Ghana News
‘Words Aren’t Reparations’: Pan-Africanist Shanell R Oliver Demands Catholic Church Unburden ‘Ill-Gotten’ Wealth From 400 Years of Enslaving Africans
A viral video by a Pan-African blogger is urging the Catholic Church to move beyond apologies and pay financial reparations for its documented role in authorizing and profiting from the enslavement of African people for centuries.
Shanell R Oliver, a social commentator whose video has trended across multiple platforms, argues that the Church’s leadership sanctioned the transatlantic slave trade for approximately 400 years, accumulating “tens of trillions of dollars” from the European nations it empowered to traffic, brand, chain, and destroy African lives. She asserts that the only credible apology is not words but the “unburdening of ill-gotten wealth.”
“It wasn’t theology. It was money. It’s always been money,” Oliver says in the video. “An apology without reparations is not accountability. It’s reputation management.”
The video’s resurgence comes less than two weeks after Pope Leo XIV issued what is widely regarded as the Vatican’s most explicit apology to date for the Church’s historical complicity in slavery, though he stopped short of endorsing financial reparations.
The Pope’s Apology: ‘A Wound in Christian Memory’
In his first major teaching document, the encyclical Magnifica Humanitas (“Magnificent Humanity”), released on May 25, 2026, Pope Leo XIV offered a “sincere” apology on behalf of the Catholic Church for its role in legitimising slavery and delaying its condemnation for centuries.
“This constitutes a wound in Christian memory, one from which we cannot consider ourselves detached,” the Pope wrote. “For this, in the name of the Church, I sincerely ask for pardon.”
The Pontiff acknowledged that Church authorities had at times responded to the demands of sovereigns by “regulating and legitimising forms of subjugation, including the enslavement of non-Christians,” and admitted that ecclesiastical institutions owned slaves during the Middle Ages.
However, the encyclical explicitly frames the Church’s response within the language of “restorative justice,” which the Pope said should focus on restoring dignity, healing collective memory, and addressing the lasting effects of past abuses, rather than financial compensation.
Pope Leo’s apology stopped short of endorsing a formal reparations program for descendants of enslaved people, a position advocacy groups have criticised as insufficient.
The Church as ‘First and Largest Corporate Slave Holder’
Oliver’s video contends that the Church’s complicity was not peripheral but institutional. She describes the Catholic Church as “the first and largest corporate slave holder in the Americas,” naming multiple religious orders—the Jesuits, Dominicans, Augustinians, Franciscans, Benedictines, the Sisters of Charity, the Sisters of Loreto, and the Trappists—as holding African people in bondage.
Historical scholarship supports the claim that Catholic orders were extensive slaveholders. The Jesuits alone held more than 20,000 enslaved Africans, and in 1838, the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus sold 272 enslaved individuals to fund what is now Georgetown University.
The sale, brokered by Rev. Thomas Mulledy, S.J., sent Hawkins and the others to plantations in Louisiana. In 2017, Georgetown University renamed two campus buildings formerly named for Mulledy and Rev. William McSherry, S.J. Isaac Hawkins Hall now honours the man listed first on the 1838 sale documents.
Papal Bulls That Authorised Enslavement
Oliver’s reference to 400 years of papal authorisation is grounded in a series of 15th-century papal bulls that provided religious and moral justification for the enslavement of non-Christians.
- Dum Diversas (1452) – Issued by Pope Nicholas V, this bull granted King Afonso V of Portugal “full and free permission to invade, search out, capture and subjugate the Saracens and pagans … and to reduce their persons into perpetual slavery”.
- Romanus Pontifex (1455) – Affirmed Portugal’s exclusive rights to territories discovered along the West African coast and further legitimised the slave trade.
- Inter Caetera (1456) – Issued by Pope Calixtus III, this bull reaffirmed the earlier bulls and extended Portugal’s authority over African territories.
Later popes, including Pope Paul III in the 1537 bull Sublimus Dei, condemned the unjust enslavement of non-Christians, though the Church did not issue a “formal, absolute and universal condemnation of slavery” until the 19th century.
Ghana and the Global Reparations Movement
Oliver’s demand for restitution aligns with a broader movement gaining momentum across Africa and the diaspora. Ghana, where an estimated 12 to 15 million Africans were forcibly shipped across the Atlantic between the 16th and 19th centuries, has emerged as a leading voice in the reparations campaign.
In March 2026, Ghana successfully spearheaded a United Nations resolution recognising the enslavement of Africans as the “gravest crime against humanity.” The resolution, submitted by Ghanaian President John Mahama and backed by the African Union, seeks to establish a framework for healing, reparations, and addressing the enduring legacies of slavery and racial discrimination.
