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President Akufo-Addo speaks at the breakfast commemorating the 400th anniversary of the beginning of the slave trade
The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, said the commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the beginning of the transatlantic slave trade was a recognition of the fact that Africans should never allow themselves to submit to such dehumanizing conditions and 39, be sold into slavery.
Describing the slave trade as "one of the most unfortunate and barbaric episodes in the history of humanity," the president said that nearly 12.5 million Africans d & # 39; Central and West Africa had been sold as slaves and their liberties had been restricted in order to force countries other than their own. and created wealth for the peoples of the unknown lands to which they were sent.
President Akufo-Addo made the remarks at an event organized by Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on the sidelines of the 32nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU). ), which was held in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) yesterday.
A statement issued by the Presidency yesterday to the Daily Graphic did not give any further information on this event.
Restore African dignity
President Akufo-Addo reportedly said: "As if that were not enough, the continent had to endure centuries of colonization by the same people as those who engaged in the slave trade.
The identity and personality of the African have been badaulted and the imprints of imperialism and colonialism have been deeply embedded in the fabric of our lives. "
As the continent commemorated the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first West African slaves in the Commonwealth of Virginia, the United States of America (USA), he declared "We have a sacred duty and a heavy responsibility to help restore the dignity and pride of the African."
He emphasized that Africa is a continent of about 1.3 billion people, more than the population of Europe or the Americas, that Africans were an enterprising, hard-working and innovative people, and said: "We have to make it an important thing."
Gather Africans
President Akufo-Addo said that Ghana was using the symbolism of 2019, nicknamed "the year of return", to bring together Africans, people of African descent and all sympathizers and freedom lovers in order to to strengthen the commitment to ensure that the history of Africa has never been reproduced.
Ghana launched the "Year of Return" in Washington, DC, in October 2018, followed by the Full Circle Festival in December 2018, which was attended by more than 70 African-American celebrities visiting Ghana to reconnect with their African heritage.
In the words of the president, they saw Ghana and, indeed, Africa, their own goals and were able to "eat, smell, see and carry Ghana".
The Back-2-Africa Festival, the Reunion and Investment Summit, the African-American Investment Forum, and the Pan-African Day and Emancipation Celebrations are some of the activities that will be organized. to commemorate this event of a duration of one year.
The commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the beginning of the transatlantic slave trade, said President Akufo-Addo, "should allow us, within the African Union (AU), to consolidate and strengthen our ties with our" sixth "region," which is the African diaspora or the "new world" that has slept and makes operational and extends the protocol on free movement to people from the diaspora seeking to resettle in Africa. "
welcome
Looking forward to welcoming people from the continent and diaspora to Ghana, the President said the time has come to engage more and to instill in ourselves a deep awareness and understanding of history African peoples.
He added that Ghana would ensure that the activities devoted to the arrival of the first African slaves in Virginia show the achievements, creativity, ingenuity and resilience of Africans throughout the ages.
"Africans must be proud of our rich heritage, a heritage that encompbades the ancient kingdoms of Benin, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kongo, Mali, Mutapa, Songhai and Zimbabwe. , as well as world-renowned learning centers of the University of Al Azhar in the 10th century and the University of Sankore in Timbuktu in the 13th century. I am proud to be African, "added President Akufo-Addo.
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