THE FORGOTTEN CHAINS by Benedict Okunbor
THE FORGOTTEN CHAINS
The Trans Saharan Slave Trade and the Castration of African Men and Boys
How much of African history have we never truly examined?
When people speak about the history of slavery in Africa, the transatlantic slave trade is often the first thing that comes to mind. But long before the Atlantic trade reached its peak, another extensive system of human trafficking connected sub Saharan Africa to North Africa, the Middle East and other parts of the world.
It was the trans Saharan slave trade.
For centuries, African men, women and children were captured, transported across vast deserts and sold in distant markets. Among its most disturbing chapters was the trafficking of African boys and men who were forcibly castrated to supply the demand for eunuchs in royal courts, wealthy households and religious institutions.
The Forgotten Chains investigates this history.
Inside this book, you will explore:
- The origins and development of the trans Saharan slave trade.
- The routes, markets, merchants and political powers involved.
- The capture and transportation of enslaved Africans across the Sahara.
- The historical practice of castrating African men and boys.
- The reported procedures, mortality risks and lifelong consequences.
- The destinations and roles of African eunuchs in powerful institutions.
- The gradual abolition of slavery and the historical legacy of these systems.
This is not an attempt to assign collective guilt to people living today. It is an attempt to examine historical evidence, acknowledge the people who suffered and bring greater attention to a chapter of African history that deserves serious study.
History should not be remembered selectively.
The people who were captured, sold, mutilated and displaced were human beings. Their experiences deserve to be examined, documented and remembered.
The Forgotten Chains.
A historical account of a trade that deserves to be understood, questioned and remembered.
Written by Okunbor Benedict (Bennykings).