Donate NowDescendants of freed and former slaves among the Igbos of southeastern Nigeria are forbidden from marrying "freeborn," from participating in certain traditional ceremonies, and from holding traditional leadership positions. This discrimination has led to conflict in a number of communities, as the descendants of slaves agitate for equality.
October 09, 2020 | BBC News
Nigeria's Slave Descendants Prevented From Marrying Who They Want
Slavery was abolished in Nigeria in the early 1900s, but Igbo people who are descended from slaves are still seen as inferior.
July 11, 2019 | The New Yorker
The Descendants of Slaves in Nigeria Fight for Equality
Despite the abolition of the slave trade more than a century ago, the descendants of slaves in southeastern Nigeria still face significant discrimination.
July 16, 2019 | Meet the Journalist
Meet the Journalist: Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani
Journalist Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani, inspired by her own family history, examines the modern discrimination of descendants of slaves in Nigeria.