Festus Okpevra, Edo State's Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, is calling out UK Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch for what he describes as a distortion of the history of transatlantic slavery. His remarks come in direct response to Badenoch's public stance against Britain offering a formal apology or paying reparations for its role in the slave trade.
At the heart of Okpevra's criticism is Badenoch's framing of African kingdoms as central actors in the slave trade, a position he says conveniently shifts responsibility away from Britain. For many historians and advocates, this argument is a familiar one used to deflect from the scale and structure of British colonial and commercial power during that era.
The exchange puts Edo State in an interesting position. As the seat of the Benin Kingdom, one of the most storied royal institutions in West African history, the state carries a complex legacy of its own when it comes to these conversations. That history makes the commissioner's response carry particular weight.
Badenoch, who is of Nigerian heritage, has faced growing scrutiny across the African continent and diaspora for her positions on colonial history and reparations. Her views have sparked debate about identity, political allegiance, and what it means to hold power in institutions historically tied to empire. Where that debate lands, especially as reparations movements gain momentum globally, is a question worth watching closely.
Originally published by AllAfrica.