NEW YORK, USA. The NDC candidate for Akpabuyo/Bakassi/Calabar South Federal Constituency, Mr. Fidelis Duker, has called on the United States, United Kingdom and other North American and European nations that participated in the transatlantic slave trade in the 18th and 19th centuries to consider reparations for Calabar South and Cross River State.
Mr. Duker made the call on Saturday in New York during activities marking the International Day for Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition, observed globally every August 23.
Calabar was one of the most significant departure points for enslaved Africans in the Gulf of Guinea. Between 1662 and 1863, an estimated 200,000 to over 1 million enslaved Africans were forced onto ships from the Calabar port. Thousands of those citizens were from present day Akpabuyo, Bakassi and Calabar South Communities.
Speaking on the significance of the day, Mr. Duker said the memory of the slave trade must move beyond remembrance to restorative action. He stated that one key area he would pursue at the National Assembly is legislative support and advocacy towards slave trade reparations and the positioning of Calabar South as a global slave heritage destination.
According to him, this aligns with ongoing efforts by government to unlock Cross River State’s tourism potential, attract financial compensation, secure the return of stolen cultural artifacts, and push for systemic policy changes from nations and institutions that profited from the forced enslavement of millions of Africans. He noted that reparatory justice is not about dwelling in the past, but about correcting historical imbalances and creating opportunities for descendants of victims.
Mr. Duker outlined a four point agenda he will champion for the constituency if elected. He said he will pursue an Infrastructure Development Fund for direct investment in roads, health centers, schools and coastal protection in Akpabuyo, Bakassi and Calabar South using reparations and heritage grants. He also proposed a Calabar Heritage and Tourism District through federal and international partnership to develop Calabar South into a UNESCO recognized Slave Heritage Site and Museum to drive tourism and jobs.
He added that he will advocate for the repatriation of artifacts and archival records taken from the region during the slave trade era, and push for Youth and Women Empowerment Grants to provide access to education, skills and business support for descendants of affected communities to build generational wealth.
“I firmly believe that the people of Akpabuyo, Bakassi and Calabar South deserve to benefit directly from reparatory justice through infrastructure development, grants and stronger federal representation in matters that shape their economic future,” Mr. Duker said.
He urged the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Cross River State Government, the Diaspora Commission and traditional institutions to form a unified front to engage international partners on the issue. “As we remember the millions who were taken, we must also act for the millions who remain. Justice delayed is development denied,” he said.
He concluded, “This is my mandate, and I am committed to pursuing it for the collective prosperity of our constituency and Cross River State.”
Mr. Fidelis Duker is the NDC candidate for Akpabuyo/Bakassi/Calabar South Federal Constituency. He is a cultural advocate, tourism developer and community leader committed to youth empowerment, heritage preservation and economic transformation of the constituency.
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