During my visit to Nigeria in December, 2001 I toured the town of Badagry
and learned that Badagry was an important slave route in West Africa.
Badagry is one of five divisions created in Lagos State in l968.
A darker historical era saw many people of West Africa leave their
shores for plantations in Europe, North and South America and the Caribbean. The infamous slave trade in Nigeria
is not known to many people like the slave trade in Ghana, Senegal, Togo and Benin. Nigeria and
Ghana were former British colonies. Senegal, Togo and Benin were former French colonies.
This ancient town of Badagry was founded around l425 A.D.
Before its existence, people lived along the Coast of Gberefu and this area later gave birth to the
town of Badagry. It is the second largest commercial
town in Lagos State, located an hour from Lagos
and half hour from the Republic du Benin. The
Town of Badgry is bordered on the south by the Gulf of Guinea and surrounded by creeks,
islands and a lake. The ancient town served mainly the
Oyo Empire which was comprised of Yoruba and
Ogu people. Today, the Aworis and Egun are mainly the people who reside
in the town of Badagry as well as in Ogun State in Nigeria and in the
neighboring Republic du Benin.
In the early 1500's, slaves were transported from West Africa to America through
Badagry. It is reported that Badagry exported no fewer than 550,000
African slaves to America during the period of the American Independence in l787. In addition, slaves were transported to Europe, South America
and the Caribbean. The slaves came mainly from West Africa and the
neighboring countries of Benin and Togo as well as others parts of Nigeria.
The slave trade became the major source of income for the Europeans
The town of Badagry wants to enlighten the world to its historic sites,
landscapes, cultural artifacts and relics of human slavery. Badagry wants to share this
world heritage site with others. They are preserving buildings, sites and
memories of this iniquitous period so those tourists can unearth the dark impact of
this era. Places of interest include the Palace of the Akran of Badagry
and its mini ethnographic museum, the early missionaries cemetery, the
District Officer's Office and Residence, the First Storey Building in Nigeria
constructed by the Anglican missionaries, relics of slave chains in the mini
museum of slave trade, cannons of war, the Vlekte slave Market, and the Slave
Port established for the shipment of slaves before the l6th century.
I will now quote from a booklet entitled "History
of the Mobee Family of Badagry and Their Involvement in the Slave Trade",
Olusegun Mobee. I bought this booklet during my visit to Badagry.
In the 24-page booklet Mr. Mobee states, "Slaves were
never captured in Badagry...As a matter of fact, then, slavery was
recognized institution all over the world. Slaves were employed by Kings,
Chiefs, and wealthy people in their houses as domestic servants. A man's
economic and social status were assessed by the number of slaves he
possessed. This type of slavery was known as domestic slavery. Usually,
many of these slaves were captives of war. But many of the slave owners on
learning that European slave merchants were besieging Badagry with goods
such as iron bars, cotton, wool, linen, whiskey, gin, metal wares, and
assorted wines in exchange for slaves, wasted no time to bring their
domestic slaves to Badagry with the hope of exchanging them for the listed
items. It was confessed that the prospects of Trans Atlantic Slave Trade
fueled into tribal wars in Yorubaland as the kings and slaves who had
taken part of the European slave merchants' offer, went all out to wage
war on the other towns and villages with the sole aim of getting slaves to
be exchanged for wine and guns."
"419" Advance Fee Scams
The holding cell for men, used just prior to sending the men off
to the boat.
A plaque officially commissioning the Badagry Slave Route
May 18, 1999
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The slave market at Posuko was the main center of the Slave
This is the point from which the slaves were transported across the
water to the "Point of No Return".
The "Point of No Return is across the water, just to the
right of the boat.
Slavery was abolished in 1886. This cannon was used to enforce
Badagry is an historic site because of the significant role it played as
slave port in Nigeria.
Another view of the wharf, from which the slaves left for points
Entry way to the wharf.
