‘Chains of slavery not yet removed’

He made the remark with reference to his visit to the Point Lisas Industrial Estate on Sunday, where he marvelled at "what God in his infinite mercy has put under the ground and under the waters of TT for the benefit of the people of this country." Speaking at 9.16 am, 45 minutes after his arrival, Obasanjo told the large crowd which had gathered in front of the Treasury Building for the Emancipation Day Street procession in Port-of-Spain, "let no one deny you.

You are the beneficiaries of those resources."

Yesterday was the 20th anniversary of the granting of the holiday.

Obasanjo cautioned that in an interdependent world, people should not look after their own interests at the expense of others.

"What we are saying is whatever is due to us will not be denied us, and whatever is due to others will not be denied them."

He said this is what will lead to peace, harmony "as well as development" in the society.

Obasanjo said the visit to TT had been significant and gave him enlightenment, knowledge, information and awareness which he would take back to Africa.

He had mixed emotions about the visit.

He felt joy, satisfaction and pleasure as well as sadness about slavery recalling "those who inflicted inhumane indignity on our forefathers."

He said thanks must be given to God for the indomitable, courageous and resilient African spirit.

Obasanjo said although Emancipation had taken place, the chains were not removed. "We have to remove the chains and rediscover the connection and make the connection strong. Divided we fall. Divided we fail. Divided we will not be able to achieve much."

The theme for this year’s Emancipation was: "Discarding broken chains: Discovering unbroken connections."

Obasanjo, who is chairman of the African Union, said the African diaspora has been recognised as the sixth region of Africa (the other five are North, Central, South, East, West). "We mean that and we will ensure as much as possible that the African diaspora participate with us in the African Union."

Prime Minister Patrick Manning, who donned a striped navy blue dashiki with a black hat, said he hoped that with the observance of Emancipation, people of African origin would develop a greater sense of pride in "who we are and that for which we stand."

He advised that while being conscious of ethnicity, people should remain mindful of the ethnicity of others since TT is a cosmopolitan and diverse society. Manning said celebrations of either Indian Arrival or Emancipation Day should be done in a manner which made space for others.

Emancipation Support Committee Chairman Khafra Kambon likened Obasanjo’s visit to a homecoming. Despite the stripping of Africans of their culture through slavery, he said some elements remained. Kambon said slavery sought to strip slaves of their ethnic identity, but their descendants now claimed all of Africa.

After the official ceremony, Manning, the Nigerian President, government ministers and members of the Emancipation Support Committee began their walk along Independence Square towards Besson Street to the site of the first Yoruba village.

Chris "Tambu" Herbert’s "The Journey Now Start" signalled the start of the procession.

Scores of people from community and religious groups chipped and danced to the music provided by drummers, and music trucks as they took part in the procession. Local and foreign spectators lined the street to witness the occasion.

After watching a few groups from a podium set up at Besson Street, Manning and the Nigerian president left after 10 am.