It took months of reminding and asking our coordinator but we finally made it to Badagry as one of our “cultural tours” of Nigeria. Badagry is a coastal city on the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Guinea, between Lagos and the Republic of Benin. On entering Nigeria by road, it is the first city you pass through. It is one of the many historical sites in Nigeria, known for being the major slave port in West Africa. Hundreds of thousands of captured Africans passed through this city on their horrific journey to be sold in America, the Caribbean, South America and Europe. The first Christian missionaries also landed here in 1842. Today, the city looks like a typical south-western Nigeria town but it is more slow paced compared to the hustle bustle of Lagos and Ibadan. It’s placement on the beach makes it ideal for tourism, so I was glad to see the early stages of construction of a massive boardwalk that would spark a tourist industry there.
The most interesting part of the trip for me was touring the Heritage Museum, a museum of artifacts and information about the slave trade in Nigeria. I was moved and almost shed tears when I picked up the left cuff of a real wrought iron wrist shackle slaves were to wear on their wrists at all times. I strained to lift it with one hand. Curriculum about the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade is mandatory in the U.S.
I have listened to many lectures, read books and seen movies about it. But all those secondary sources paled in comparison to lifting one shackle or listening to our tour guide explain in Yoruba and demonstrate how slaves were to drink out of the deep cone shaped iron drinking pot without using hands. When we finished the tour of the rooms we came out onto a balcony overlooking the Gulf of Guinea. It reminded me of finishing the tour of the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem and coming out onto the balcony overlooking the land Jews call their own now. Our guide pointed across the water to an island covered in trees. “Se e ri afara funfun yen? Do you see that white bridge? We call that place the “point of no return” because once the slaves are transported from the mainland across to that place, they are boarded into the ship and there is no way they can escape.” Thinking about the brutality that took place on the very ground I was standing on is chilling but it is a very important history to understand so it can never happen like that again.Feeling inspired, we went to the beach along the highway towards the Benin border. Except for a few souls, palm frond houses and fishing boats, the beach was desolate. The dull turquoise water receding fast down the shore crashing back with foamy tops.
Our teachers would not even let us put one foot in the water because they feared the strength of the current would pull us, all experienced swimmers, out to sea. I found fun in taking pictures instead.That makes the cities I’ve visted: Abeokuta, Badagry, Osogbo, Ilobu, Oke Omu, Sekonna, Ilesa, Eko, Oyo. We still have to get to Ife and many others. Hopefully soon!
Titilayo! So glad I stumbled upon your blog… Have watched some of your videos and was quite impressed! Keep up the good work and pls come to Ile-Ife too, I school at the University there… Would love to meet u ☺
anybody that wish to come here(Badagry) for vacation to contact me on my cell phone +2348024289432….its very good to come here in order to view what you had heard or read
i which to visit there
IS LONG BUT I NEED TO SAY SOMETHING TOO AS AM FROM THIS PART OF THE COUN TRY , TILL NOW THE PLACE IS STILL THIS SAME CAN YOU PPLE TRY TO MAKE IT MORE FUN MAY BE ONCE A YEAR FOR PPLE TO COME AND SEE WHAT IT LOOK LIKE IN SLAVRY NOW FREE
DANSU A.D.
Great work. Unconsciously or maybe consciously you’re documenting history.
[…] Badagry Slave Port […]
I stumbled upon one of your videos on facebook and I have enjoyed following your blogs. I grew up in Nigeria, mostly in Ife. I have been in the United States for a number of years now and one of my greatest regrets is the fact that my Children cannot speak Yoruba fluently. I shared one of your videos with My 22 year old College Graduate Daughter and She was so amazed at how well you speak the language. In any case, I say all these to let you know that I appreciate what you are doing and I wish you all the best! Keep up the good work. By the way, you must visit Ife!
Adefunke.
Good day ma,why you dont like to visit NIGERIA mostly where you were born?
you can still bring your childrens come here especially BADAGRY so that they will experience many things and if you want to come badagry i can assit you to take you round there
You can contact me on my phone number +2348024289432 or add me on facebook@Matthew olawale olaogun
i remember when i visited badagry and the slave port as a kid, i was barely ten it was an interesting and horrifying event for me.
ooh when i walked on the first house’s floor i kept fearing that the floor would give way under me lol its so brittle
Nice post,
I went there in 2007. It was an amazing experience.
You should have taken a canoe across the river and then walked to the Beach Front instead. The experience was suprisingly haunting.
We were put in the footsteps of the Slaves by riding local canoes across the river,
Walked the dusty path where slaves would contemplate their uncertain fate,
Saw the last views of home with lush forests surrouding them,
Saw the well where slaves were drugged in order to keep them docile for the coming trip,
Heard the creeping sounds of the atlantic ocean as we neared the beach,
Witnessed the Majesty of the atlantic ocean where slaves from small town villages would have been witnessing for the first time,
Shown the plots of land and areas where ships were lined up to take their human cargo, and finally
Told how the slaves were hearded onto the ships for their one-way Journey.
I’m not an Emotional person and quite frankly generally nonchalant and about slavery, infact I was a bit bored during the Museum half of the Tour. But the “Point of No Return” part emotionally hit me. I felt the strange and deep feeling of complete despair and total abandonment.
It was a life changing experience and Im glad that you enjoyed it too.
x
It’s touching
http://www.myopenpetition.com
Love your reporting! Always a great read, very nice photo work.
Love you, hope to talk soon.
Dad
Fascinating! Great pics! Cara, your writing is excellent.
Loves,
Michele