@article{fdi:010089437,
  title = {{A}frica's promise : {C}hief {M}.{K}.{O}. {A}biola and reparations for slavery and colonialism, 1990-1993},
  author = {{B}onacci, {G}iulia},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{T}his article examines the {A}frican dimension of the global movement for reparations and gives particular attention to the engagement of {C}hief {M}.{K}.{O}. {A}biola (1937-1998). {A} successful {N}igerian businessman, and a neglected {A}frican figure of {P}an {A}fricanism in the late 20th century, {A}biola defended the idea that reparations for slavery and colonialism were due to {A}frica and its {D}iaspora. {I}n his talks in the {U}nited {S}tates between 1987 and 1990, he theorized a relation of causality between {A}tlantic slavery and the social and economic condition of the continent and called for solidarity between {A}frican {A}mericans and {A}fricans. {F}urthermore, {C}hief {A}biola contributed to institutionalize reparations and to place them on the international diplomatic agenda through the organization and funding of two major high-level conferences on reparations, in {L}agos in 1990 and in {A}buja in 1993. {H}e also chaired the {G}roup of {E}minent {P}ersons ({GEP}) founded by the {O}rganization of {A}frican {U}nity ({OAU}) in 1992. {C}hief {A}biola won the {J}une 1993 presidential elections in {N}igeria, which were cancelled, and was jailed following the coup d'{\'e}tat by {G}eneral {S}ani {A}bacha, until his death in 1998. {A}frica's promise, namely the political commitment to work with the {D}iaspora towards reparations, was broken. {T}his article is based on archival and printed sources and sheds light on the political and ideological issues at stake in reparations within the changing context of the early 1990s.},
  keywords = {{NIGERIA} ; {AFRIQUE} {DU} {SUD}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{I}nternational {J}ournal of {A}frican {H}istorical {S}tudies},
  volume = {56},
  numero = {2},
  pages = {141--157},
  ISSN = {2326-3016},
  year = {2023},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010089437},
}