Nigerian Senator ‘Shehu Sani’ Is Inviting Kanye West To Visit Slave Ports In Africa
It’s a rare case of ignorance meeting ignorance, but in their defence, they’re each ignorant about vastly different things. Nigerian senator, Shehu Sani, has invited American rapper Kanye West to visit slave ports in Africa for an “education” on the slave trade. (*stares directly at camera* There are a few things that Shehu Sani himself needs to be educated about. Good governance perhaps? *camera pans away*).
So, self-professed greatest artist of this generation, Kanye West, during an during an interview with TMZ live this week in Los Angeles, said that slavery was a “choice”. According to Kanye:
“When you hear about slavery for 400 years … For 400 years? That sounds like a choice.”
And making things worse, Kanye tried to clarify his statement:
“[T]o make myself clear. Of course I know that slaves did not get shackled and put on a boat by free will. My point is for us to have stayed in that position even though the numbers were on our side means that we were mentally enslaved.”
Naturally, (Black) Twitter and TMZ staffer, Van Lathan already immensely criticised him because all of those tatements were stupid, so we will not be beating that dead horse. But then, one of Nigeria’s more vocal senators decided to take a dig at Kanye saying that Kanye’s statement on transatlantic slave trade was slight on its victims. Mr. Sani tweeted, referring to the relics in Badagry and other cities on the West African Coast where people were enslaved:
Senator Shehu Sani✔@ShehuSani
If @kanyewest thinks Slavery was a choice,we will offer him a free ticket & tour guide to visit slave routes and camps in Badagry Lagos,Ouida Benin Republic,Ghana & Goree Island in Senegal to ‘experience the choices in chains’.Kanye defecated on the graves of victims@nytimes @AP
To be clear, we agree with the Senator’s point. Kanye West did disrespect black history, with his thoughtless words. He also showed how dangerous power and influence can be in the hands of someone who has previously admitted to being a proud non-reader of books.
What we do not agree with, is a Nigeria senator who cannot properly do a job for which we pay him N13.5 million monthly, grandstanding to the international community. No, what he needs to do is educate himself on his job description first before trying to educate someone from across the ocean.
