Wole Soyinka and Reparations

by Aisha Suleiman

In his talks and writings, Professor Wole Soyinka, who is an African writer, gives a vision of reparations that goes far more than just about money. He says that the slave trade and colonialism caused damages so big they can never be counted like numbers. Instead, Soyinka believes reparations should be about moral healing, culture and also dealing with both past and new forms of slavery. The three points include, his idea of reparations that cannot be measured, his use of arts as a means for healing and his plan of the “Heritage Voyage of Return.”

The first idea is that reparations are not just about payment. Prof Soyinka said in one of his United Nation speeches that slavery took away people’s dignity and humanity in ways that money cannot fix. He says reparations is not about money only but about memory and justice.

Second, Soyinka talks about the role of arts and culture. In his thinking about FESTAC (the World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture) he explained that Africa and its diaspora share a memory of survival. By focusing on cultural reclamation Soyinka shows how art and heritage can rebuild identity and pride.

Finally, Soyinka gives the idea of the “Heritage Voyage of Return” which is sign. He imagines Africans from the diaspora tracing slave routes back to Africa and seeing looted artifacts in an Honour Gallery. This makes reparations not just history but also a cultural and educational bridge to the future.

My reflection on Prof Soyinka’s thoughts is, I was gladdened by his way of linking the past and the present. His reminder that slavery still exists today in modern forms like human trafficking, forced labor, even in some religious groups left me disturbed. But also I felt hope in his belief that culture and memory can heal the pain. Reparations are not only for the dead but also for the living people who still suffer injustice.

In the end, Soyinka puts reparations as a moral and cultural duty, not just as a cash payout. He calls for dignity, memory, and re-connection. His vision shows reparations are not about paying back the past, but about building a better future with justice, truth and human respect.