Ghana slavery apology: Why many descendants say words are not enough
Many descendants of enslaved Africans argue that a formal apology for the transatlantic slave trade is insufficient without concrete action. A recent conference in Accra adopted a 19-point framework calling for apologies and reparations, but critics see it as merely symbolic.
The "Next Steps" conference on slavery and reparatory justice, held in Accra from June 17 to 19, brought together heads of state, policymakers, legal experts, and diaspora representatives. The event followed a landmark UN General Assembly resolution, backed by 123 countries, recognizing the transatlantic slave trade as one of the gravest crimes against humanity. Participants adopted a 19-point framework calling for formal apologies from countries and institutions that profited from slavery, along with reparations mechanisms, debt relief, return of cultural artifacts and human remains, educational initiatives, and stronger international cooperation.
However, for many descendants, an apology, however formal, is far from enough. Yaw Owusu Akyeaw of African Diaspora 126+ told Al Jazeera that a verbal apology is "a symbolic way to acknowledge a wrong while doing nothing tangible for repairing the damage." He compared it to a serial killer apologizing to reduce punishment. Marvin Walker, a Guyanese entrepreneur who recently moved to Ghana, echoed that such an apology can be seen as a shallow gesture rather than genuine regret.
The transatlantic slave trade devastated not only those taken but also those left behind. David Adofo of the African Chamber of Content Producers noted that trauma has been passed down through generations. "Slavery interrupted Africa’s growing civilization," he said, adding that investment in educational content production, funded by the West but developed by Africans, is needed to reshape mindsets. He pointed to the colonial Bantu Educational Kinema Experiment (BEKE) as an example of indoctrination.
For some descendants, the wounds are too deep for any apology to provide closure. An anonymous descendant, whose ancestors were left behind after abolition and lost all links to their origins, said, "No amount of apology will give me any closure." In Ghana’s Central Region, silence still surrounds families descended from those left behind, with taboos discouraging discussion of servile ancestry.
Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, a key architect of the UN resolution, announced the creation of three international bodies focused on reparatory justice, cultural restitution, and legal affairs. But many descendants measure justice not by official statements. As one participant put it, "They can keep their apology and give us what is morally owed with a side of compensation."
