Slavery in Africa

slavery in Africa

aspect in a geographic region

Subclass of	slavery
Facet give	slavery

Burning of a village in Africa den capture of ein inhabitants (February 1859)

Na Slavery historically be widespread insyd Africa. Na systems of servitude den slavery once be commonplace insyd parts of Africa, as na dem be in much of de rest of de ancient den medieval world. Wen de trans-Saharan slave trade, Red Sea slave trade, Indian Ocean slave trade, den Atlantic slave trade (wich na dem start insyd de 16th century) begin, na chaw of de pre-existing local African slave systems begin dey supply captives for slave markets outsyd Africa. Slavery insyd contemporary Africa still dey exist insyd sam regions despite e be illegal.

Insyd de relevant literature African slavery be categorized into indigenous slavery den export slavery, wey dey depend on whether anaa na dem no trade slaves beyond de continent. Na dem practise slavery insyd historical Africa insyd chaw different forms: na dem dey practise all debt slavery, enslavement of war captives, military slavery, slavery for prostitution, den enslavement of criminals insyd various parts of Africa. Na slavery for domestic den court purposes be widespread thru out Africa. Plantation slavery sanso occur, primarily on de eastern coast of Africa den insyd parts of West Africa. Na de importance of domestic plantation slavery increase during de 19th century, secof de abolition of de Atlantic slave trade. Na chawAfrican states dependent on de international slave trade reorient dema economies towards legitimate commerce worked by slave labour.

Forms

Plenty kind slavery and servitude don dey exist for African history, dem shape am with wetin our people dey do before plus Roman slavery wahala (and how Christian people later take see am), Islamic slavery way come from Muslim slave trade, plus e finally join Atlantic slave trade matter. Slavery be one kind matter wey dey run for Africa society for long time, but how e be fit change. Ibn Battuta, wey visit Mali kingdom for 14th century, talk say people for there dey compete who go get plenty slaves and servants, and dem even give am one slave pikin as 'hospitality gift'. For sub-Saharan Africa, di slave relations dem dey very complex, with some rights and freedoms wey dem dey give to people wey dem hold for slavery, plus some wahala wey dey restrict sale and how dem go treat dem by dem masters. Some communities get levels for di different kind of slaves: like, dem dey distinguish between those wey don born enter slavery and those wey dem catch through war.

Slavery for Africa no be joke, e dey connect with how pipo sabi each other. For many African towns, where land no dey belong to anybody, if person wan climb status, dem go fit enslave am to boost im influence and link up with more pipo. Dis one make slaves dey permanent for the master family, and even the pikin wey dem born from slaves fit join the big family ties well well. Pikin wey dey born for slave family fit join the master family group, e fit even become big person for society, sometimes e fit reach chief level too. But yawa still dey, e go still get bad name and proper line between the slave pipo wey dey the family and the master side.

Chattel slavery

Chattel slavery be like when dem fit treat slave as if dem be dey own property. So, di owner fit sell, trade, or treat di slave like any other thing wey e get for him possession, and di pikin wey come from di slave too dey belong to di master. Plenty proof dey show say chattel slavery don dey happen for Nile River valley, for Sahel and North Africa too. But e no clear how far chattel slavery dey go for di rest of di continent before dem write am down for Arab or European traders.

Domestic service

Plenty slave relationship for Africa dey center around domestic slavery, wey slaves go dey work for their master house, but dem go still get small freedoms. Dem domestic slaves fit be like part of the master family, and dem no go fit sell dem go another person unless wahala plenty. Dem slaves fit chop the money wey dem make from their work (whether land or products), and some fit marry and pass the land give their pikin for plenty cases.

Pawnship

Pawnship, or debt bondage slavery, dey use people as collateral make dem fit pay back debt. Di debtor or im paddy (normally pikin) go do di work. For West Africa, pawnship na normal way to secure loan. E mean say person or im family member go serve other person wey dey give credit. Pawnship dey different from slavery for some ways, like dem get specific work wey person go do, plus di family go fit protect dem from being sold into slavery. Before European waka come, pawnship dey happen plenty for West Africa among Akan people, Ewe, Ga, Yoruba, and Edo people. E still dey happen small-small among Efik, Igbo, Ijaw, and Fon people too.

Military slavery

Slaves for sacrifice at the Annual Customs of Dahomey – from The history of Dahomy, an inland Kingdom of Africa, 1793

Military slavery be when dem go collect and train soldiers wey dem force join, and e go still be military slaves even after dem finish work. Dem slave soldier groups go dey under one Patron, fit be government head or independent warlord wey go send him boys go fight for money and to chase him own political gains.

Dis one dey very important for Nile valley (mostly for Sudan and Uganda), wey slave soldiers dey organize by different Islamic leaders, plus di war chiefs wey dey West Africa. Di military units for Sudan start for 1800s as dem dey carry out big-time military raiding for di area wey we call Sudan and South Sudan now.

Slaves for sacrifice

Human sacrifice dey happen for West Africa grind till 19th century. E no clear for ground before white man land, but for dem societies wey dey do am, na slaves be the main victims.

The Annual Customs of Dahomey na one bad case wey plenty slaves go dey sacrificed, sometimes 500 prisoners go follow am. Sacrifices dey happen all long West Africa coast and even inside. Dem dey do sacrifices for Benin Empire, wey dey current southern Nigeria, and for some small independent states for that side too. For Ashanti Region, human sacrifice dey mix with death penalty sometimes.

Local slave trade

Young slave women in Luanda, c. 1897

Plenty nations like Bono State, Ashanti wey dey Ghana now and Yoruba wey dey Nigeria now dey do slave-trading. Groups like Imbangala for Angola and Nyamwezi for Tanzania dey act as middlemen or roaming gangs, dey fight African states to catch people for export as slaves. Historians like John Thornton and Linda Heywood from Boston University don estimate say, out of di Africans wey dem capture and sell as slaves go New World for Atlantic slave trade, about 90% na fellow Africans wey sell dem to European traders. Henry Louis Gates, di Harvard Chair of African and African American Studies talk say, 'if no be for complex business partnerships between African elites and European traders, di slave trade to di New World no go fit happen, at least no go be dis scale wey e happen.'

Bubi people dey come from slaves wey run away from different tribes wey plenty ancient West-central African groups get.

Practices by region

Malagasy slaves (Andevo) carrying Queen Ranavalona I of Madagascar

Like plenty other places for di world, slavery and forced work dey happen inside plenty kingdoms and societies for Africa for plenty years. Ugo Kwokeji talk say di early European reports on slavery for Africa wey happen for di 1600s no dey reliable, because dem mix plenty kinds of servitude with chattel slavery.

Di best proof of slave waka for Africa dey come from di big kingdoms, especially for di coast, and e get small proof say widespread slavery dey for stateless societies. Slave trade no be di main thing, e dey follow other trade matter; but e get proof say dem dey use one trans-Saharan slave route since Roman time wey still dey persist after Roman Empire fall. But di way family connection and rights wey dem dey give slaves (except dem wey dem carry come from war) fit limit di level of slave trade before trans-Saharan, Indian Ocean, and Atlantic slave trade start.

North Africa

Kushite prisoners of war watched over by Egyptians, waiting to be deported into Egypt. Relief from de tomb of Horemheb in Saqqara.

Release of de Christian slaves by payment of ransom by Catholic monks for Algiers in 1661

Slavery for northern Africa dey go back to ancient Egypt long time. Di New Kingdom (1558–1080 BC) carry plenty slaves as prisoners of war come up di Nile valley and use dem for work inside house and supervised jobs. Ptolemaic Egypt (305 BC–30 BC) dey use land and water routes to bring slaves come.

Chattel slavery dey happen plenty for North Africa, whether na under Ancient Carthage (around 814 BC – 146 BC) or later when Roman Empire dey control am (145 BC – around 430 AD) and Eastern Romans (533 to 695 AD). Dem get slave trade wey dey carry Saharans go North Africa through desert, wey dey happen during Roman time, as dem still fit show am with documents for Nile Valley say dem dey regulate am with treaty. As Roman republic dey expand, dem dey make defeated enemies slaves, and di conquests for Africa no be exception. For example, Orosius talk say Rome carry 27,000 people from North Africa make dem slaves for 256 BC. Piracy become big source of slaves for Roman Empire, and for 5th century AD, pirates dey raid coastal North African villages, carry people wey dem catch go enslave.

