In the eyes of renowned historians and custodians of culture world over, the city of Calabar remains the nexus and placental thread that connects the slave merchants and the hinterland from where the human cargoes were captured, bonded and brought to be sold to the ready buyers for onward transportation to the new world of America and Europe. And that was why scholars from across the world converged in the beautiful Canaan city for seven days to discuss some of the important events that have helped to place the town on world map.

So, while scholars from all over the world settled down to discuss the slave routes as they concern Nigeria and Africa, what was upper most in the minds of participants was how to plow back the relics and historical heritage of the trans – Atlantic Slave Trade to help rebuild the world and create new cultural diversity for the benefit of humanity.

Even though scholars generally agreed that over 30% of the slaves shipped to the new world and different parts of Europe went through to the Calabar route, UNESCO officials have also deemed it necessary to consider the Calabar slave route as world heritage site.

In other words, the essence of the exercise is to find avenues to document and preserve all the historical materials for posterity and socio- economic relevance. Indeed, this international conference came at a time when the Cross River State Government has found it imperative to encourage UNESCO to open new vistas to locate and identify more routes in other to attract global attention to the State as a fore most tourist destination centre for the nation.

Addressing the conference, the Governor of the State, Senator Liyel Imoke said, “we know what this conference means to us- that over 30% f the slaves that left these shores did so from Calabar. Even though majority of them came from the hinter land, the Calabar route has been designated as one of the busiest and most vibrant while the inglorious trade lasted.”

Continuing, he added that, “For this and more, we give our support to UNESCO in its effort to make these relics a heritage site. We therefore declare this conference open with the hope that we get the necessary result at the end of the day.

“Hosting the representatives of UNESCO for this unique event is also an opportunity to showcase this State as the best tourist state in Nigeria.”

In the same vein, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Edem Duke observed that : “ For me , we can not really discuss the Diaspora without first of all locating the places where our people are plying their cultural values in the new world. And for us here, we need to explore the opportunities offered by their presence all over the world to create the necessary impact needed to make culture a global phenomenon.

In his own contribution, Ali Moussa Iye, who stood in for UNESCO said: “part of what we are doing here today is to remember and commemorate the HAITIAN revolution and also use this opportunity to emphasise the need for inter- cultural relation among the nation’s of the world.

He went on to say that “this project is to encourage more researches and field works on the routes and how to guarantee the safety of the information already gathered. We are now working more on oral and traditional historical facts to build more dossiers on this topic.”

Scholar after scholar harped on the need to use the contacts with the local communities to make the UNESCO effort work. In his keynote address, Hillary Beckless, a professor of History from the Barbados described the local people as very critical in the exercise to pinpointing those issues that re-shaped the history of the world.

“Slave routes played pivotal roles in the onward movement and transportation of peoples of African descent to the WEST and the new world. Therefore, Nigeria should use her vintage position in Africa to project these issues so as to make us more proud and relevant as Africans in the Diaspora.”

[size=18pt]Beckeless, who is the Vice Chair of the UNESCO international Scientific Committee for the slave routes project is also angry with the Nigerian government for not doing enough to rescuing the Diaspora.

According to him, “where we come from, we know those, who came from Calabar, those, who came from Yoruba land and so on. In Jamaica for instance, the settlers are Igbo and that is why, their pattern of life is Igbo. Even if you test Usain Bolt on a DNA now, he is likely to be an Igbo man.[/size]

In his welcome speech, Professor Tunde Babawale of CBAAC re-affirmed that since “the African Union has now considered the Diaspora as the sixth region of the world; we need to continue to promote the necessary ideals for African liberation and interest.”



http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/03/slavery-in-calabar-a-psychic-journey/

Dear friend:
You mentioned a very interesting and complex.
Personally, I do not think African policies regarding the dissemination of culture in America has been successful. Nor do I believe that the people chosen to make contact with the diaspora have done an effective job or at least seriously. Perhaps the city that retains the most original African traditions is Bahia in Brazil, but we must not forget that the reality of slavery in his time was not equal to that of Africa. For this reason I believe that there are two African, one in Africa, and one outside.
The project to which you refer is excellent and hopefully prosper.
My respectful greeting!

They're angry with us for not projecting our historical ties to the Diaspora through the slave trade? Does the Nigerian Gov't/Elite have time for such 'mundane' issues when there are oyel contracts to chase, oyel blocks to covert, and ethnic politics to dabble into ?

While we've been faffing about, Ghana has stolen our thunder regarding this whole 'Diaspora' and 'Slave Trade' thing: I've notice when Black Americans want to come to Africa either to get in touch with their roots or to learn more about the slave trade and how their ancestors left Africa, they head straight for Ghana.

The sad fact is that most traces of the Slave Trade from our past have either been looted, or the ones remaining have been destroyed through lack of maintainance and basically not giving a fuc/k about such issues.

Shikena.