Following Pope Leo XIV’s apology, Ghana’s government welcomed the Pontiff’s statement as an “act of moral courage” but stopped short of declaring the matter closed. Human Rights Watch also responded that while the apology was important, “words alone were insufficient,” and that genuine reparative justice requires concrete action from religious institutions, governments, and corporations that benefited from slavery.
The Argument for Reparations
Oliver’s video draws a direct line from the wealth extracted from enslaved Africans—which she argues built cathedrals, funded missions, and filled Vatican coffers—to the present-day obligation to return it.
“The bones of African people are buried under the foundation of every cathedral that wealth built,” she says. “That is not a wound in memory. That is a crime without a verdict.”
She dismisses the distinction between “restorative justice” and financial restitution, arguing that without the unburdening of actual wealth, apologies function merely as reputation management.
“St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas theologically defended the keeping of humans in bondage,” she notes. “St. Gregory the Great gave enslaved people to his friends as gifts. Words aren’t reparations. An encyclical isn’t justice. And absolution cannot be self-administered.”
What Comes Next
The Vatican has not responded directly to the specific demands made in Oliver’s video. Pope Leo XIV’s recent 11-day, four-nation tour of Africa—his first visit to the continent as pontiff—included strong criticism of foreign exploitation of Africa’s natural wealth but did not announce any financial restitution program.
Ghana is expected to host an international conference in June 2026 to discuss next steps following the UN resolution on slavery as a crime against humanity.
For activists like Oliver, the measure of the Church’s sincerity will not be found in encyclicals but in whether it is willing to translate its apology into assets returned.
“If you didn’t know, now you know,” she concludes.
President John Dramani Mahama has issued a sweeping call for Africa to move beyond its role as a “passive beneficiary” of global health systems and demand a decisive voice in shaping the international health architecture, declaring that the continent’s future depends on “health sovereignty” and freedom from excessive external dependence.
Addressing the African Union Extraordinary Summit on Health in Accra, President Mahama pointed out that the continent’s healthcare challenges are a new liberation struggle, one that demands the same urgency and unity that drove the fight for political independence decades ago.
“The liberation we seek today is not from colonial rule but from inequality, preventable disease, maternal deaths, weak health systems and dependence on others for our healthcare,” he told the gathering of African heads of state, health ministers, and global health experts.
The two-day summit, convened under the theme “Advancing Justice, Equity and Universal Health Coverage: Ending AIDS, TB, Improving Maternal Health, Addressing Endemic Non-Communicable and Neglected Tropical Diseases and Conditions in Africa,” marked the first Extraordinary Session of the African Union Assembly ever dedicated to health.
A Defining Moment for African Health
President Mahama said Africa stood at a defining moment where the success of the continent’s health agenda would be measured not by declarations but by tangible improvements in the lives of its citizens.
“The success of this new liberation struggle will be measured by clinics that remain open, medicines produced on African soil, healthy mothers carrying healthy babies and governments financing their own health priorities,” he stated.
He urged African leaders to view the weakening of global development assistance not as a setback but as an opportunity to build lasting institutions.
“The system that is weakening today was never meant to become our permanent foundation. It was only the scaffolding that helped us build. Our responsibility now is to complete the building itself—a strong, self-reliant African health system that can stand on its own,” Mahama declared.
“We must ask ourselves whether we intend to remain builders of temporary scaffolds or builders of lasting institutions.”
The Changing Disease Burden
President Mahama observed that while African countries had made notable progress in reducing HIV/AIDS-related deaths and tuberculosis infections, the continent continued to grapple with a rapidly shifting health landscape.
He noted that heart disease, diabetes, cancers, and mental health conditions were increasingly becoming leading causes of illness and premature deaths across Africa, with more than two million Africans dying annually from non-communicable diseases before reaching the age of 70.
“Mental health remains neglected in far too many national health strategies,” he stressed, adding that the changing disease profile required a new approach to healthcare across the continent.
The President also highlighted that more than 90 million Africans live with chronic hepatitis B or C, most of them undiagnosed, underscoring the scale of the continent’s hidden health burdens.
The Accra Reset Initiative
President Mahama highlighted Ghana’s efforts to advance health reforms through the Accra Reset Initiative, a flagship policy direction he has been championing to promote “health sovereignty” by strengthening governance, expanding domestic investment, and improving Africa’s capacity to shape global health policies.
The initiative has led to the establishment of a High-Level Panel on Global Health Architecture and Governance to generate practical solutions that would place Africa firmly in control of its health future.
