Racism and things kike slavery lasted for centuries and well over 2000 years. There were times and places before white people became predominate in the world where coloured people involved in slavery. In present day times the furore going on in America is a sad time however the large proportion of black people in jail is indicating something and that is crime. Would passingly conform that the shooting of the black man that in turn caused all the black lives matter thing was sad but he was no innocent. Had a record and been in jail and stole a weapon of a policeman. In itself that did not justify the executing on the man which was wrong and part of a long history of violent police there. No doubt with so many poor areass where large numbers of black folk live are not very nice and the matter has never been properly dealt with in that country. In other well know countries there are massive crime matters such as well known South Africa and Nigeria amongst others. Too many of us ignore such matters and hey are incapable of dealing with issues.

Race is a feature, not a problem. I think it is a problem when we cannot talk about it, except to "celebrate" it or something weird like this. The slant of the following story is definitely odd.

'My Nigerian great-grandfather sold slaves'

Nwaubani Ogogo lived in a time when the fittest survived and the bravest excelled. The concept of "all men are created equal" was completely alien to traditional religion and law in his society.

It would be unfair to judge a 19th Century man by 21st Century principles.

Assessing the people of Africa's past by today's standards would compel us to cast the majority of our heroes as villains, denying us the right to fully celebrate anyone who was not influenced by Western ideology.

I agree that people in a given culture are best understood in terms of the given culture. However, this also means that concepts like "hero" and "celebrate" are best withheld at first, possibly even discarded altogether.

My great-grandfather was renowned for his business prowess, outstanding boldness, strong leadership, vast influence, immense contributions to society, and advancement of Christianity.

[...]

"He was respected by everyone around," my father said. "Even the white people respected him."

I can easily see why white people, coming to Africa to buy slaves, would respect such a man. But why would his own people, apart from fellow slave traders, respect him rather than fear or envy or despise him?

Because if you didn't show respect you disappear?

The author's father could of been mistaken or at least had an embellishing view of his grandfather too.

It also has to be noted how show the continent of Africa was in growing up and much sadness continued even when "free."

Certainly in traditional (or were) white countries it was harder for black people to move up and there was I would say a deep social problem. Couples not lasting long and mothers left with kids whilst fathers shoved off elsewhere or to someone else. No doubt that crime amongst coloured people is not helped by a degree of living in poorer districts and so on. Or is that social lacking too handy a fact to explain the degree of lack there is in black communities?

Slavery was a thing that existed for dozens of centuries and in broad terms included Muslims who raised early Europe and "stole" people who were white. Here in Britain we had for years organised gangs of Muslims who picked on young white girls some underage and got them drunk and had queues having sex with them. At the same time not much was being done by the police until things got as bad as they did in a number of places in England. One tv company had a police service trying to stop them doing a programme on the sex gangs but the company in the end one and it was a shocking history. The gangs had no respect for the young girls as they were not of their spiritual background and why didn't the Islam corner not fight against what was going on? Personally have not really be in company of racist people and was a member of an adult organisation and a youth one that was inclusive of all but I was aware that places like London has minorities grew so too did crime and that is still there although some head shaking would-be thinking people ignore that in the non-white side there is a problem. In my mind the race matter will in a way still be there and the weakness in some would be intelligent minds is not that valid.

Now I see this groaning getting down on a bent knee and sticking a clenched fist up in the air being used in cricket now too!  Makes me shake my head.