Chattel slavery still dey happen after Roman Empire fall for di Christian areas wey dey there. After dem Islamic trade start for Sahara, di practice continue, and na im make di slave matter spread go major places like Mali, Songhai, and Ghana. Di medieval slave trade for Europe na mainly for East and South: Christian Byzantine Empire and di Muslim World na di places dem dey send slaves go, while Central and Eastern Europe dey supply plenty slaves. Di slave trade for medieval Europe na Christians and Jews dey run am together. Early early for di medieval time, Jews get almost all di trade control between Islamic and Christian countries, but as we reach di thirteenth century, dat one no dey apply for di slave trade again.

Christian slavery in Barbary

Di Mamluks na slave soldiers wey convert to Islam and serve di Muslim caliphs and di Ayyubid Sultans for di Middle Ages. Di first Mamluks serve di Abbasid caliphs for 9th century Baghdad. As time go, dem become powerful military group, and plenty times dem take power wey be dem own, like when dem dey rule Egypt from 1250 to 1517. From 1250, Egypt na di Bahri dynasty of Kipchak Turk people wey dey rule am. White people wey be slaves from Caucasus join di army dey form elite troops, later revolting for Egypt create di Burgi dynasty.Template:Unreliable source? According to Robert Davis between 1 million and 1.25 million Europeans were captured by Barbary pirates and sold as slaves to North Africa and the Ottoman Empire between the 16th and 19th centuries. However, to extrapolate his numbers, Davis assumes the number of European slaves captured by Barbary pirates were constant for a 250-year period, stating:

"There are no records of how many men, women and children were enslaved, but it is possible to calculate roughly the number of fresh captives that would have been needed to keep populations steady and replace those slaves who died, escaped, were ransomed, or converted to Islam. On this basis, it is thought that around 8,500 new slaves were needed annually to replenish numbers – about 850,000 captives over the century from 1580 to 1680. By extension, for the 250 years between 1530 and 1780, the figure could easily have been as high as 1,250,000."

Davis' figures dey cause quarrela for history class, like David Earle talk. E warn say true gist of European slaves dey confuse because dem corsairs dey carry non-Christian whites from east Europe plus black people from West Africa too.

Plus, the number of slaves wey dem dey trade mad, dem go just dey guesstimate plenty, dey use big years take calculate for whole centuries or even thousands of years. So, year-to-year e dey scatter well well, especially for 18th and 19th centuries, as slaves wey dem dey import no dey consistent. Before 1840s, records no dey tight at all.Template:Citation needed span Middle East guy wey sabi, John Wright, dey warn say the figures wey dem dey use now mostly dey based on wetin people fit observe from back.

Christian prisoners are sold as slaves in a square in Algiers, Ottoman Algeria, 1684

Dis observation wey dem do for late 1500s and early 1600s show say around 35,000 European Christian slaves dey for Barbary Coast, wey include Tripoli, Tunis, but e plenty for Algiers. Most of dem na sailors wey dem take with their ships, but some be fishermen and coastal people. Overall, most of di captives come from places wey dey near Africa, especially Spain and Italy.

De coastal villages and towns for Italy, Portugal, Spain, plus dem Mediterranean islands dey fall victim to pirates plenty times, an long area for Italian and Spanish coasts don almost empty because people don vex waka go. After 1600, di Barbary pirates go fit carry dem waka enter Atlantic, even reach Iceland. Di most famous corsairs na Ottoman Barbarossa (wey dem dey call Redbeard), plus im elder brother Oruç, Turgut Reis (dem dey call am Dragut for di West), Kurtoğlu (wey dem dey call Curtogoli for di West), Kemal Reis, Salih Reis, and Koca Murat Reis.

For 1544, Hayreddin Barbarossa carry Ischia, take 4,000 people prisoner, and send about 9,000 Lipari guys go slavery, almost everybody dey there. For 1551, Dragut enslave all the people for Maltese island Gozo, like 5,000 to 6,000, send dem go Libya. When pirates attack Vieste for southern Italy for 1554, dem carry 7,000 slaves. For 1555, Turgut Reis waka go Corsica, scatter Bastia, take 6,000 prisoners. For 1558, Barbary corsairs capture town Ciutadella, destroy am, kill people wey dey there, and carry 3,000 survivors go Istanbul as slaves. For 1563, Turgut Reis land for Granada province, Spain, and capture coastal settlements like Almuñécar, plus 4,000 prisoners. Barbary pirates dey attack Balearic islands plenty, make dem build coastal watchtowers and strong churches. The wahala hard so much wey Formentera no get people again.

Black Zanjs captured in a slave raid being marched to a slave market in the Arab world

Early modern sources dey plenty with stories of the wahala wey Christian galley slaves of the Barbary corsairs dey face:

Those who have not seen a galley at sea, especially in chasing or being chased, cannot well conceive the shock such a spectacle must give to a heart capable of the least tincture of commiseration. To behold ranks and files of half-naked, half-starved, half-tanned meagre wretches, chained to a plank, from whence they remove not for months together (commonly half a year), urged on, even beyond human strength, with cruel and repeated blows on their bare flesh....

For 1798, dem Tunisians come attack di islet wey dey near Sardinia, and dem carry over 900 people go as slaves.

Sahrawi-Moorish people for Northwest Africa dey live like say dem get plenty tribal groups wey fit no mix. Di Hassane warrior tribe dem dey rule and collect tribute wey dem call horma from di lower Berber people wey be znaga. Under dem, you go see di Haratin people, wey be black population wey dem dey treat as servants.

Dem wey be enslave for Sub-Saharan Africa, dem dey carry dem go cross North Africa enter Arabia make dem do farm work, because dem fit survive malaria wey plenty for Arabia and North Africa when dem dey start the slavery. Sub-Saharan Africans sabi endure di malaria-infested area wey dem go, dat be why North Africans no dey carry dem go, even though dem dey close to Arabia and di places wey dey around am.

Horn of Africa

A "servant-slave" woman in Mogadishu (1882–1883)

Slaves in Ethiopia, 19th century

For Horn of Africa, di Christian kings for Ethiopian Empire dey catch slaves mostly from di pagan Nilotic Shanqella and Oromo people wey dey for dia west border, or from new land dem don take back or colonize. Di Somali and Afar Muslim sultanates, like di Adal Sultanate wey be for di medieval time, dey use dia ports to trade Zanj (Bantu) slaves wey dem catch from di bush.

Slavery wey dem dey do for Ethiopia na mostly for house, and e be women wey dem dey carry go far pass men; dis one self dey happen for plenty parts of Africa. Women dey go across Sahara, Middle East, Mediterranean and Indian Ocean pass men. Dem wey dem enslave dey serve for their master or mistress house, but them no dey do much productive work. Dem dey regard the enslaved as second-class family members for their owners side. The first time wey dem try stop slavery for Ethiopia na Emperor Tewodros II (1855–68),Template:Unreliable source? but e no be until 1923 wey dem officially stop di slave trade when Ethiopia join League of Nations. Anti-Slavery Society talk say over 2 million slaves dey for di early 1930s, from population wey fit be between 8 and 16 million. Slavery dey happen for Ethiopia till Italian people come invade for October 1935, when dem waka come remove am by order of dem soldiers wey occupy the place. After World War II, as Western Allies pressure dem, Ethiopia officially say no to slavery and anybody wey no fit work free after dem take back their independence for 1942. For 26 August 1942, Haile Selassie come make one announcement wey ban slavery.Template:Unreliable source?

For Somali area, dem dey buy slaves for slave market just to work for plantation. About law matter, na Sultans and local big men dey set how dem go treat Bantu slaves. Sometimes, dis plantation slaves go fit chop freedom through escape, emancipation, or dem fit pay ransom.

Central Africa

See also: Atrocities in the Congo Free State and Cannibalism in Africa § Congo Basin

A slave market insyde Khartoum, c. 1876

Elderly female slave, c. 1911/1915, owned by Njapundunke, mother of the Bamum king Ibrahim Njoya

Slaves don dey move since olden days along trade ways wey cross Sahara.

Oral stories talk say slavery dey for Kingdom of Kongo since e start, as Lukeni lua Nimi dey enslave Mwene Kabunga wey e conquer to set up di kingdom. Early Portuguese write-ups show say di Kingdom get slavery before dem meet, but na mostly war captives from Ndongo Kingdom.

