Online references for Coral Beads # Human Trafficking #Edo State

Wordpress,com state online:

 (1)‘Coral beads are worn mostly by Edo women from Edo State, Nigeria, they  are symbolic

of power, prestige, wealth, royalty and beauty’, ‘Historically, In Edo symbolism, beads

figured prominently, but the richest beads were made from red corals’

 I will create sculpture, with coral beads threaded on

Randomly and each bead will represent one trafficked person from Edo State.

 Unodc.org state (2) ‘There is a high prevalence of modern day

slavery known as trafficking in persons (TIP) in Nigeria. The menace of TIP came to

light in Nigeria in the 1980s and assumed a centre stage in national and internal

discourse in the late 1990s. Women and children who are the most vulnerable groups are

trafficked internally and externally for economic and sexual exploitation, such as prostitution,

forced labour. Domestic servitude, alms, begging, drug trade, child soldier, forced marriage,

organ transplant etc’. It goes on to state,( ’According to framework of the UNICRI/UNODC

pilot project), the majority of trafficked persons for the purpose of sexual exploitation are

young women and minors from Edo State of  Nigeria’. 

 (raceandhistory.com)

(3)‘Trade between the Portuguese and Benin (Benin City is capital of Edo State) was mainly

in coral beads, cloths for ceremonial attire and great quantities of brass manilas which

craftsmen melted for casting. In exchange for Portuguese goods offered was sugar, tobacco,

spices, coolants, ivory, earthenware, jewellery, artefacts and domestic slaves’.

So hundreds of years this has been accepted by people in certain regions of Nigeria, so my

sculpture is hopefully reflecting not just the subservience, attitudes, economic problems, lies

and tricks surrounding Human Tafficking, I want viewers to also think of our own

responsibility, ask if we as a country are complicit, do UK government trade  impact of

regions of Nigeria in a detrimental way,today and historically?  What can we do via our own

councillors and MP’s to  help trafficked people in our society, can we do more to help people

 like Huseina, will trafficked people one day feel they can trust our government, will support

groups be able to fully protect  and offer a safe haven and support without fear of victims

losing a chance to live happily in the UK.