This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/africa/8356357.stm
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| African slavery apology 'needed' | African slavery apology 'needed' |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Traditional African rulers should apologise for the role they played in the slave trade, a Nigerian rights group has said in a letter to chiefs. | Traditional African rulers should apologise for the role they played in the slave trade, a Nigerian rights group has said in a letter to chiefs. |
| "We cannot continue to blame the white men, as Africans particularly the traditional rulers, are not blameless," said the Civil Rights Congress. | "We cannot continue to blame the white men, as Africans particularly the traditional rulers, are not blameless," said the Civil Rights Congress. |
| The letter said some collaborated or actively sold off their subjects. | The letter said some collaborated or actively sold off their subjects. |
| The group said it was time for African leaders to copy the US and the UK who have already said they were sorry. | The group said it was time for African leaders to copy the US and the UK who have already said they were sorry. |
| It urged Nigeria's traditional rulers to apologise on behalf of their forefathers and "put a final seal to the history of slave trade", AFP news agency reports. | It urged Nigeria's traditional rulers to apologise on behalf of their forefathers and "put a final seal to the history of slave trade", AFP news agency reports. |
| FROM BBC WORLD SERVICE More from BBC World Service | FROM BBC WORLD SERVICE More from BBC World Service |
| Civil Rights Congress president Shehu Sani says they are calling for this apology because traditional rulers are seeking inclusion in the forthcoming constitutional amendment in Nigeria. | Civil Rights Congress president Shehu Sani says they are calling for this apology because traditional rulers are seeking inclusion in the forthcoming constitutional amendment in Nigeria. |
| "We felt that for them to have the moral standing to be part of our constitutional arrangement there are some historical issues for them to address," he told the BBC World Service. | "We felt that for them to have the moral standing to be part of our constitutional arrangement there are some historical issues for them to address," he told the BBC World Service. |
| "One part of which is the involvement of their institutions in the slave trade." | "One part of which is the involvement of their institutions in the slave trade." |
| He said that on behalf of the buyers of slaves, the ancestors of these traditional rulers "raided communities and kidnapped people, shipping them away across the Sahara or across the Atlantic". | He said that on behalf of the buyers of slaves, the ancestors of these traditional rulers "raided communities and kidnapped people, shipping them away across the Sahara or across the Atlantic". |
| Millions of Africans were forcibly transported to the Americas over a period of about 450 years from the middle of the 15th Century. | Millions of Africans were forcibly transported to the Americas over a period of about 450 years from the middle of the 15th Century. |
| More than a million people are thought to have died while in transit across the so-called "middle passage" of the Atlantic, due to the inhuman conditions aboard the slave ships and brutal suppression of any resistance. | More than a million people are thought to have died while in transit across the so-called "middle passage" of the Atlantic, due to the inhuman conditions aboard the slave ships and brutal suppression of any resistance. |
| Many slaves captured from the African interior died on the long journey to the coast. | Many slaves captured from the African interior died on the long journey to the coast. |
| Do you think traditional leaders should apologise for the slave trade? How complicit do you think African rulers were at the time? Send us your views using the postform below. | |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |