The Paramount Chief of Manyoro Traditional in the Kasena Nankana District of the Upper East Region Pio Pwakweah A.A. Manchi III, has called on Africans to take ownership of their history and tell their own story about the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, rather than relying on perspectives from others.
Speaking at the Pikworo Heritage and Slave Camp during the 3rd edition of Upper East Region’s PANAFEST celebration, the traditional head lamented that the history of the slave trade has been told from the perspective of the perpetrators, rather than the victims.
He emphasized the need for Africans to highlight their own experiences, traditions, and cultural heritage to educate the world about the impact of the slave trade and to underscore their resolve never to lapse into such a low point in life again.
“But we must be careful not to let ourselves down twice. Why are we not telling our story? Why is the history of this event been told from the perspective of the protagonist of the trade? Why are our communities silent on the discourse of the slave trade? Why do we as Africans allow the obliteration from our collective conscience the shameful effect of such an event?”
He continued that “If humanity is our common determinator, we owe it a duty to assemble our efforts to be part of the conversation on this event. In our various communities, we still have traces, trees, natural and cultural heritage that will allow us showcase to the world what happened. We will not highlight these traces in order to forget about our pain, we will highlight them to underscore our firm resolve never to lapse into such a low point in life. Yet again, we will use such traces as a clear mirror to kill the audacity of denial prosecuted by the protagonist.”
The Pio Pwakweah A.A. Manchi III, further called on Africans to reflect deeply on the dark past of the slave trade and to ensure that governance, trade, and investment promote values of equality, respect for human dignity, and family.
“Let us use today’s occasion, to reflect deeply upon this event and its dark past on the conscience of humanity. Never again should governance, trade and investment encourage such a transaction in our modern political system of governance.”
“Our civilization, customs, traditions, and culture must reflect values that epitomize equality, respect for human dignity and family” he concluded.
On his part, the President of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs and Paramount Chief of Chiana, Pe Adiale Ditundini Ayagitam III, urged Ghanaians to use the PANAFEST celebration to reflect and reconnect with their past.
The Paramount Chief of Chiana also encouraged the youth to draw inspiration from the celebration, remembering the past, while learning from the history of their forebears and charging traditional leaders to continue leading with wisdom guided by their ancestors, and to stand firm in the spirit of Africanism, which he said would renew their purpose and destiny for a sustainable future.
“I want to urge you to use the PANAFEST celebration today here at Pikworo Heritage and Slave Camp to reflect and reconnect with the past. To the youth, the celebration inspire you to remember the past while learning the history of the our forebears.”
“To my colleague traditional leaders, may you continue to lead and be guided with wisdom from our ancestors and let us stand firm in the spirit of Africanism. May it renew our purpose and destiny for a sustainable future,” he advised.
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