ABSTRACT

Theslavetradersprospereduntiltheearlynineteenthcenturyand laiddownthefoundationforthecoloniallinkageofAfrican societiesandeconomiestotheincreasinglypowerfulstatesin WesternEurope.Itwasaperiodofgreatchangeandcompetition amongthewarringEuropeanstates,whichviedwithoneanother fortherighttoexploitthespoilsofAfrica.Atthesametimethe peoplesofWestAfricaalsofoughtamongthemselves,butultimatelyunitedtofightthecommonenemyofcolonialism.Inthis sense,thedespicabletriangulartradeoftheslavemerchantssowed theseedsofitsowndestruction:theslavetradeeventuallycreateda commonbondamongthoseAfricansstillinthemotherlandand thoseshippedovertotheAmericasandtheWestIndiesandthose inEurope.ThiswasthebasisofthePan-Africanmovementwhich hasprovedsocrucialinshapingthedestinyofAfrica.Ofcourse, fromtheoutsettherewasAfricanoppositiontotheslavetrade,and thatiswhytheEuropeanslavemerchantspreferredtodealwith thoselocalchieftainsandmonarchswhowerepreparedtoenter intothetradeonapeaceablebasis.Butitwasfromthesporadic AfricanoppositiontotheslavetradethatthewiderPan-African movementgrew-themovementwithacrucialinfluenceinKwame Nkrumah'sintellectualdevelopment.