Scholars in the field of Humanities have called for authentic leadership that inspires transformation to curb the neo-slavery that is ravaging the African continent. The scholars made their views known during a two-day international conference themed “Neo-slavery and the 21st Century African Experience”, organized by the Faculty of Humanities, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi state.

The conference which held at the Theatre Arts Auditorium of the University was geared towards proffering solutions to the increasing rate of neo-slavery in the 21st century, especially in the African continent.


Rep. of VC, Prof. Friday Nwalo in a group photograph with the rep. of keuynote speaker,Dr. John Otu, Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Ebonyi State, Prof. Amari Omaka SAN, Ag. Dean, Faculty of Humanities, Dr. Onuorah Nweke and some participants at the conference


Declaring the conference open, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Sunday Elom who was represented by the Director of Partnerships, Prof. Friday Nwalo, noted that in the 21st century, slavery has caused the African continent a lot of pains, and regrets that the inhuman act has the capacity to affect the future of the continent, if not curbed.

He noted that the theme of the conference was apt and timely because of the enormous challenges facing the African continent in that regard, adding that the conference will also help to address the problems by proffering solutions to the new-slavery malaise in the continent.


Rep. of VC, Prof. Friday Nwalo declaring the conference open
While delivering the keynote speech of the conference, the Vice-Chancellor, Maduka University, Ogbede, Enugu state, Prof. Charles Ogbulogo, said, towards a semiotic analysis of Neo-slavery, slavery appears to be part of human development across generations and cultures and the abolition of slavery has also remained part of the global history of humanity.

He noted that slavery existed in all forms of organized social structure and slaves relished in sympathy, kindness and extreme humility and the idea of the slave mentality plays out in most contexts of interaction between the African and its formal colonial masters.


Dr. John Otu delivering the keynote speech
The keynote speaker who was represented by Dr. John Otu, added that Africans are in perpetual dread of the Europeans and by extension anybody with a fair pigmentation and it is customary for Africans to accept the lordship of a fair skinned boss; the level of competence notwithstanding.

He maintained that Africans tend to prefer foreign life styles and cultural expressions over their own and the younger generation of Africans tend to express deep interest in escaping to Europe, Canada, Australia and the United States, even in the midst of great uncertainties.

Prof. Ogublogo averred that, deriving from the psychological realities of neo-slavery is the need for authentic leadership that inspires transformation and leaders in the transformational mode should ignite their team the spirit of inquiry and the desire to focus on a vision. He noted that real development begins with the mindset of freedom that are communicated in clear symbols shared across generations.


Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Ebonyi State, Prof. Amari Omaka SAN


Also speaking at the gathering, the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Ebonyi state, Prof. Amari Omaka SAN, who chaired the event, stated that neo – colonialism is one of the serious challenges facing the African continent at the moment.

He therefore challenged African Universities to emphasize on the research that meets the needs of the local environment in order to mitigate the ‘japa’ syndrome – a situation where Africans, mostly the youths are leaving in droves to foreign counties in search of greener pastures, mostly through illegal means. According to the legal luminary, illegal migration is a recipe for neo-slavery among Africans.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Ag. Dean, Faculty of Humanities, Dr. Onuora Nweke, noted that the purpose of organizing the conference was to enlighten Africans especially the youths on the dimensions, operations and dangers of new-slavery in the continent, in order to persuade relevant authorities to take proactive, sustained and determined actions against the vice, which according to him, has overwhelmed the consciousness of Africans since the 19th century when slave trade was abolished on the global scene.

He highlighted the various dimensions of new-slavery that have continued to rear its ugly head after the abolition of slave trade in 1863, to constituted among several others; human trafficking, child soldiers, forced prostitution and many more.


Ag. Dean. Faculty of Humanities Dr. Onuora Nweke delivering his opening remarks at the event

Neocolonial slavery no doubt still exists in Africa,but it's more pronounced among Francophone African countries.However fortunately some Francophone African countries are breaking off the neocolonial chains recently, starting with staging military coups since 2020 which toppled Franco ass licking governments.
Africa must be totally free of neocolonial chains, whether the European white pigs like it or not.