African royals visit Caribbean to discuss impacts of slavery

WI- A 15-member royal delegation from Africa is visiting Jamaica to hold discussions about how the trans-Atlantic slave trade affected the continent.

Sir Hilary M. Beckles, Vice-Chancellor of the University of the West Indies (UWI), said the arrival of the seven kings and eight queens would continue discussions that started with the Trevelyans' apology.

At a Reparations Forum in Grenada this week, the descendants of Sir John Trevelyan and his wife Louisa Simond apologised for their ancestor’s role in the slave trade.

According to Sir Hilary, among the topics to be discussed will include how African monarchs played a role in selling their fellow Africans to colonisers to work as slaves on plantations across the Americans and the Caribbean.

Beckles noted the slave trade “ravaged” many of the African monarchies that prospered for centuries before colonialism.

Among the delegation are Tanyi, Ambassador Ireno Omositson Namboka, Queen Cynthia Khumalo Mzilikazi III, and Princess Dr Nikiwe Bam.

Symposium

The will be among high-profile participants at a one-day symposium on Thursday, March 2, 2023, at The University of the West Indies (The UWI), Mona campus, being held under the theme 'Reparation and royalty, Africa and Europe: Exploding myths, empowering truths'.

At the symposium the African leaders are expected to discuss a range of issues relating to slavery and which the organisers — the Caricom Reparations Commission in collaboration with The UWI — expect will change the long-held view that African royals had a hand in one of the greatest crimes against humanity.

In addition, the conference will also examine strategies to improve knowledge among African and Caribbean peoples, and how to reconnect as well as strengthen Africa-Caribbean relationships, including through trade and investment.