XieCarol3

=Apology 'Needed' from Nigeria for Role In Slave Trade?= Synopsis: '//Traditional African rulers should apologize for the role they played in the slave trade, a Nigerian rights group has said in a letter to chiefs.//' "//We cannot continue to blame the white men, as Africans particularly the traditional rulers, are not blameless," said the Civil Rights Congress.//' Civil Rights Congress find it important for Nigeria to apologize for the slave trading role they had played about 450 years ago, mainly because the United States & United Kingdom have already did. They think that they should put a seal over the history of slave, & end it once & for all, but what good will that do if these events all happened hundreds of years ago?

Opinion: Personally, I agree with the Civil Rights Congress. This is because I agree with the fact that they need to have closure on something that affected the lives of many people; even if they are long gone. Slave trading has left marks on some people. The slaves weren't treated well. While they were crossing the middle passage of the Atlantic, many people have died or get infected with mysterious diseases. The thought of hope & freedom is now gone, along with their lives. Since the United States & the United Kingdom have already apologized, why not have closure?

Comparison: As I read these two articles, I have noticed quite a few differences. For example, the article from BBC is more recent; dated Nov 12, 2009, while the one from the Seattle Times is a much more older article; dated March 22, 1998. Seattle Times digs deeper into the situation, into the other side of the 'apology,' and saying how America decided to apologize. //"There are more things that Africa needs from America than a mere apology," says human-rights activist Kofi Woods of Liberia. "Practical actions by Washington will demonstrate to Africa and the Third World that America is ready to do away with the past."// An apology was almost impossible back then, but looking at the article from BBC tells me a different story, making it seem like the United States apologized right away; //The group said it was time for African leaders to copy the US and the UK who have already said they were sorry.//

Sources: BBC News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8356357.stm Seattle Times: http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19980322&slug=2740989