The Paramount Chief of the Manyoro Traditional Area in the Kassena-Nankana West District of the Upper East Region, His Royal Majesty Pe Peter Atudiwe Atupare Manchi III, has made a passionate call for Africans to take ownership of their historical narrative on the Trans-Atlantic slave trade and tell their own story to the world.
Speaking at the historic Pikworo Heritage and Slave Camp during the 2025 PANAFEST Emancipation Day celebration in the Upper East Region, Pe Atupare expressed concern over how the story of slavery continues to be told largely from the viewpoint of the perpetrators rather than the victims.
“But we must be careful not to let ourselves down twice,” he said. “Why are we not telling our story? Why is the history of this event being told from the perspective of the protagonists of the trade? Why are our communities silent on the discourse of the slave trade? Why do we, as Africans, allow the shameful effects of such an event to be obliterated from our collective conscience?”
The Paramount Chief emphasized the importance of reclaiming African narratives, traditions, and lived experiences as a means of educating future generations and the wider world about the devastating impact of slavery—and the resilience of those who endured it.
The PANAFEST Emancipation celebration, held annually to honor the memory of enslaved Africans and celebrate African identity and heritage, drew together community leaders, scholars, diaspora communities, and cultural activists at one of Ghana’s most symbolic slave heritage sites.
Also speaking at the event was Professor Bishop Albert Luguterah, Vice-Chancellor of the C.K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences, who chaired the 2025 celebration. He echoed the Chief’s call, urging participants to reflect on the painful lessons of the past while building a future anchored in justice, unity, and cultural pride.
“We must learn from history and move forward with a clear vision of justice and unity. The sacrifices of our ancestors must not be in vain,” Prof. Luguterah said.
The event was part of the larger PANAFEST and Emancipation Day 2025 celebrations held across Ghana, with the Upper East Region commemorating its third regional edition at the Pikworo Slave Camp—one of the earliest slave transit points in West Africa.
Source: A1RadioOnline.com | 101.1 MHz | David Azure | Nania-Paga