It is not my intention to discuss the topic, but just give my opinion.
I do not know if the government of Nigeria is burdened with their jobs or not.
Nor if African Americans want to return or not.
I can be wrong, but possibly agree with you that Africa has an identity problem at its roots, you say you have destroyed the traditions ... well, then something must be done about it ... I do not think that the solution is to do nothing and mourn the destruction.
But you do not consider it personally, it's just my humble opinion.

They're angry with us for not projecting our historical ties to the Diaspora through the slave trade? Does the Nigerian Gov't/Elite have time for such 'mundane' issues when there are oyel contracts to chase, oyel blocks to covert, and ethnic politics to dabble into ?

While we've been faffing about, Ghana has stolen our thunder regarding this whole 'Diaspora' and 'Slave Trade' thing: I've notice when Black Americans want to come to Africa either to get in touch with their roots or to learn more about the slave trade and how their ancestors left Africa, they head straight for Ghana.

The sad fact is that most traces of the Slave Trade from our past have either been looted, or the ones remaining have been destroyed through lack of maintainance and basically not giving a fuc/k about such issues.

Shikena.

Aside from security, light and other perception issues, i think a major reason is that Ghana has so many things to show about slavery not just chains and some spots, but several castles scattered around the coastal landscape. I don't think there is a single castle in Nigeria where slaves were held. I would rather go see a castle than a monolith or a spot in badagry or some chains in a room.

rabzy:

Aside from security, light and other perception issues, i think a major reason is that Ghana has so many things to show about slavery not just chains and some spots, but several castles scattered around the coastal landscape. I don't think there is a single castle in Nigeria where slaves were held. I would rather go see a castle than a monolith or a spot in badagry or some chains in a room.

^^^Spot On!!! Coupled with the fact that Ghana doesn't have the kind of bad-press Nigeria has in the int'l media (no thanks to the bokos and kidnappers ) As a Tourist, you can go there with peace of mind without worrying about getting blown up or having your head chopped of for your efforts.

That's why i feel talk of tourism in Nigeria is a bit premature even though we have much more to offer than Ghana. Let's get the basics right first. Basics like:

*A safer environment with a reduced risk of running into kidnappers and the bokos (admittedly Calabar has less or virtually non of these problems, but the fact it's still in Nigeria works against it as travel advice is normally given on a Country by Country basis);

*Welcoming world-class Int'l Aiports with a seamless transfer to you final destination;

*Better quality Lodgings and Hotels comparable to anywhere else in the world, with a commensurate top quality service as well;

*Improved power supply.

The rest of the world either love or are fascinated by Nigerians and Nigeria, and if we get these basics in place, we'll get more Tourists than we can handle.

If you've ever travelled up North, you'll notice the natural tourist potentials just waiting to be tapped: wide, vast, open plains; rolling green hills in the Adamawa area; a welcoming friendly people (when the bokos are not around); and a rich history. If they could get security right up north, they could make a killing from tourism.

rabzy:

Aside from security, light and other perception issues, i think a major reason is that Ghana has so many things to show about slavery not just chains and some spots, but several castles scattered around the coastal landscape. I don't think there is a single castle in Nigeria where slaves were held. I would rather go see a castle than a monolith or a spot in badagry or some chains in a room.

NIgerians are just vicous. . .

They prolly destroyed them forts and castles immediately the last whiteman left .

But for Ghana, they dont have the type of mindset Nigerians do and it has paid off today in terms of tourism.
Although there is a fort in Ghana that is occupied by a whiteman and I found it very troubling as it was reminicent of the slave days.

Nigeria has nothing but stories to tell about the slave era, Ghana has castles, chains and even decendants of slavemasters to show. .

Takoradi castles and fort and also Cape Coast are a must visit for all slave tourists. . esp. "the point of no return" that opens out into the sea. . .

Perhaps the reason we dont have forts is because they werent many built. The official Lord Lugard's mansion which was prefabricated in Britain in the 1800s is still standing in its orriginal composition today in marina in calabar. It has been converted to a museum. Similarly, the Prisons wall which was built in 1893 or thereabouts is still standing today at the State Library calabar.

Nigerians havent been careful with preserving culture i agree but on this issue i dont think the absence of castles is all our fault. They weren many built (there are no records of them being built), and most of the old buildings built are still standing. At least in calabar.

I have not heard of any castles built in Nigeria for the slave trade, even though millions were taken from here. Why is this so, the Elmina castle was fought over many times by contending European powers, they could have easily come here and built one and ship directly from here. Could it be that coastal tribes in Nigeria resented their having a foothold here.

It would be nice to know this was so.

[size=13pt]<sup>All the paths to define psychics lead to a common explanation: A psychic has the ability to perceive paranormal events - things that occur out of the normal acceptance of society - through intuition which is an attribute in every human being.

Intuition is also called “sixth sense” or “extra sensory perception” ( ESP), a gift given by a superior power; with it, psychics are aware of things one common person cannot perceive using the five physical senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch.</sup> [/size]