The African and Descendants of Africa Reconciliation Conference is being held at the Holy Redeemer Retreat and Conference Center, 8945 Golf Links Road.

Discussions today and Sunday begin at 9:00 a.m.

Among the invited speakers is Cyrille S. Oguin, ambassador to the United States from Benin, who is expected to offer a formal apology from the West African nation for its role in the slave trade, according to conference organizers.

Oguin could not be reached for comment.

Hosted by Canaan Ministries of Oakland, the conference will focus on the "Biblical history of Africa," according to spokeswoman Marcia Williams. "It is fitting that we come together during Black History Month, a time when we celebrate the accomplishments of blacks."

Other conference speakers include pastor James Archie Jr.; Kenyan evangelist Suzzane Njuguna Randon; pastor Jeremiah Chikhwaza of Malawi; pastor John H. Bell; pastor Flavio Caralho of Brazil; and West Oakland pastor Kelvin Saul, who is from South Africa.

"The black experience includes being separated, divided, shackled and scattered worldwide," said Regina Rederford, executive director, Emmanuel's Coalition. "We have to revisit the history of the inhumane atrocities committed against blacks during the era of the institution of slavery."

Some local supporters of the conference are also backers of reparations, the notion that the U.S. government should offer some form of compensation to the descendants of slaves. Others say one form of payment could be relieving African nations of debts to industrialized Western nations who have benefited from natural resources extracted from Africa.

Registration for the conference is $25 per day. For more information, call (510) 534-5799.

The Oakland Tribune: Cityside
Leanne McLaughlin, Managing Editor
(510) 208-6447
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