Final answer:
Wole Soyinka referred to Africa as the 'human hatchery' because of the continent's exploitation through the transatlantic slave trade, where Africans were commodified to sustain Western economies, significantly impacting African demographic and economic structures.
Step-by-step explanation:
Wole Soyinka referred to Africa as the "human hatchery" largely due to its history of exporting human labor through the transatlantic slave trade.
During colonization, Europe used Africa as a source of labor, viewing African people as commodities for the production of profitable goods.
This process was characterized by brutal and inhumane treatments, where Africans lost control over their lives and underwent severe deprivation, all to sustain the rising capitalist economy in the Western world. Despite the emancipation of slaves, the impact of such commodification of people lingered, contributing to the poverty and underdevelopment that many African nations face today.
The slave trade damaged the African economy, as strong and capable individuals were taken away, leaving a gap in the societal structure that affected population growth and the overall societal health. African nations had to adapt, with women taking on roles traditionally held by men and population structures shifting to compensate for the loss. In essence, Africa was reduced to a human hatchery, breeding labor that was then extracted and exploited for global economic gain.