“There Were No Slaves, Only Humans Forced Into Slavery” — Mahama Calls for Global Narrative Shift

By Boakye Stephen, Kumasi, Ghana | Reporting for Ghanaian News, Canada

President John Dramani Mahama has delivered a thought-provoking message on the global stage, calling for a fundamental shift in how the world understands and describes slavery.

Speaking at the United Nations, the former Ghanaian leader emphasized that the term “slaves” fails to capture the full reality of what occurred during the transatlantic slave trade. Instead, he argued, those affected were human beings who were captured, dehumanised, and forced into slavery.

According to him, the transatlantic slave trade was not merely a system of labour exploitation but a carefully constructed structure built on false ideologies of racial superiority — one that deliberately stripped Africans of their identity and humanity.

Words Matter: A Shift in Perspective

Mahama’s statement has sparked renewed conversation about the power of language in shaping historical understanding.

Describing people simply as “slaves,” he suggests, can unintentionally define them by their condition rather than their humanity. Reframing them as humans who were enslaved restores dignity and acknowledges the injustice inflicted upon them.

This perspective aligns with a growing global movement among historians and scholars who advocate for more human-centred language when discussing historical injustices.

The Deeper Reality of Slavery

The transatlantic slave trade succeeded not only through physical force but through systematic dehumanisation. By reducing individuals to property, it created conditions where:

• Injustice became easier to justify
• Oppression became normalized
• Moral resistance was weakened

This, many analysts argue, was the most devastating aspect of slavery — the erasure of identity and humanity.

Restoring Dignity Through Truth

Mahama’s remarks highlight a broader effort to reclaim historical narratives and ensure that the experiences of Africans and the diaspora are represented with accuracy and respect.

Reframing the language of slavery is not about rewriting history, but about restoring truth and dignity to those who suffered under it.

Final Thought

As global conversations about race, identity and historical justice continue, Mahama’s message serves as a reminder that how history is told matters just as much as the events themselves.

Recognizing the humanity of those who were enslaved is a step toward a more honest and respectful understanding of the past — one that acknowledges both the ظلم endured and the resilience that followed.