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Freed and enslaved

Photo illustration by: UNESCO
Slavery in the previous centuries was marked with humiliation, torture and deaths of the victims. 
In 1791, Saint Domingue which is now called Haiti, experienced a fascinating strange event, where the enslaved people revolution. This insurgency led to the inception of International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition. 
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization(UNESCO) remarks this day annually with the dictum "to inscribe the tragedy of the slave trade in the memory of all people". It is a momentous occasion to remember the victims of slave trade, celebrate resistance and freedom, and fight against modern forms of slavery and racism. 

As the day is serving a purpose and directly aligned to its course, key stakeholders who have the gist to push the agenda of the day slightly are doing less and have not reached the goal. 

Young people, educators, artists, and intellectuals are those who are placed in the lens to help in championing the agenda for the anti slavery day. 

Majority of the nations who have had a past experience with slave trade are implicitly not free. Freedom in their country is just peeping through the eyes of a needle and cannot fully gain entry, peace is a paradox, racism and modern forms are entrenched within some of the systems. Haiti is grappling with gangs, majority of African nations have civil wars and political instability especially those in West Africa like Mali, and Chad. 

Remembering the day also can just mean nothing since those who are supposed to join in the celebration are grappling with a lot of challenges that distract them from fighting the course. 

Pan African groups exist virtually in the entire African nations buttressing to some parts of the world, but a million dollar question is, do they advocate for a common goal? 

Centuries have gone since the devalidation of slave trade, and as it is modern times modern ways, slavery have morphed to become invisible rather than visible. The majority of the slave survivors by descent are inherently enslaved and lack the impetus to end the slavery entirely. 
Consciously, majority of the African children are racist as they consider the whites gods as well as other general adults, South Africa is groaning against fellow Africans who have snatched them away jobs, some of the political outfits are for advocating against Apartheid or white man supremacy.

Universality, equality, inclusion and diversity averral exist in offices and papers while at the grassroots, people suffer tremendously. Racism within and outside Africa, black against black, white against black and vice versa as well in other parts of the world, yet the pageant representation of this day is wheeled on celebrations and putting on check the mileage recounted in fight against slavery of any form.

Everybody is a victim, killing the inner devil is what will extricate one and be off the shackles. Battling the superiority and inferiority complexes, calling off the perpetrators of modern slavery to adopt and embrace the new world of diversity.

Lest we remain to hold events, conferences, and form groups but fail to make a step forward.

It is worth noting the achievements of UNESCO, join hands in fighting what is worth it, and keep the light burning until the goal is achieved.

Thanks for reading.
By: Glen Don Okech
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