The President also pointed to Ghana’s Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as Mahama Cares, as a practical intervention introduced to protect families from the financial burden of chronic diseases.
A Historic Setting
President Mahama expressed appreciation to the African Union for selecting Ghana to host the Extraordinary Summit, describing Accra as a city with a rich history of shaping Africa’s destiny.
“Accra has always been a city where Africa has gathered to shape its destiny,” he said, recalling that in December 1958, Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, convened the All-African Peoples Conference in the capital and declared that Ghana’s independence would only be meaningful when the entire continent was free.
“Today, sixty-eight years later, Africa gathers once again in Accra to confront a different struggle,” he added.
A Call for Concrete Action
President Mahama urged African leaders to remain focused on implementing concrete reforms that would deliver better healthcare services to citizens across the continent.
“The people of Africa may never read the declarations we adopt here, but they must experience their impact in better hospitals, reliable medicines, efficient clinics and healthier lives,” he said. “They must see the difference in mothers smiling with healthy children, patients receiving timely treatment and communities enjoying stronger health systems.”
He expressed optimism that the Extraordinary Summit would produce decisions capable of transforming healthcare delivery across Africa, urging leaders to ensure that the Accra Declaration became a practical roadmap for action rather than another policy document.
“Let history record that when the old systems began to fail, African leaders gathered once again in Accra and charted a new path towards health sovereignty and total liberation,” President Mahama declared.
Ghana News Global presents a comprehensive breakdown of the top news stories dominating today’s press.
1. President Mahama Declares “This Is My Final Term”
Appears in: The Dispatch
Summary: President John Dramani Mahama has publicly stated that his current term is his final one, putting an end to growing speculation about a potential third-term agenda. The declaration comes as the Supreme Court prepares to hear three separate suits challenging the constitutionality of a third term. The statement is expected to significantly shape the political landscape ahead of the 2028 elections.
2. Police Arrest NDC TikToker for Alleged Insults Against Bawumia; Former Veep Calls for Case to Be Dropped
Appears in: The Chronicle
Summary: Police have arrested a TikTok user, Prince Aboagye, over alleged insults directed at former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. However, in a surprising move, Dr. Bawumia has called for the case to be discontinued, urging authorities to drop charges against the suspect and defending the right to free speech.
3. Parliament Approves $822 Million World Bank Loans
Appears in: Daily Guide
Summary: Parliament has approved $822 million in World Bank loans, paving the way for critical infrastructure and development projects. The approval comes ahead of the mid-year budget review, with the government facing pressure to maintain fiscal discipline while addressing pressing developmental needs.
4. Wontumi Declared “Political Prisoner” as Court Rules on Charges Today
Appears in: Daily Guide
Summary: Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has been declared a “political prisoner” by supporters as a court is set to rule on charges against him today. The embattled NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman has been at the center of legal battles, with his case drawing significant political attention. Bawumia and NPP MPs stormed Nsawam Prison in a show of solidarity.
5. At AU Health Summit: President Urges Self-Reliant African Health Care
Appears in: Daily Graphic, Ghanaian Times
Summary: President Mahama opened the African Union Extraordinary Summit on Universal Health Coverage and Ending AIDS in Accra, urging African nations to break free from dependence on external partners and build self-reliant health systems. Drawing parallels with the continent’s struggle for political independence, Mahama called for a new era of health sovereignty.
6. “WHO’S NEXT?” – Predictions of More Arrests After Wontumi, Miracles, Adu-Boahene
Appears in: The Hawk
Summary: Following the arrests of high-profile figures including Bernard Antwi Boasiako (Wontumi), Dennis Miracles Aboagye, and Kwabena Adu-Boahene, a front-page headline asks “WHO’S NEXT?” Speculation is rife that more prominent political and business figures could face legal action. The newspaper also featured a “prison prediction” naming Adu-Boahene, Gifty Oware Mensah, and Miracles.
7. Bawumia Forgives NDC Organizer, Urges A-G and Police to Drop Charges
Appears in: Day Break
Summary: In a gesture of political reconciliation, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has forgiven an NDC organizer who was reportedly facing legal action and has urged the Attorney-General and police to drop the charges. The move has been widely praised as an act of statesmanship.
8. NPP Punches Holes in Govt’s Fiscal Surplus Claims Ahead of Mid-Year Budget
Appears in: The National Voice
Summary: The opposition NPP has questioned the credibility of the government’s claimed 2025 fiscal achievements ahead of the mid-year budget review. The party has raised concerns about revenue shortfalls and warned against introducing new unfunded policies that could undermine economic stability.
