into Slavery – Seun Kuti
Seun Kuti | Photo – BBC
In recent times, the Black Lives Matter Movement has been a foremost conversation on the lips of many across the world. This is coming in light of acts of racism in different countries.
Nigerian singer Seun Kuti in an Instagram post has now weighed on the subject of slavery and how Africans played a part in it.
This is not the first time the Grammy-nominated singer is commenting on societal issues.
Earlier this year, the one time Guardian Life cover subject commented on the ban of motorcycle and tricycle operators (Okada and Keke napep riders) in Lagos state.
In a post he shared on his Instagram page, he berated Nigeria professionals whom he referred to as “largely oppressors in waiting”.
He expressed disappointment that while children lie dying in hospitals on the daily and police brutality is rampant, there has been no similar outrage like the one that has been expressed now that most of them “walk from bus stop to the office”.
He said to them they “the worst has happened!!!”
He wrote in part:
“If you wish for your children or loved ones to be Okada and Keke riders please raise up your hand! We know these ain’t jobs. We pacify those we have failed with slave labour and slave wages and we are ready to fight for them to continue slaving away!! #getthesax,.”
Seun Kuti | Photo – Pan African Music
In his latest opinion, the outspoken Nigerian singer stated that Africans were responsible for the sales of other Africans into slavery.
The singer in an Instagram post shared a clip from the popular book, “The African Slave Trade” which shows a letter written by the King of Congo to the Europeans in 1526 over the slave trade after noticing that noblemen were being turned into slaves.
The singer cited as a major problem the fact that the families of those who sold others into slavery still enjoy the ill-gotten wealth.
He asked that they are held accountable for the ‘crimes’ the slave-trading families committed. He wrote:
”This is a letter written by Afonso, formerly Nzinga a Mvemba, the king of Bukango ( now Congo) after Europeanizing himself and hoping for development.
This was in 1526 and we are still begging for help after falling prey and trusting the untrustworthy! Also when u say ‘Africans sold other Africans into slavery’ how does this letter make u feel?
African traitors sold other Africans and the problem is that till today they control the wealth they made and we haven’t held them accountable.
They were traitors not Africans #getthesax. Traitors sell their brothers out thereby losing the right to be called ‘Africans’ or ‘Brothers.
Seun is the son of the late activist and iconic singer Fela Kuti.
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