The Arab slave trade known as the “Trans-Sahara slave trade” was the first slave business to hit Africa, it lasted for about 1000 years, it started in the 8th century by virtue of the fact that Islam prohibits Muslims from enslaving each other, and the Arabs needed humans for labour but could not enslave fellow Arabs who were already Muslims, so they set out to go into Africa to get slaves. They entered through Northern Africa and continued enslaved Africans, each time the slaves converted to Islam, they will have no choice but to grant them freedom and continued searching for new slaves until they got to West Africa/Northern Nigeria.
The European Slave Trade, also called, the “Trans- Atlantic slave trade”, was the second slave business that plagued Africa. it began in the mid 1400’s. Slaves were transported from West Africa through Badagry in Lagos and “Slave Coast” (Niger Delta) to the Americas and the Caribbeans. Slaves were caught from the Oyo Empire (Yoruba Kingdom), the Niger Delta Region, the middle Belt, including the area that make up today’s Kogi State, and the slaves were handed on sale to European slave merchants stationed at the sea shores. The slaves caught around the middle belt region where mostly transported via the rivers Niger/Benue to the sea shores. The slaves taken away were in their millions.
The Europeans could not go inlanad to look for slaves themselves because of fear of diseases, even a disease like malaria from mosquitoes bites could easily lead to their death as there were no scientific medications for malaria at the time, the Europeans stayed at the sea shores of Badagary and The Niger Delta (Slave Coast) waiting, and their Nigerian collaborators will catch their own people as slaves and deliver to them in exchange for Mirrors, Alcohol (rums) and Guns. Slaves were gotten by Nigerian slave traders through ethnic wars, kidnappings and raids. Ethnic outcasts (efulefus), offenders and prisoners were also sold out as slaves. This happened for over 400 years
In a triangular trade route, Ships would sail from Britain with guns, mirrors and alcohol to Niger Delta and Badagry, then the items will be exchanged for slaves, the slaves will be transported to the Americas in exchanged for goods like Sugar, Fabrics and Cash. The goods would then be taken to Europe and sold for a greater profit. Alcohol, Weapons and Mirrors will again be bought in Europe and taken to Africa in exchange for more slaves, and the circle continues.
This continued until a Briton called Wilberforce led a successful anti slave trade movement. In 1807 slave Trade was banned by the British government, Briton was the Word Most powerful country at the time.
– Enefola Victor Levi
enefolalevi@gmail.com