9. ‘Big Push’ Project Stalls Over GH¢9,000 Fee to Relocate ‘Voodoo’
Appears in: The Archives
Summary: A major infrastructure project under the government’s ‘Big Push’ initiative has stalled over a GH¢9,000 fee required to relocate a ‘voodoo’ shrine. The Roads Minister, Ato Forson, has been urged to intervene to resolve the impasse and allow work to proceed on the critical road project.
10. Police Intercept Over 1,000 Vehicles in Accra Over Illegal Modifications; Arrest 6 Highway Robbers
Appears in: The Dispatch
Summary: The Ghana Police Service has intercepted over 1,000 vehicles in the Greater Accra Region as part of a crackdown on illegal road modifications. In a related operation, six highway robbers were arrested in connection with a series of armed robberies. IGP Tetteh Yohuno is leading the security push.
Additional Notable Headlines
| Headline | Newspaper |
|---|---|
| NPP Launches Legal Fight Against 20-Year Sentence for Wontumi | The Daily |
| BoG Keeps Policy Rate at 14% – Cites Global Uncertainties, Inflation Risks | Ghanaian Times, Business Analyst |
| NPA Fires Back at ‘Rot’ Claims – Says A-G Found No Financial Loss | The Hawk |
| SEC Names 23 Unlicensed Online Investment Schemes | Business Analyst |
| BoG Warns: You Can Be Jailed for Rejecting Cedi Coins | Business Analyst |
| Mid-Year Budget Review: Experts Tell Gov’t to Maintain Fiscal Discipline, Avoid New Taxes | Ghanaian Times |
| Cheddar’s Legal Searchlight Authorises Police to Take Over No. 1 Oxford Street Battle | The Daily |
| Education Ministry Set to Introduce Revised KG/Primary Curriculum | Daily Graphic |
| Access Bank Ghana Picks Two Euromoney Awards | Daily Graphic |
| Ghana Backs Morocco’s Sahara Autonomy Plan | The National Voice |
Ghana has become the first African country to sign an Accelerated Patent Grant (APG) arrangement with the United States, a landmark agreement that promises to dramatically reduce patent processing times and position the West African nation as a hub for innovation on the continent.
The agreement was signed on July 9, 2026, in Geneva by Under Secretary of Commerce and United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Director John A. Squires and Ghana’s Registrar-General, Grace Issahaque, on the margins of the annual meeting of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
How the Fast-Track System Works
Under the APG process, an eligible patent applicant who has already been granted a U.S. patent by the USPTO may request that Ghana’s intellectual property office (GHIPO) grant a corresponding patent on a pending Ghanaian application.
This work-sharing arrangement, which will remain in effect for five years from the date of signing, is expected to significantly improve the efficiency of Ghana’s patent examination process by reducing processing time while maintaining the country’s intellectual property standards.
The agreement with Ghana is the tenth such arrangement signed by the USPTO and a partner intellectual property office, but marks a historic first for the African continent.
A Commitment to Africa
“The USPTO is committed to building its relationships with IP offices in Africa,” said Under Secretary Squires in a statement on the USPTO website. “With the signing of this agreement with Ghana we are building on that commitment, which took a big step forward last year with the installation of the USPTO’s first-ever intellectual property attaché for the region, Katherine Hiner, in Johannesburg, South Africa”.
That appointment, in 2025, signaled Washington’s growing focus on intellectual property protection across the continent. Hiner, who attended the signing ceremony, detailed the broader role the USPTO can play in empowering creators in Africa.
“In today’s global marketplace, rights holders need to have good, consistent laws that protect IP across borders,” she said, adding that “this includes recruiting and training staff, procurement of the necessary equipment, ongoing review of procedures, and facilitating an open dialogue with rights holders in their markets”.
A Growing Economy, A Strategic Partner
With a gross domestic product of $114 billion in 2025, Ghana is one of the faster-growing economies in Africa.
The agreement reflects the deep economic ties between the two nations. In 2024, according to WIPO, 33 per cent of foreign patent applications in Ghana originated with U.S.-based filers, underscoring the strategic importance of the partnership.
Beyond Patents: Protecting Creators
The signing ceremony took place alongside a WIPO Assemblies side event co-hosted by the U.S. Mission and Universal Music Group titled “IP for Growth Initiative.”
The event featured a livestreamed panel discussion and performance with African musicians and U.S. artist John Legend, highlighting the agreement’s implications beyond traditional industries—extending to the protection of artists, musicians, and creators in Ghana’s burgeoning creative economy.
Guidelines describing GHIPO’s implementation of the program and the process for how U.S. patent holders can take advantage of the arrangement will soon be available on GHIPO’s website.
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