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October 10, 2026

President John Dramani Mahama has described the transatlantic slave trade as a deliberate system designed to strip Africans of their humanity, stressing that it was rooted in false ideas of racial superiority.
Speaking at a slavery-focused event at the United Nations Headquarters on Tuesday, March 24, he argued that how history describes slavery must be re-examined—starting with the language used.
According to him, the transatlantic slave trade was structured around an unfounded racial hierarchy that elevated whiteness above blackness, despite having no scientific or factual basis.
Mahama also challenged the use of the term “slave,” saying it diminishes the identity and dignity of those affected. He emphasised that those captured and transported were human beings who were trafficked and later enslaved, not inherently “slaves.”
He further noted that the brutalities of the era—and the inequalities that persisted afterward—were enabled by the perception of Africans as property rather than people.
The former president called for a shift in global discourse on slavery, urging that discussions should prioritise restoring the dignity of Africans and recognising the humanity of those who endured the system.
He concluded that any meaningful conversation about slavery and its legacy must begin with reclaiming the humanity of enslaved ancestors and, by extension, that of present generations

Tags: President John Dramani Mahama