Slavery dey happen plenty for Upper Congo River, and for di second half of 18th century, dis place change to major source of slaves for di Atlantic slave trade, as di price for slaves for coast high make long-distance trade sweet. When di Atlantic trade finish, di price of slaves drop sharp-sharp, and local trade increase, with Bobangi traders controlling am. Di Bobangi self dey buy plenty slaves with di money wey dem make from selling ivory, and dem use dem to fill dem villages. Slaves wey dem sell from dem family, usually because of bad behavior like adultery, no go try run away. E still dey common to sell pikin during famine. But captured slaves fit try escape, so dem dey carry dem move hundreds of kilometres far from dem homes to make sure say dem no fit run.

De slave trade really jam dis area for Central Africa, e change all di things wey dey happen for society. E make traders fit create strong network wey dey carry food and handmade goods from small producers wey dey near di river. E be like sey just small slaves wey fit sit for canoe go cover di trip cost plus make profit, so traders go use di space wey no dey use for di canoe carry other goods come go far without adding plenty money. Even though di big money wey Mekong River slave trade dey bring go only reach small traders, dis side of di trade still help local producers and customers small.

For some areas inside Congo Basin, e no dey rare for dem to kill slave and chop am, especially during celebration times. People wey see am, dem talk say dem dey buy, butcher, and chop slave like say na normal daily hustle, no wahala, e no get strong emotions. Dem wey dey do am see am like e no different from how dem dey chop goat and other animals.

West Africa

Homann Heirs map of de slave trade in West Africa, from Senegal and Cape Blanc to Guinea, de Cacongo and Barbela rivers, and Ghana Lake on de Niger River as far as Regio Auri (1743)

Different kinds of slavery dey happen for different places for West Africa before Europe come trade. Ghanaian historian Akosua Perbi talk say, for places like Ghana, dem don already get indigenous slavery by 1st century AD, e start from long ago. Even though slavery dey exist, e no too common for plenty West African societies wey no be Islamic before Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. Before dem bring slave trade for Atlantic, West Africa no get wetin go fit make slave society work well, like small market size and no proper job division. Most West African societies dey run as family units, so slavery no dey too main for how dem dey produce things. For dem kinship societies, slaves go fit do almost the same work wey free people dey do.

But e be true wetin Nigerian historian Professor Philip Igbafe talk say, until late 19th Century, slavery for Kingdom of Benin, and other West African kingdoms, get hin own place for the state structure, e come from the 'economic, military, social and political needs of the Benin kingdom'. Oba (king) and normal citizens dey own slaves. For pre-colonial Benin, dem dey get slaves in plenty ways: through wars wey dem dey use take expand, gifts wey dem dey give Oba, wey sef dey inherit slaves from pipo wey no fit write will and also tribute wey dey come from dependent areas to Oba and big chiefs. Lastly, hardened criminals or those wey dey do serious crime fit either face execution or dem go sell dem into slavery. If person get plenty slaves, e be sign of hin status. Slaves dey work for militia and dey be main labour force for chiefs, plus dem dey meet local needs for human sacrifices. When dem finally ban slavery, e bring plenty wahala wey get economic, political and social consequences.

Boukary Koutou's Mossi cavalry returning with captives from a raid

Martin Klein talk say before Atlantic trade, slaves for Western Sudan be just small part of di population, dem dey inside di house, dey work with free people for di house, plus dey join network wey be face-to-face link. As trans-Saharan slave trade and gold money begin grow for western Sahel, plenty major states begin structure around di slave trade, like Ghana Empire, Mali Empire, Bono State and Songhai Empire. But some communities for West Africa no gree accept slave trade. The Jola dem no wan join the slave matter till seventeenth century come finish, and dem no use slave work for their side until the nineteenth century. The Kru and Baga too fight against the slave trade, you know. Di Mossi Kingdoms dey try grab important places for di trans-Saharan trade, but when dem no fit, dem come turn defenders against slave raiding wey powerful states from di western Sahel dey run. Later on, di Mossi join for di slave trade inside di 1800s, mostly for di Atlantic slave trade.

Human sacrifice of slaves in the kingdom of Dahomey

Senegal be di starting point for slave trade, and di Homann Heirs map show where dem dey move people and trade well. Di culture for Gold Coast no dey based on land wey family sabi grow, but on power wey person hold. For Western Africa, dem develop slavery as dem sabi wetin go fit help di aristocracy and wetin go fit suit di area. Dis kind governance use di 'political tool' to check different work and di way dem dey take blend slavery. Domestic and farm work dey show say e be main thing for Western Africa, because dem dey see slaves like 'political tools' wey fit give you access and status. Slaves dey marry plenty wives pass their owners, and e dey boost owners' status too. No be all slaves dey do the same work. European colonizers join the trade to fit their country's pocket. Dem Moorish traders for desert and Portuguese traders wey no too strong show say different ways wey dem dey use slaves so far, and where dem dey go for the trade.

Historian Walter Rodney talk say no slavery or big domestic work for early European stories wey talk about Upper Guinea region. I. A. Akinjogbin self dey argue say European accounts show say slave trade no be big thing for coastline wey Yoruba and Aja people dey control before Europeans come land. For one paper wey dem read for Ethnological Society of London for 1866, the viceroy of Lokoja, Mr. T. Valentine Robins, wey go on journey up River Niger with HMS Investigator for 1864, come describe slavery for that area:

Upon slavery Mr Robins remarked that it was not what people in England thought it to be. It means, as continually found in this part of Africa, belonging to a family group-there is no compulsory labour, the owner and the slave work together, eat like food, wear like clothing and sleep in the same huts. Some slaves have more wives than their masters. It gives protection to the slaves and everything necessary for their subsistence – food and clothing. A free man is worse off than a slave; he cannot claim his food from anyone.

When Atlantic slave trade start, e make people dey rush for slaves for West Africa and plenty states turn plenty for slave trade, domestic slavery too start dey rise well well. Hugh Clapperton for 1824 talk say half of Kano people be slaves. For Gold Coast area, plenty of dem wey dem capture be from far inside the land, dem be defeated people from plenty wars wey dem dey sell as part of wetin dem dey call "eating de country" wey dey try scatter fallen enemies make dem no fit regroup again. Ghana historian Akosua Perbi talk say from 15th to 19th century for Ghana, di main way dem dey get slaves na through war, slave market, pawning, raid, kidnapping and tribute, while di small-small ways na from gifts, convictions, community or private deals.

A slave trader of Gorée, c. 1797

For Senegambia area between 1300 and 1900, e be like one-third of di people na slaves. For early Islamic states of di western Sahel like Ghana (750–1076), Mali (1235–1645), Segou (1712–1861), and Songhai (1275–1591), around one third of di population na slaves. For Sierra Leone in di 19th century, about half of di people na slaves. Among di Vai people for di 19th century, three quarters of dem be slaves. For di 19th century, at least half di people wey dey among di Duala of Cameroon and other folk around lower Niger, di Kongo, and di Kasanje kingdom plus Chokwe of Angola, na slaves. For Ashanti and Yoruba, one third of di people shawa na slaves. Di population of Kanem (1600–1800) get about one-third as slaves. E fit be like 40% for Bornu (1580–1890). Between 1750 and 1900, from one to two-thirds of di whole people for di Fulani jihad states na slaves. Di population of di largest Fulani state, di Sokoto Caliphate, at least half na slaves for di 19th century. Among di Adrar, 15 percent na slaves, and 75 percent of di Gurma na slaves. Slavery dey very common among di Tuareg people and plenty of dem still dey hold slaves today.

When British dem come control Sokoto Caliphate and di areas for northern Nigeria for di 20th century waka, around 2 million to 2.5 million people dey suffer as slaves. Di slavery matter for northern Nigeria finish around 1936 be di end.

