Nigeria, Feb. 20 -- African heads of state recently converged for the 38th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The theme of this year's gathering, "Building a united front to advance the cause of justice and payment of reparations to Africans," resonates deeply with the collective memory of all people of African descent resulting from centuries of exploitation from the transatlantic slave trade, colonialism, neocolonialism, systemic racism and economic marginalisation. These historical injustices have resulted in persistent inequalities in global financial systems, trade structures, and governance institutions that continue to afflict the continent today.

Yet, amid the urgency of this reparations discourse, the continent stand...