Obasanjo and Gonsalves call for economic reparations

Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, have renewed calls for reparations to include tangible economic components. Speaking at the Creative Africa Nexus Weekend 2026 in Lagos, the leaders argued that addressing the historical exploitation of Africa and the Caribbean requires more than moral apologies.

They emphasized that meaningful reparations must involve direct measures to address modern economic disparities caused by centuries of resource extraction and the transatlantic slave trade. Proposed measures include large-scale investments in infrastructure, technology transfer, and debt cancellation for affected states. This position aligns with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) ten-point plan, which seeks debt cancellation, the return of cultural artifacts, and investments in health and education systems.

Obasanjo noted that while the resilience and achievements of people of African descent are growing globally, these successes should not erase the historical atrocities of the slave trade.