African Great Lakes

Zanzibari slave trader Tippu Tip owned 10,000 slaves

Sea trade dey happen from eastern Africa Great Lakes to Persia, China, and India for di first millennium AD, and dem talk say slaves be small matter compare to gold and ivory. When dem mention am, di slave trade no be big, e dey mostly happen when dem dey carry women and children from Kilwa Kisiwani, Madagascar, and Pemba islands. For places like Uganda, di experience for women wey dey in slavery no be like di normal slavery wey dey happen then. Di roles wey people dey take depend on gender and di position for di society. First, we gatz sabi sey Uganda get different types of slavery, wey get peasants and den slaves. Researchers Shane Doyle and Henri Médard talk say dem get clear difference with dis:

If dem peasant show bravery for battle, dem go fit get slaves from di lord or chief wey dem fight for. E be possible say dem fit collect slaves from relatives wey don become chiefs, or dem fit inherit slaves from dem papa. Dem get two types: abanyage (dem wey war carry come) and abagule (dem wey dem buy). All dis na under abenvumu or true slaves, meaning dem no free at all. Higher level be di young Ganda wey dem maternal uncles go put for slavery (or pawn), normally to repay debt... On top dat, both chiefs and king dey use sons of rich men wey wan show dem respect to win favor for demself or dem pikin. Dem na abasige and dem dey increase noble family plenty... All dis different categories of people wey dey house be classed as Medard & Doyle abaddu (male servants) or abazana (female servants), whether dem be slave or free-born.(175)

For di Great Lakes area for Africa (like wey dem dey call Uganda now), dem don get signs wey show say slavery dey through war capture, trade, en pawning since long time; but e be like dis pawning don increase plenty for 18th en 19th centuries, no be small. Dis slaves wey dem consider dem pass di ones from Gold Coast. Dem dey look dem with more respect because of di training wey dem sabi.

Di language wey slaves dey use for Great Lakes area no be di same. Dis water area dey make am easy for dem to catch slaves and carry dem go. Dem dey call dem captive, refugee, slave, peasant en plenty names so to describe dem wey dey for di trade. Di difference na wetin dem go use dem for and where dem catch dem. Methods like pillage, plunder, en capture na di words wey dey common for dis region to show wetin be di trade.

Slave traders plus de pipo dem capture, dem chain dem en put 'taming sticks' for deir neck. dis one de come from Livingstone's story

Historians Campbell and Alpers talk say for Southeast Africa, dem get plenty kinds of work wey dey happen. Dem also reason say de difference between slave en free people no really matter for most communities. But as international trade dey grow for 18th and 19th century, Southeast Africa begin to join de Atlantic slave trade big time; like wen king of Kilwa island sign contract with French merchant for 1776 to deliver 1,000 slaves every year.

Around that time, traders from Oman, India, en Southeast Africa dey start set up plantations for di coast and di islands. To fit workers for dem plantations, dem dey raid slaves en hold dem like say na normal tin for di region, en slave traders like Tippu Tip dey come up for di political scene well well. Southeast African trade dey shine for early 1800s, wey dem dey sell like 30,000 slaves every year. But e no really fit become strong matter for local economies, except for Zanzibar wey dem get plantations en agricultural slavery wey dem still dey maintain. Author en historian Timothy Insoll talk say: "Dem record say 718,000 slaves dey waka come out from Swahili coast for 19th century, and dem still get 769,000 wey still dey for coast." For different times, like 65 to 90 percent of Zanzibar dey be slaves. For Kenya side, 90 percent of people be slaves, wey half of Madagascar people dey also be slaves.

South Africa

Further information: Slavery in South Africa

Some African leaders, especially from Zulu and other Nguni dem, dey join slave trade by catching people from enemy groups when fight dey happen. Dem go sell those people into slavery.

Changes wey happen

Main articles: Trans-Saharan slave trade, Atlantic slave trade, and Indian Ocean slave trade

De way wey slave relationships for Africa don change na through four big processes: de trans-Saharan slave trade, de Indian Ocean slave trade, de Atlantic slave trade, plus de policies wey free slaves for 19th plus 20th centuries. All dis processes really change de way slavery be, de level, plus de money wey dey involve for Africa.

De slave wahala for Africa, e dey show different times wey European dem go fit use am to link with Africa people. For 18th century, some writers for Europe talk say slavery for Africa dey too harsh, na to fit justify de Atlantic slave trade. Later writers come dey use de same gist to justify how European powers go fit intervene den colonize to stop slavery for Africa.

Africans sabi wetin dey happen to slaves insyde de New World. Plenty big men for Africa dey waka go Europe on slave ships wey follow de wind go New World. Example be dis: Antonio Manuel, wey be Kongo ambassador to Vatican, go Europe for 1604, e stop for Bahia, Brazil, wey e arrange make dem free one of him paddy wey dem wrongly put for slavery. African kings too dey send their pikin dem follow this slave route to school for Europe, and plenty former slaves come later return build Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Trans-Saharan, Red Sea plus Indian Ocean slave trade

Main articles: Trans-Saharan slave trade, Red Sea slave trade, and Indian Ocean slave trade

De beginning times

Beginning records of de trans-Saharan slave trade dey come from ancient Greek historian Herodotus for 5th century BC. Di Garamentes wey Herodotus talk about dem, dey be people wey dey do trans-Saharan slave trade and dey carry cave dweller 'Ethiopians' (Ethiopian be Greek name for Black, no be people wey come from Ethiopia), or Troglodytae. Di Berber Garamentes dey depend plenty on di work of slaves from sub-Saharan Africa. dem dey use slaves for dia own communities to build and manage underground water system wey Berbers sabi as foggara.

For early Roman Empire time, Lepcis city sabi set up slave market wey dey buy en sell slaves from Africa inside. Di empire put customs tax for slave trade matter. For 5th century AD, Roman Carthage dey trade black slaves wey dem carry come from Sahara. Black slaves dey special for Mediterranean as house slaves because dem get fine look. Some historians talk say slave trade for dis time fit dey more than medieval times because Roman Empire dey need plenty slaves.

Slave trade for Indian Ocean start since 2500 BC. Old Assyrians, Babylonians, Egyptians, Greeks, Indians and Persians dey trade slaves small-small across Indian Ocean (and sometimes Red Sea). Around de time of Alexander de Great, Agatharchides talk say dem dey trade slaves for Red Sea. Strabo's Geographica (finish after 23 AD) talk say Greeks from Egypt dey trade slaves for port of Adulis and other ports for Somali coast. Pliny de Elder's Natural History (publish for 77 AD) also describe Indian Ocean slave trade. For 1st century AD, Periplus of Erythraean Sea dey talk say e get plenty chance for slave trade for de area, especially de trading of 'fine girls for side chick work'. Dis manual talk say, dem dey carry slaves come out from Omana (wey fit dey around wey Oman dey now) and Kanê go west coast of India. De old Indian Ocean slave trade dey come from de way dem build boat wey fit carry plenty pipo cross di Persian Gulf, using wood wey dem bring from India. Dis shipbuilding don dey happen since Assyrian, Babylonian and Achaemenid times times oo.

After Byzantine Empire and Sassanian Empire join for slave business for 1st century, e turn big deal o. Cosmas Indicopleustes talk for him Christian Topography (550 AD) sey dem go take slaves wey dem catch for Ethiopia put am for Byzantine Egypt through Red Sea. E too talk say dem fit bring non-Africa eunuchs from Byzantines wey dey Mesopotamia en India. After 1st century, black Africans wey dem dey ship go everywhere don turn 'constant factor'. under de Sassanian,de Indian Ocean trade no be only slaves dem carry, e be scholars plus merchants too wey dem dey move.

Arab slave traders en markets

De slave market insyde Zanzibar, c. 1860

De enslavement of Africans for eastern markets don start before 7th century but e no too dey high till 1750. De trade dey burst around 1850 but e fit don finish by 1900. Muslim wey dey join slave trade start for de eighth en ninth century AD, e start with small-small movement of people, plenty from de eastern Great Lakes area and de Sahel. Islamic law gree for slavery, but e no gree make dem take other Muslims wey don dey exist before; so, de main people wey dem dey target to enslave na de ones wey dey live for de border areas of Islam for Africa.

De slave trade wey dey cross Sahara and Indian Ocean get long story, e start when Arab traders begin control sea routes for ninth century. Dem talk say at dat time, small small thousands of people wey no free dey carry go every year from Red Sea and Indian Ocean shore. Dem dey sell dem for Middle East. Dis trade dey hot as better ships come make trade dey plenty en dem dey need more hands for plantation. As time go, tens of thousands dey carry go every year. For Swahili Coast, Afro-Arab slavers dey trap Bantu people from insyde come bring dem to di shore. der, de slaves slowly fit in dem rural areas, especially for de Unguja en Pemba islands.

