Thank God it is Friday. Friday is normally the workers’ delight because of the two day break - Saturday and Sunday. Having finished early with my work at the office I then took a trip down to Badagry from Lagos. This would be my second trip to this historical city. My first was sometime in April when I set out to explore Badagry. It was a trip that took me to the First storey building in Nigeria, the heritage museum, and the suntan beach all in badagry. Indeed, this trip was a monumental success.
The city of badagry is a town situated along the coastal line of the Atlantic Ocean. It is also a historical town with rich historical landmarks and attractions that dotted the entire town. The town is alleged to be the first Nigerian town to have contact with western civilization because of its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. It was later to become a hub of slave trade. Right in this town was a slave port from where slaves were shipped to the unknown world.
These rich historical landmarks attracted me the second time to the town, as it has millions of travelers and tourists. And this time around I decided to go for a photo walk. The Royal slave museum was my first port of call. Here, there are many relics of slave trade kept here. Various items that date back to the slave trade era are on display in the museum. During this era items and wares like mirrors, umbrellas silver wares, ceramics, lantern, alcoholic liquors, and regalia were exchanged for a certain number of slaves.
Moreover, inside this museum are rooms known as the Brazilian Barracoon or slave cells where slaves were kept awaiting the arrival of slave merchants. There were forty rooms in all and each small barracoon contains about forty slaves lobbed into this tiny room. This was an agonizing period for the slaves who were alienated from their loved ones and subjected to the most inhumane treatment.
The man behind this infamous trade in badagry was Seriki Abbas Williams who was once a slave himself until he was regained freedom from his master. He was the appointed the political leader of Badagry district by virtue of his position as a slave merchant and his relationship with external merchants. His cenotaph hung at the wall of the museum along with a letter handwritten by him. His regalia which dated some two hundred years back and alleged to be given to him by his Brazilian friend could be seen at one corner.
From there I visited another historical attraction, the Agia tree monument said to be the very place from where Christianity was propagated in Nigeria. In fact Christianity in Nigeria spread to other areas from the Agia tree. It was under this tree that the first church started. And even though the tree is no more standing a monument has been erected where it used to stand to show the importance of this historical landmark.
The historical town of Badagry is also home to some tantalizing cool joints. One of such joints is the O2 cool joint located by shores of the sea near the Badagry market. I took time off, about an hour to refresh with some cold drink while enjoying the aesthetic view of the peaceful sea water and inhale the fresh breeze from the sea. I also had fun watching the boats roar past through the sea water.
The palace gate of the paramount ruler of Badagry kingdom, Oba Akran was another historical landmark I touched. I took photos of all these places that I visited. From there I began mapping out new places, editing and writing reviews of businesses like shopping malls, showrooms, restaurants, gas stations, banks etc, majorly on along sohglo and Joseph Dosu roads.
At the end the photo walk was a monumental success. It was a case of tapping into the untapped, and reaching out to the unreached. In all, I walked more than five kilometers in this photo walk. The Google maps was greatly improved and enriched through this photo walk. Badagry too became more visible on Google maps. This will help a lot of people to explore and make informed decisions about Badagry.
Finally, what was the recent activity you undertook to improve Google maps? You can share your experience here to motivate other Local guides.
#Let’s guide
Click here to view the list of interesting places to visit in Badagry.