On the quiet coastal edges of Lagos State lies Badagry, a town whose scenic beauty masks a haunting past. Known today as a cultural tourism destination, Badagry was once one of West Africa’s busiest slave ports, a grim threshold where thousands of enslaved Africans took their final steps on African soil, never to return.
Behind its beaches and palm-lined streets are centuries-old scars, embedded in the soil, the sea breeze, and the relics that remain. This is not just a town; it is a witness to one of the darkest chapters in human history.
A Gateway to Slavery’s Horror
From the 15th to the 19th century, Badagry served as a crucial hub for the transatlantic slave trade. European slave traders, in collaboration with local middlemen, captured and sold men, women, and children to be shipped across the Atlantic to plantations in the Americas.
The Badagry Slave Port, strategically located along the lagoon, was the boarding point where chained captives walked through what is still called the “Point of No Return”, a symbolic and literal passage from freedom into bondage.
Sites That Speak the Truth
Several landmarks across Badagry town preserve this tragic history:
- The Seriki Faremi Williams Abass Slave Museum, housed in the former residence of a powerful slave merchant, contains original chains, cell-like rooms, and chilling records of sales.
- The Mobee Royal Family Slave Relics Museum, curated by descendants of a royal family involved in the trade, also displays shackles, branding tools, and trade goods used to exchange human lives.
- The First Storey Building in Nigeria, built by missionaries, stands nearby — a reminder of the complex intersection between Christianity, commerce, and colonization.
- The journey to the Point of No Return, which takes visitors across a narrow strip of beach, remains one of the most emotional parts of the experience.
Legacy and Healing
Today, Badagry is more than a site of remembrance. It is also a symbol of resistance, memory, and reconnection, especially for African diaspora communities seeking to trace their ancestry and heal generational wounds.
The annual Badagry Festival, held every August to celebrates African culture while commemorating the pain of slavery. It turns the town into a global meeting point for history, healing, and heritage.