Dis one change di slave matter, as e make new jobs for slaves (like eunuchs wey dey guard harems, and for military). E also create chance for freedom (like conversion—though e go only free di children of di slave). Even though trade no too big, di total number of slaves wey don pass through di trade plenty for many years. Because e small and dey happen slowly, de way e take affect slavery for people wey no convert to Islam no too plenty. But for 1800s, de slave trade wey dey go Africa to de Islamic countries really catch fire. Wen de European slave trade stop around 1850s, di trade go east start to shine again before e finish wen di Europeans come colonize Africa around 1900. From 1500 to 1900, about 17 million African slaves waka go reach Indian Ocean shore, Middle East, plus North Africa, thanks to Muslim traders.

For 1814, Swiss guy wey dem call Johann Burckhardt talk about him waka for Egypt and Nubia, where he see dem dey trade slaves: "E plenty times, I don watch two scenes wey dey very shameful, plus na only de traders wey dey act am dey laugh. I fit talk say, very few female slaves wey don pass ten years fit reach Egypt or Arabia as virgin."

Swahili-Arab slave traders plus de people wey dem catch for Ruvuma River for Mozambique, 19th century

David Livingstone dey talk about de slave trade for East Africa for him journals:

  To sabi all di bad matter no fit happen, e dey impossible.[112]: 442 

Livingstone talk say one group of slaves dey waka wey Arab slave traders force dem for African Great Lakes area when e dey travel there for 1866:

 

19th June 1866 – We pass one woman wey dem tie her neck to tree, she don die. de people for di place talk say she no fit follow di other slaves wey dey work, ein master don decide say she no go belong to anybody if she recover.[112]: 56 

26th June 1866 – ... We see one slave woman wey dem don shoot or stab, she dey lie for ground: group of men dey around hundred yards far from one side, plus some women dey another side dey watch; dem talk say one Arab wey pass early morning do am vex because he don lose de money wey ein pay for her, cause she no fit waka again. 27th June 1866 – Today, we come see one man wey don die from hunger, ein dey too thin. One of our guys waka come find plenty slaves wey dem don leave for side, dem get slave-sticks on, dem masters don abandon dem because no food; dem too weak to even talk or say where dem come from; some of dem be small pikin.[112]: 62 

De way wey people dey die for trans-Saharan routes dey match how e be for trans-Atlantic. E no easy for slaves wey dey travel go Egypt, plus North Africa, e be high die rate, even if dem dey feed dem well plus treat dem fine. Old books wey slaves buyers dey use – wey dem write for Arabic, Persian plus Turkish – talk say Africans wey come from Sudanic en Ethiopian area dey sick en fit die when dem reach new place.

Zanzibar be di main slave port for East Africa before, en during di 19th century, Omani Arabs dey control am, plenty slaves, like 50,000, dey pass through di city every year through di Zanzibar slave trade.

European pipo wey de do trade plus colonial markets

European slave trade for Indian Ocean start when Portugal set up Estado da Índia for early 16th century. Till around 1830s, roughly 200 slaves dey comot from Mozambique every year, and dem same number dey estimated for slaves wey dem carry from Asia go Philippines during Iberian Union (1580-1640).

De Dutch East India Company start for early 17th century make slavery hustle boom big-time for the area; dem fit get like 500,000 slaves for different Dutch colonies for 17th den 18th centuries for Indian Ocean. For example, about 4000 African slaves dey used build Colombo fortress for Dutch Ceylon. Bali plus dem neighboring islands dey supply local network with around 100,000-150,000 slaves from 1620-1830. Indian plus Chinese slave traders dey bring like 250,000 slaves come Dutch Indonesia during 17th den 18th centuries.

De East India Company (EIC) start during dat time, plus for 1622, one of dem ship carry slaves from Coromandel Coast go Dutch East Indies. EIC dey trade mostly for African slaves but dem dey chop some Asian slaves wey dem buy from Indian, Indonesian and Chinese slave traders. De French come establish colonies for Réunion den Mauritius for 1721; by 1735, about 7,200 slaves dey live for di Mascarene Islands, plus dis number reach 133,000 by 1807. De British come take di islands for 1810, but since dem don ban slave trade for 1807, dem start secret small-small slave trade to carry slaves go French farm owners for de islands; for all, 336,000–388,000 slaves don dey export go Mascarane Islands from 1670 to 1848.

For all, European traders carry 567,900–733,200 slaves from Indian Ocean between 1500 den 1850, plus dem carry almost same number from Indian Ocean to Americas during dis time. But make I tell you, slave trade for Indian Ocean no plenty like de c. 12,000,000 slaves wey dem carry cross di Atlantic.

Atlantic slave trade

Main article: Atlantic slave trade

African slaves wey de work for Virginia for 17th century, by artist wey nobody sabi, 1670

De Atlantic slave trade or transatlantic slave trade dey go on for di Atlantic Ocean from 15th to 19th century. Patrick Manning talk say dis trade really change how Africans dey, dem move from small minority wey dey be slaves for de world for 1600 to plenty wey take over by 1800. By 1850, de number of African slaves for Africa don pass de ones for de Americas.

De slave trade change from small part to de economy to the biggest business na just small time. Plus, agriculture farms grow plenty en dem turn key part for plenty societies. De big cities wey use to be de root of de main trade road don move go West coast. At de same time, plenty African communities move go far from de slave trade roads, dem dey try protect demself from Atlantic slave trade but e dey block dem from making economic den tech development too.

European colonial empires, African kingdoms plus dem trade roads for 18th century

For plenty African communities, traditional lineage slavery don turn more like chattel slavery because work demand don increase. This one make life dey bad for many people, wetin dem dey work and status of slaves for West Africa no too dey fine. Assimilative slavery dey fade away, come replace am with chattel slavery. For Africa, assimilative slavery go still let some slaves fit chop freedom, plus dem fit influence culture, social matter, and money too. Slaves dey often see as family members, no be just somebody property.

Di way dem dey share sex for di enslaved people under traditional lineage slavery show say women be more desirable slaves. Dem need dem for house work and to born pikin too. Boys wey dey work as slaves na dem dey do plenty heavy farm work, but as more men dem carry come West Coast and cross Atlantic go New World, dem dey use more girls too for farm work and dem dey collect plenty wives. Chattel slavery for America dey rough because plantation work hard and na dis place be the main spot wey boys slaves dey land for New World.

Jean-Baptiste Debret mindset wen ein hear of pipo wey be slaves for Brazil (1839)

Dem talk say when plenty able people waka go during the Atlantic slave trade, e fit make many societies no fit cultivate land well den grow. Many smart people dey argue say de slave trade wey cross Atlantic leave Africa underdeveloped, plenty people no balance for dem population, plus make dem dey weak for future colonization from Europe.

De first white people wey land for Guinea coast na de Portuguese; de first white man wey actually buy enslaved Africans for di area na Antão Gonçalves, wey be Portuguese explorer for 1441 AD. Dem come mainly to trade for gold en spice, come set colony for de empty islands of São Tomé. For de 16th century, de Portuguese wey settle find say de volcanic islands dey good for sugar farming. Sugar farming no be small wahala plus de Portuguese settlers no easy to bring because of de heat, no better road, plus de hard life. So, to grow di sugar, dem start rely on plenty enslaved Africans. Elmina Castle for de Gold Coast, wey de African workers build for de Portuguese for 1482 to fit control de gold trade, come turn important place for slaves wey dem go carry go New World.

Slave trade along the Senegal River, kingdom of Cayor

De Spanish na de first white people wey use enslave Africans for islands wey dey America like Cuba and Hispaniola. where de wahala for death wey dey happen for local population make dem bring de first royal law to protect dem (Laws of Burgos, 1512–13). De first enslaved Africans land for Hispaniola for 1501 after de Papal Bull of 1493 give almost all de New World to Spain. For Igboland, dem Aro oracle (dem Igbo religion people) dey start punish plenty people wey small matter fit no even fit carry dem go slavery before, so e make more guys dey available for slavery wey people fit buy.

Asante plus other West African kingdoms, 18th century

De Atlantic slave trade burst well for late 18th century, when plenty people from West Africa dey buy or capture go America. De wahala wey come from European colonial powers expansion for de New World make de slave trade sweet pass, so de West African powers dey chop beta money from am. E bring plenty empires wey dey thrive on de slave trade, like Bono State, Oyo empire (Yoruba), Kong Empire, Imamate of Futa Jallon, Futa Toro, Kingdom of Koya, Khasso, Kaabu, Fante Confederacy, Ashanti Confederacy, plus Dahomey kingdom.

