AbakpaJonathan's blog

    1.0.          1.0,  Introduction and Historical Context On 25 March 2026, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a landmark resolution titled “Declaration of the Trafficking of Enslaved Africans and Racialised Chattel Enslavement of Africans as the Gravest Crime Against Humanity.” This declaration marks a defining moment in the evolution of international law and global justice discourse, as it formally recognises the transatlantic slave trade, not merely as a historical atrocity, but as the gravest crime against humanity, with enduring legal, political, and moral implications. It signals a shift from passive remembrance to active acknowledgment, placing historical injustice within the realm of contemporary international responsibility. For over four centuries, the transatlantic slave trade constituted one of the most systematic and dehumanising enterprises in human history. Between the 15th and 19th centuries, more than 12 million ...

  For decades, young people have not only shaped the world’s demographic landscape but have also stood at the forefront of civic participation and social transformation. Their influence goes far beyond representation it has been instrumental in driving movements for justice, equality, and systemic change. In the United States, the struggle for African American liberation was significantly advanced by the activism and resilience of youth. Likewise, in South Africa, the anti-apartheid movement most notably the Soweto Uprising , was ignited by the unwavering courage of young people demanding freedom and equality. Amid this global wave of youth-led activism, Nigeria has experienced its own powerful surge of solidarity and collective action. Young Nigerians have mobilized en masse, creating and occupying self-defined spaces to advocate for their rights and influence public policy. A defining moment came in 2020 with the #EndSARS movement , a bold and unprecedented campaign against p...

  June 12 is more than a date, it is a symbol of stolen hope and a stark reminder of the fragility of Nigeria’s democratic experiment. The annulment of the 1993 presidential election, widely regarded as the freest and fairest in our nation’s history, not only betrayed the will of the people, but also exposed the dangerous extent to which power can override democratic choice. It left a lasting scar on our national conscience and a legacy of distrust that still echoes through our political landscape today. More than three decades later, Nigerian youth are still grappling with the enduring legacy of that democratic betrayal. Despite making up the majority of the population, young people remain largely sidelined from the corridors of power, excluded from decision-making, underrepresented in political office, and often absent from the spaces where national priorities are shaped and decisions that affect their future are made. As we commemorate June 12, we must move beyond symbolic...