Fifty-seven participants from Brazil, the United States, the United Kingdom, Cuba, Haiti, and the Benin Republic were ceremoniously welcomed as Kings and Queens through the Badagry Door of Return, symbolically reversing the historic transatlantic slave journeys of their ancestors.
The Chairman and CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Dr. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, announced this during the 5th edition of the Badagry Door of Return Festival 2025, held in Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria.
Dr. Dabiri-Erewa praised Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for constructing the permanent Door of Return Monument, describing it as “a lasting tourism legacy for Lagos State.” She also hailed Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka as “a legend and an inspiration to all,” noting that the festival represents a historic, emotional, spiritual, and economic reconnection to Africa.
Delivering his remarks as Special Guest of Honour, Prof. Soyinka described the ceremony as “a historic beginning of a stupendous event that reconnects Africa with its diaspora powerfully and emotionally.”
He commended Dr. Dabiri-Erewa, the three Badagry local government chairmen, and Mr. Solomon Bonu of the Lagos State House of Assembly for organising a memorable and culturally significant celebration. Prof. Soyinka further revealed that the Heritage Voyage of Return, a follow-up to the festival, would begin in Brazil next year and conclude in Badagry.
Expressing optimism, he said the event would help transform the sadness of the “Point of No Return” into joy and renewed connection for Africans in the diaspora seeking to reconnect with their roots.
Representing Governor Sanwo-Olu, Special Adviser on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr. Idris Aregbe, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to cultural and heritage tourism. He pledged that the permanent festival site would be completed and inaugurated at the next edition of the festival.
Also speaking, the Cuban Ambassador to Nigeria, Miriam Morales Palmero, described the festival as a vital effort to preserve and defend shared history and cultural identity. Quoting Cuban historian Fernando Ortiz, she remarked: “Cuba without the blacks will not be Cuba,” underscoring the monumental contributions of Africans to Cuban heritage.
Mr. Solomon Bonu, Chairman of the Lagos State House Committee on Tourism, called the festival “a heritage bridge between Africa and her children abroad,” pledging legislative support for initiatives promoting culture and historical preservation.
Similarly, Babatunde Hunpe, Chairman of Badagry Local Government, speaking on behalf of his colleagues, expressed gratitude to Dr. Dabiri-Erewa and Governor Sanwo-Olu for elevating Badagry’s global cultural profile.
International participants — including Jeffrey Daniels of the hit band Shalamar, Dr. David Anderson (author of Gracism), and the Consul-General of Brazil to Nigeria, Celso França — described the event as a deeply emotional and joyful return to their ancestral roots.
The Badagry Door of Return Festival continues to stand as a unifying symbol of hope, healing, and reconnection, transforming the pain of history into a celebration of identity, resilience, and homecoming.
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