Slave factories wey traders from four European countries maintain for Gulf of Guinea for wetin dem dey call Nigeria now, 1746

Dose kingdoms dey use soldier lifestyle wey plenty war dey happen, so dem fit gather plenty humans wey dem go fit sell to de Europeans. E dey show for de Slave Trade Debates wey happen for England for de early 19th century: 'All de old writers no dey agree say wars no be just for making slaves, but dem also dey say Europeans dey start am for dat reason.' As dem dey gradually stop slavery for European colonia empires during de19th century, e make de African empires slow down den finally collapse. When European countries start to halt de Atlantic slave trade, e make dem big men wey get slaves for Africa begin use dem for plantation plus other farm products.

Abolition

Main articles: Abolitionism and Blockade of Africa

18th en 19th centuries

Last big change wey happen for slave matter na when dem start to free slave small-small for mid-19th century. As European people dey take over plenty land for inland Africa wey don start for de 1870s, de colonial policies no clear at all. E be like say, even wen dem talk say slavery no legal again, de colonial authorities go still carry back people wey don run away go give dem master. Slavery still dey continue for some countries for de colonial rule time, plus for some times, e no be until dem get independence say dem start to dey change how slavery dey go. fight against colonial wahala for Africa dey bring slaves plus dem former masters to gather fight for independence; but e no last long, after independence, political parties dey form based on slaves and masters levels.

For some places for Africa, dem still dey do slavery plus slavery-like wahala, especially de illegal movement of women en pikin for bad things. De wahala don show sey e dey hard for government plus people wey dey fight for rights to fit remove am.

European guys start dey fight against slavery and slave trade for late 18th century, e really change tings for African slavery matter. Portugal be di first country for di continent wey cancel slavery for em mainland plus Portuguese India with law wey dem pass on 12 February 1761, but e no change wetin dey happen for demma colonies for Brazil and Africa. France don cancel slavery for 1794. But Napoleon bring am back for 1802, en e no finish till 1848. Denmark-Norway be de first European country wey really stop de slave trade for 1803. Slavery itself no really stop till 1848. Britain be next in line wey drop am for 1807 wen dem pass Abolition of de Slave Trade Act for Parliament. dis law fit chop serious fines, e dey increase as the number of slaves wey dem carry be plenty, for slave ship captains. After dat, dem bring the Slavery Abolition Act 1833 wey free all slaves for de British Empire. Dem British people dey pressure other countries wey make dem gree say dem go stop slave trade from Africa. Like say , de 1820 U.S. Law on Slave Trade wey turn slave trading to piracy, if dem catch you, na death be de punishment. plus, de Ottoman Empire don cancel slave trade from Africa for 1847 sekof British pressure.

By 1850, na de year wey dem last big player for Atlantic slave trade (Brazil) pass de Eusébio de Queirós Law wey ban de slave trade, de slave trades don slow down well well, plus e be only illegal trade wey dey happen. Brazil still dey carry on plus slavery matter , plus na dem be de major source for illegal trade till around 1870 en De end of slavery come tun forever, e go dey always for 1888 wen Princess Isabel of Brazil plus Minister Rodrigo Silva (wey be Eusebio de Queiroz paddy) ban de matter. De British dey try hard to stop de illegal Atlantic slave trade for dis time. De West Africa Squadron don catch 1,600 slave ships from 1808 to 1860, wey dem don free 150,000 Africans wey dey inside di ships. Dem take action against African leaders wey no gree sign British treaties wey go stop de trade, like say, de 'usurping King of Lagos' wey dem remove for 1851. Dem sign anti-slavery treaties with over 50 African rulers.

Capture of de slave ship Emanuela

As Patrick Manning talk am, internal slavery na big matter for Africa during second half of de 19th century. E say, "if na any time we fit talk say African societies dey organize around slave production, na from 1850–1900 e be." Wen dem cancel de Atlantic slave trade, e make African states wey depend on de trade, change dem economy to focus on local plantation slavery plus proper business wey slave labour dey work. Before dis time, slavery na mostly for home matter.

De anti-slavery movement wey dey happen for Europe don turn excuse plus reason for dem to conquer den colonize plenty parts of Africa. E be de main gist for Brussels Anti-Slavery Conference wey happen for 1889-90. For de late 19th century, de Scramble for Africa make dem quickly divide de continent between European powers wey wan control am, en one early but small focus for all de colonial masters na to suppress slavery plus de slave trade. Seymour Drescher dey talk say European people wey wan end slavery, na mainly because of dem money plus imperial aim. Even though dem dey use slavery as excuse for conquest, colonial masters no dey really care about am, or dem go just allow slavery make e continue. Dis be secof colonial people need local leaders plus deir money matter, wey plenty dey involved for slavery. So, at first, early colonial policies go de try stop slave trade, but dem go still manage de slavery wey dey happen den try weaken de power of de slave masters. Plus, de early colonial states no get strong control over dem area, so dem no fit cancel tings widely. Dem try make abolition happen more strongly later for de colonial time.

20th century till World War II

Plenty tings be de reason slavery slow down den finally dem cancel am for Africa during de colonial time, some of saa reasons be say na dem get colonial policies wey dey talk of cancelling am, economic changes too no be small, plus slaves sef dey resist. During colonial time, de way work change wey wage labour plus cash crops rise, e make slavery dey slowdown fast secof e give slaves new chances . Dem stop slave raiding en wars between African states plus dat one wey make plenty slaves reduce. Slaves go use early colonial laws wey sey dem don stop slavery, dem go waka comot from dem masters but dose laws dey more for control than to really stop am. Dis waka bring more serious efforts to stop slavery from colonial government. After French people don conquer den cancel slave matter, over one million slaves for French West Africa jammed their leg run from dem masters go back home between 1906 den 1911. For Madagascar dem don release over 500,000 slaves after French cancel am for 1896 Sekof dis pressure, Ethiopia don officially cancel slavery for 1932, de Sokoto Caliphate don also cancel am for 1900, plus de rest of Sahel follow do am for 1911.

After Trans-Atlantic slave trade don end, other roads wey de carry enslave people from Africa don continue till e enter de 20th century. Indian Ocean slave trade, plus Zanzibar slave trade, British don fight dem with plenty anti-slavery agreements wey dem push on Zanzibar Sultan between 1822 and 1909, each one dey limit slave trade wey dey happen between Swahili coast of East Africa plus Arabian Peninsula. For 1867 agreement, dem pressure Zanzibar make dem stop to export slaves go Arabia, plus make dem contain slave trade insyde Sultanate borders, na only between Latitude 9 degrees South of Kilwa plus Latitude 4 degrees South of Lamu. After 1867, British dem go dey fight slave trade for Indian Ocean but Omani slave dhows wey dey use French colours dey carry slaves go Arabia plus Persian Gulf from East Africa, even reach Mozambique. French people no fit talk anything till 1905, wen Hague International Tribunal tell dem make dem stop French flags for Omani dhows; but small small smuggling of slaves from East Africa go Arabia still dey happen till 1960s.

For 20th century, na de League of Nations don take slavery matter serious, dem set up committees wey go investigate den cancel slavery plus slave trade for de whole world. De Temporary Slavery Commission (TSC) run em global investigation from 1924–1926, dem file report, plus dem create de 1926 Slavery Convention wey go make sure say dem fit cancel slavery plus slave trade fast fast. For 1932, de League create Committee of Experts wey go look insyde de result plus how dem fit enforce de 1926 Slavery Convention. Dis one bring new international investigation under de first permanent slavery committee, de Advisory Committee of Experts on Slavery (ACE). Dis two investigations talk say, African slaves dey move from Africa go Muslim Arab world, where dem still dey accept chattel slavery.

De Trans-Saharan slave trade dem try fight am, but de colonial masters wey dey control de Sahara region since late 19th century no really get power for de place like dat. De French, Spanish, Italian British dem dey yan say dem dey fight de old slave trade wey dey carry Africans go Arab North Africa plus Middle East. But truth be say, de colonial masters from de West no fit control de Sahara area well well, so dem no really stop de slave trade, but e dey small small reduce am.

