Nigerian Cleric Petitions Trump Administration for Slave Trade Reparations

A Nigerian faith-based organisation, the Universal Prayer Fellowship, has formally submitted a petition to the Board of Peace at the White House in Washington DC, demanding reparations for the transatlantic slave trade. The petition addresses the historical injustices suffered by millions of Africans who were forcibly transported to the Americas during centuries of human bondage.

The organisation, led by a prominent Nigerian cleric, argues that the devastating impact of the slave trade continues to reverberate through generations of African descendants, manifesting in economic disparities, social inequalities, and psychological trauma that persist to the present day. They describe the requested compensation as "belated reparations" for crimes against humanity.

The transatlantic slave trade forcibly removed an estimated 12.5 million Africans from their homelands between the 16th and 19th centuries, with millions perishing during the brutal Middle Passage crossing. Those who survived faced lives of servitude, family separation, and systematic dehumanisation that stripped them of their cultural identities and fundamental human rights.

The petition to the Trump administration represents the latest in a long series of calls for acknowledgment and compensation for slavery's legacy. Reparations advocates argue that while no amount of money can undo historical wrongs, financial redress would acknowledge the profound damage inflicted and help address ongoing inequalities rooted in the slave system.

The United States has grappled with the question of slavery reparations for decades, with various legislative proposals and academic studies attempting to quantify the economic impact of forced labour and subsequent discriminatory policies. However, no comprehensive federal reparations programme has been enacted.

The Nigerian cleric's intervention adds an international dimension to the reparations debate, highlighting that the slave trade's impact extended far beyond American shores. Communities across West Africa, including Nigeria, experienced profound demographic and economic disruption as populations were decimated by the slave raiding that supplied the transatlantic trade.

Religious leaders have historically played significant roles in both the abolition of slavery and subsequent civil rights movements. The Universal Prayer Fellowship's petition draws on moral and spiritual arguments about justice, reconciliation, and the responsibility of nations to acknowledge their historical crimes.

Critics of reparations programmes often cite practical challenges, including identifying eligible recipients, determining appropriate compensation levels, and establishing connections between historical events and present-day conditions. Supporters counter that these difficulties should not preclude attempts to address historical injustice.

The petition comes at a time of renewed global attention to racial justice and historical accountability, following widespread protests against systemic racism in recent years. Several countries and institutions have begun examining their historical connections to slavery and considering forms of restitution.

The White House has not yet publicly responded to the petition. The Board of Peace, to which the petition was addressed, coordinates efforts related to conflict resolution and reconciliation initiatives. Whether the Trump administration will engage substantively with the reparations request remains to be seen.

For Nigerians and Africans more broadly, the petition represents an assertion of historical memory and a demand for recognition of the continent's profound losses during the centuries of enslavement. The outcome may influence how similar claims are pursued in international forums.