‘Ghana was the crime scene’: The country leading the demand for slavery reparations presents three quite different perspectives. The wicked West is perhaps the mostly fondly held in the present age, but that it to disregard the rôle at least one of those nations played in both the abolition of the trade and slavery itself, though not without much opposition from many who lived in West Africa even until living memory. That of King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, which is not given the space it rightly deserves in this article is the least likely to be heard, and most likely to be rejected, but in Coco’s understanding probably much closer to the truth that many would wish to acknowledge. The third view is that which describes the corruption of some of the modern efforts to alleviate some of the poverty, which existed before even the West was involved, by the personal economic interests of organisations involved.
There is a reference to the CoE setting apart a fund, but there is no recognition of the benefit provided to the nation by the countless Christian workers in the country over the many years in which the kingdom of God has advanced there. Surely there should be some set-off, if economic or financial reparations are required, of the economic and financial benefits that have already been, and continue to be, provided?
We are to applaud the king for his openness. But let us not forget that the West were not the only part of the world involved in the trade. As well as the transatlantic trade there was a transafrican trade to the nations of the east, but perhaps some members of the African Union were beneficiaries of that trade in like manner to the West.
Let us also not forget that the trade continues today, with the option for families to buy the freedom of the enslaved. It is a trade which in part results in countless deaths on route, in small boats on dangerous waters and in the backs of sealed vans and containers, and in other parts to domestic abuse, murder, and enslavement in homes where ethnic prejudice is justified by a local, but putatively universal, paradigm.
After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying:
Revelation 7:9-12
Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!
All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying:
Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honour and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.