De colonial people talk say di slave trade dey still happen for 1930s, even though dem dey fight am well. De Italians come report to de Advisory Committee wey sabi about slavery say de Trans-Saharan slave trade don clear as Italian dem dey conquer, wey dem free 900 slaves for Kufra market. plus For de 1936 report to de Advisory Committee of pipo wey sabi slavery, de French, British plus Italian people talk say dem check de water sources wey dey along de caravan routes for Sahara to fight de Trans-Saharan slave trade from Nigeria go North Africa. For 1937, report wey go meet de Advisory Committee of Experts for slavery, both France den Spain dey talk sey dem dey fight de slave raiders from trans-Saharan. den for 1938, French people don talk sey dem don secure border area wey dey near Morocco den Algeria, plus dem really stop de trans-Saharan slave trade for dat side.

After World War II

De old Red Sea slave trade wey dey carry enslaved Africans go Arabia across de Red Sea, no stop till 1960s. De yearly waka to Mecca, de Hajj, na e be big way dem dey enslave pipo. Muslim Africans wey dey go Hajj across Sahara, dem dey trick or give dem small money for travel by tribal leaders; as dem land for East Coast, dem dey carry dem cross de Red Sea for de dhows of de slave trade or small planes, only to find out say dem go sell dem for slave market instead of make dem do Hajj. De English guy Charles M. Doughty wey waka go Central Arabia for 1880s, talk say African slaves dey come Arabia every year for hajj, plus say 'e get bondmen den bondwomen plus free negro families for every tribe and town.'

Dem dey talk say slavery for Islamic societies be kind of good thing, and King Abd al Aziz Ibn Saud tell British man Munshi Ihsanullah say West Africans

dem dey live like animals, and na beta dem go dey as slaves. If e get in way, e go take all West African pilgrims make dem slaves, change dem from their bad condition plus turn dem into happy, rich den civilized people.

De Red Sea slave trade wey de British tackle wey try control de pilgrims wey dey waka through Africa. Dem dey patrol de Red Sea den dey check de traffic, but de controls no dey work well, as de slave traders go tell de European Colonial bosses say de slaves be dem wives, pikin, servants or fellow Hajj pilgrims. De victims sef dey believe dat one, no sabi say dem dey ship dem as slaves.

Article 4 wey Universal Declaration of Human Rights talk say no slavery go dey, dem accept am for 1948 by UN General Assembly. After World War II, dem fit ban chattel slavery for most places, only Arabia en some parts of Africa still dey carry am. For Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Trucial States plus Oman, chattel slavery still dey legal, plus dem dey use Red Sea slave trade supply slaves go Arabia. Wen League of Nations finish, UN come take over after World War II, Charles Wilton Wood Greenidge wey dey work for Anti-Slavery International, join UN make dem continue work wey ACE of the League start. For February 1950, dem start de Ad Hoc Committee on Slavery for de United Nations, plus na so dem fit bring de Supplementary Convention on de Abolition of Slavery . Slavery for Saudi Arabia, Yemen, en UAE no end till 1960s den 1970s. For 21st century, activists dey talk say many immigrants wey dey go those countries to work dey suffer under dem kafala system like dem still be slaves.

Colonial countries fit achieve wetin dem wan do for slavery matter, but slavery still dey happen for Africa, even as e dey change small small to wage work. Countries wey don get independence wey dey try to fit westernize or make Europe gree sometimes dey show say dem dey fight slavery, but for places like Egypt, dem dey employ European soldiers like Samuel White Baker wey dey waka up de Nile. Slavery never really disappear for Africa, e still dey happen for countries like Chad, Ethiopia, Mali, Niger, plus Sudan, especially for where law den order don scatter.

Although dem don ban am everywhere, dem still dey do slavery small-small for some places wey neva show face. Dem dey estimate say 30 million people be victims of slavery for de whole world. For Mauritania alone, e dey around 600,000 men, women plus pickin wey dem dey slave, dat be 20% of de population, plenty of dem dey do bond work. Dem finally ban slavery for Mauritania for August 2007. For de Second Sudanese Civil War, dem carry plenty people go slavery; dem talk sey abduction fit range from 14,000 reach 200,000. For Niger, wey dem ban slavery for 2003, one research show say almost 8% of di people still dey be slaves.

Effects

Demographics

A Zanj slave gang for Zanzibar (1889)

Slavery plus de slave trade really chop big for de population size plus wetin dey happen with men den women for plenty parts of Africa. How dis demographic change take affect na wetin plenty people dey argue about. Atlantic slave trade dey carry 70,000 people every year, mostly from west coast of Africa, wen e dey hot around mid-1700s. De trans-Saharan slave trade na wen dem dey catch people from insyde de continent, den dem go ship dem go overseas through ports for Red Sea den other places. E reach peak of 10,000 people wey dem dey trade per year for de 1600s. As Patrick Manning talk am, population dey drop for plenty areas for Sub-Saharan Africa sekof dis slave trades wey happen.

Dis population wey decline for West Africa from 1650 to 1850 dey worse wahala sekof slave traders like male slaves pass. Dis kind preference no dey for other slave trade. More female slaves dey travel pass male for Africa side. For east Africa, di slave trade dey go different directions den e change over time. As pipo dey need plenty hand for work, Zanj slaves wey dem catch from de south, dem dey sell am through ports wey dey for de north coast in plenty numbers for many years to customers for Nile Valley, Horn of Africa, Arabian Peninsula, Persian Gulf, India, Far East plus de Indian Ocean islands.

Extent

Big routes wey dem dey use carry slaves commot Africa, by de number of slaves wey dem move, from 1500 go 1900.

How far slavery dey happen for Africa plus how dem dey carry people go other places no be exact. Even though dem study Atlantic slave trade well well, dem estimates dey from 8 million pipo go reach 20 million. Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database dey talk say, na around 12.8 million people waka go Atlantic from 1450 come 1900. Dem dey take slaves from Sahara go Red Sea, from Sahara, Horn of Africa, plus East Africa, e be around 6.2 million people wey dem carry between 600 den 1600. E be true say de rate go down for East Africa for de 1700s, but e rise again for de 1800s plus dem talk say e go reach 1.65 million for dat century.

Patrick Manning talk say around 12 million slaves enter Atlantic trade from 16th to 19th century, but about 1.5 million die for ship. About 10.5 million slaves land for America. Apart from de slaves wey die for de Middle Passage, plenty Africans fit don die for war plus slave raids for Africa, plus dem wey dey move go ports. Manning talk say 4 million don die insyde Africa after dem capture, plus plenty don die young sef. Manning talk say e dey count 12 million wey suppose land for Atlantic, plus 6 million wey wan go Asian slave markets plus 8 million wey go African markets. David Stannard talk say, 50% of people wey die for Africa na sekof of war wey dey happen between native kingdoms, plus na dem dey produce most of de slaves. Dis be for de people wey die for battle d ones wey die sekof dem force dem waka go slave ports for de coast. de act Dem dey use capture enemy soldiers plus dema villages dey plenty for Western den West Central Africa, Even though dem no dey start war just to catch slaves. Na slave trade be wetin dey come from tribal plus state war, as dem dey fit use am clear wahala plus get cash for future battles.

Debate about demographic effect

Photograph of a slave boy for Zanzibar: "An Arab master's punishment for a slight offence" (c. 1890)

Dem demographic wahala wey slave trade cause dey hot people body well well. Walter Rodney talk say all de pipo wey dem carry come out na big disaster for Africa, e don put Africa for wahala compared to other places for de world, plus na dis one fit explain why Africa dey suffer poverty till today. E dey show numbers wey talk say Africa population no dey grow for dis time, but Europe plus Asia dey blow up like balloon. Rodney talk say everywhere for economy dey shake sekof slave trade, as big-time merchants leave wetin dem sabi do come chase slaving, plus lower people dem too dey suffer from de slaving matter.

Some people don talk say no be so e be. J. D. Fage check de number wahala for de whole continent. David Eltis don match de numbers with how many people waka com Europe during dat time. For 19th century alone, over 50 million people don jom com Europe go America, far more than de pipo wey ever waka from Africa.

Some people come challenge dat talk. Joseph E. Inikori dey argue say history for dat region show say de wahala still plenty bad. Him talk say de African economy for that time be far different from de European one, plus e no fit handle that kind population loss. Dem reduce population for some areas, den e bring plenty issues. Inikori still talk say after dem suppress de slave trade, Africa population start to grow fast, even before modern medicine land.

How e affect Africa ein economy

Cowrie shells were used as money in the slave trade.

Two slightly differing Okpoho Manillas as used to purchase slaves for approximately 8–50 manilla per slave

Plenty analysts plus scholars still dey argue say slave trade spoil tings well-well. Dem dey talk say slave trade dey scatter local economy den make village no fit stable as dem dey carry important workers go abroad. As slave raids plus war dey happen everywhere, de big slave trade wey Europe dey push make people start dey enslave demma enemies no be just about war anymore, e don turn reason to waka go fight. Dem talk say slave trade make am hard for bigger ethnic groups to form, e cause wahala wey dey split people plus make political system weak for plenty places. E still dey affect mental health plus social growth of African people too.

But for wetin dem talk, J. D. Fage dey reason say slavery no really spoil African society finish. Slaves dem dey cost plenty, plus traders dey chop big money for each person wen dem carry come. Wen de slave trade high, plenty hundreds of thousands of muskets, big bags of cloth, gunpowder, plus metals dey enter Guinea. Most of de money dey go buy European guns (wey no even strong) plus plenty alcohol wey no good. De African trade wey dey happen with Europe for de peak of de Atlantic slave trade, wey carry better gold plus ivory too, na about 3.5 million pounds Sterling every year. Meanwhile, de whole trade for Great Britain, wey be big economic power for dat time, dey around 14 million pounds every year for dat late 18th century. As Patrick Manning talk am, most of de tings wey dem trade for slaves na just common goods, no fancy tins. Textiles, iron ore, money, plus salt na some of de important tings wey dem bring insyde sekof of de slave trade, plus dem spread de goods for society, make life better small for everybody.

E dey argue say Atlantic slave trade really spoil African economy well well. For 19th century Yoruba Land, dem talk say business no dey happen like before as dem dey carry people and property every day, and normal life dey under wahala because everybody fear say dem go kidnap dem. Onwumah, Imhonopi, Adetunde, 2019)

Slave trade for Africa really scatter our political setup. If we wan talk about how slavery take spoil our systems, de way dem capture den sell plenty Africans for America plus other places make we lose plenty people wey get skills plus talent wey dey play important roles for our communities.

If no be dis people, Na African societies dey shake, plus demma political systems don weak join. E lead to wahala plus civil fights, some societies even crash finish. Plus, de slave trade dey make war den raiding dey happen, as people dey capture plus sell by rival ethnic groups.

De slave trade really scatter African politics no be small at all. Now, plenty African countries still dey struggle with political wahala plus weak governance, plus some people dey talk say de effect of slavery fit be one of de reasons. One study show say, de relationship wey dey between de number of slaves wey dem export plus current wealth, e show say de areas wey plenty slave trade happen be de poorest today. Dis one dey show say de slave trade get long-lasting bad effects wey really affect de regions wey dem do am.

How e take affect Europe ein economy

Karl Marx for him book wey dem talk of economic historyof capitalism, Das Kapital, talk say "dem turn Africa to like bush wey dem dey hunt black people [meaning slave trade], na im signal say we dey see new day for capitalist work." E argue say slave trade be part of wetin dem de call "primitive accumulation" of European money, na dat wahala wey no be capitalist wey come before plus set stage for Western Europe to start industry plus capitalist work.

Eric Williams don write plenty about how Africans matter wen it come to profits wey dem make from slave trade plus slavery. Him talk say dem profits help finance Britain to industrialize. ein argue say to enslave Africans na key part of de Industrial Revolution, plus de money wey Europe get, small part na sekof of slavery. But by de time dem ban am, e no dey profitable again, plus e go make sense for some European governments to stop am. Joseph Inikori don talk say slavery for British West Indies dey make profitable pass wetin Williams critics dey feel.

Oda researchers plus historians dey serious contest dat tin wey dem call "Williams thesis" for school matter: David Richardson don talk say, de money wey dem make from British slave trade plus slavery no reach 1% of de money wey people dey use for investment inside Britain, plus economic historian Stanley Engerman talk say, even if dem no remove de costs wey de come with slave trade (like shipping costs, slave wey die, di Europeans wey die for Africa, defence costs) or money wey dem dey saa put back into de slave trade, de total profits from de slave trade plus West Indian plantations no pass 5% of de British economy for any year during de Industrial Revolution. Historian Richard Pares, for one article wey e write before Williams' book, talk say de money wey come from West Indian plantations no really help de Industrial Revolution. E claim say any serious money wey flow from West Indian profits go industry happen after emancipation, no be before.

Findlay plus O'Rourke observe say de figures wey O'Brien drop for 1982 to support him talk say "de periphery dey peripheral" actually show say na de opposite be true. De profits wey come from de periphery from 1784–1786 be £5.66 million while total gross investment for British economy be £10.30 million, plus e dey follow same pattern for 1824–1826. Dem talk say if you go remove de profits wey come from enslavement of people just because e be "small share of national income", e fit mean say no be industrial revolution we get, since modern industry dey provide only small share of national income, plus e be wrong to think say small size mean small importance. Findlay plus O'Rourke again talk say de share of American export commodities wey enslaved people produce rise from 54% between 1501 den 1550 to 82.5% between 1761 plus 1780.

Seymour Drescher plus Robert Anstey dey talk say slave trade still dey make money till dem stop am, sekof of new ways for farming. Dem say na moral change, no be money matter, wey make dem fit cancel am.

Dem dey talk same way for oda European countries too. Dem dey reason say de French slave trade make more money pass other local investments, plus e fit even help dem gather capital before Industrial Revolution plus Napoleonic Wars.

Legacy of racism

Maulana Karenga dey talk about wetin Atlantic slave trade do to African captives: "Dem really spoil human nature, change how dem see African people for outside, dey carry poison enter our past, now plus future wen dem fit only relate to us through dis bad stereotype, so e dey spoil wetin fit be true human connection for today." E talk say e don destroy culture, language, religion plus wetin people fit achieve.

Check am too

• Slavery in contemporary Africa
• Cudjoe Lewis
• Atlantic slave trade
• Trans-Saharan slave trade
• Indian Ocean slave trade
• Red Sea slave trade
• Barbary slave trade
• Blockade of Africa
• History of slavery in South Africa
• Anti-Slavery operations of the United States Navy
• Atrocities in the Congo Free State
• Barbary pirates
• Christianity and slavery
• Islamic views on slavery
• Slavery in Mauritania
• Slavery in Sudan
• Unfree labour
• Maafa
• Edward Colston
• John Hawkins (naval commander)
• Tippu Tip
• Abolitionism
• History of slavery
• History of slavery in the Muslim world
• History of slavery in Brazil
• History of slavery in the Caribbean
• History of slavery in the United States
• James Riley (captain)
• Slave ship
• African Diaspora
• Slavery
• Asiento de Negros

Bibliography

• Allen, R. B. (2017). "Ending the history of silence: reconstructing European slave trading in the Indian Ocean" (PDF). Tempo. 23 (2): 294–313. doi:10.1590/tem-1980-542x2017v230206. Retrieved 30 June 2019.

Read further

• Faragher, John Mack; Buhle, Mari Jo; Czitrom, Daniel; Armitage, Susan (2004). Out of Many. Pearson Prentice Hall. ISBN 978-0-13-182431-7.
• Hurston, Zora Neale (1927). Cudjo's Own Story of the Last African Slaver. Eastford, CT: Martino Fine Books.
• Klein, Martin A. (2009). The Study of Slavery in Africa, Journal of African History. Vol. 19. No. 4. Cambridge University Press.
• Lecocq, Bas, and Eric Komlavi Hahonou (2015). Exploring Post-Slavery in Contemporary Africa, The International Journal of African History Studies. Vol 48. No. 2. Boston University African Study Center.
• Newton, John (1788). Thoughts Upon the African Slave Trade. London: J. Buckland and J. Johnson.
• Reynolds, Edward (1985). Stand the Storm: A History of the Atlantic Slave Trade. London: Allison and Busby.

• Savage, Elizabeth, ed. (1992). The Human Commodity: Perspectives on the Trans-Saharan Slave Trade. London: F. Cass.
• The Slave Trade of East Africa . London: Church Missionary Society. 1869.
• Sparks, Randy J. (2014). Where the Negroes are Masters: An African Port in the Era of the Slave Trade. Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-72487-7.
• Wright, Donald R. "History of Slavery and Africa". Online Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 2 April 2007.

External links

• Twentieth Century Solutions of the Abolition of Slavery
• The story of Africa: Slavery
• "The impact of the slave trade on Africa," Le Monde diplomatique
• "Ethiopia, Slavery and the League of Nations" Abyssinia/Ethiopia slavery and slaves trade