Joel Freeman, with William Kumuyi, facilitating a meeting for
250 government and business leaders.
Dr. Freeman with slave chains around neck. This was an emotional
Dr. Freeman speaking to well over 45,000 people, through 18
Another cannon used to enforce the abolition of slavery, aimed
at the "Point of No Return".
Two men who are part of the court of the King of Badagry.
Thomas Freeman, a mulatto, was the first missionary from England to Nigeria.
Freeman Memorial Methodist Cathedral
First Storey building in Nigeria.
First copy of the Bible translated into Yoruba language by Rev.
O P T I O N S ---
1. All-Day "Diversity Seminar" Program --
2. "Diversity Day" Presentation or Keynote Address --
3. "Black History" Presentation --
4. Dr. Freeman's African American History Collection --
Click Here 5. Preview Online Diversity Course --
Flash Player needed to Preview Courses --
Flash 6. Critical Incident Debriefing --
Click Here 7. Symbols that Address Cultural Awareness --
The Freeman Institute Black History
Collection has items such as:
Authentic, priceless slave ball, with handle (50 lb.) -- #3
written on it, for "trouble-makers", manufactured late 1600s
-- used on the London-based slave ship, Henrietta
Marie, the oldest identifiable slave ship wreck in the world
(summer, 1700) ; featured in National Geographic's (August,
By one estimate Henrietta Marie’s
cargo grossed well over £3,000 (more than $400,000 today)
for the ship’s investors. Most of the captives were headed
for sugar plantations where they’d be worked to exhaustion,
many dying within five to ten years.
Sturdy and fast, The Henrietta
Marie traveled the infamous triangular trade route favored
by the slavers - from England to the Guinea coast, to the
Americas, then home again. Accounts relating to the
Henrietta Marie’s voyages were uncovered, as were the
names of her investors, captains, and wills of some of her
crew members. Artifacts found at the site proved
particularly helpful in creating a picture of shipboard life
and the practices of the slave trade.
2. Two Wedgwood jasperware black on white Anti-Slavery
medallions, with the bound slave on the front, and the words
"Am I Not A Man and A Brother?" around it.
Also, a rare 1800s antique bronze figure of man (6" high,
weighs 18 oz.) pictured in medallion.
3. One-of-a-kind signed letters/albums/contracts/sheet music from Nat King Cole, Dizzy
Ellington, Lionel Hampton, Louis Armstrong, B. B. King, Ethel Waters, Pearl
Bailey, Miles Davis, Fats Domino, Quincy Jones, Earl Hines, Ella Fitzgerald, Sammy Davis, Jr.,
Grover Washington, Jr., Count Basie,
Mills Brothers, Ozzie Davis,
Lena Horne, Four Tops, Cicely Tyson, James Brown, Charlie
Pride, Bo Diddley, Bobby Blue and others...
4. A rare 1838 (third edition) copy of Phillis Wheatley's book,
"Memoir and Poems of Phillis Wheatley, A Native African
and a Slave" -- Includes memoir, George
Washington's letter to Wheatley, preface by John Wheatley,
plus poems by another slave, George Moses Horton, with
introduction and letters. And also the 1773 edition of the
Gentleman's Magazine -- first published mention of Phillis
Wheatley's book, first printed in the UK, paid for by the
Countess of Huntingdon.
5. Silver Civil War locket (1860s), containing two tin-type pictures
of African American women, worn by an African American
6. The Rosetta Stone, a First Edition 55-page
article in Archaeologia: Miscellaneous
Tracts Relating to Antiquity, Volume XVI, published by The
Society of Antiquaries of London. 1812. Some of the first
published articles about the Rosetta Stone. This is historic
in light of the fact that the code to Hieroglyphics wasn't
cracked until 1822 by Jean Champollion.
7. Riggs Bank check written and signed on July 3, 1907 by
Judson W. Lyons, ex-slave from Georgia and first
African-American lawyer to practice in the state of Georgia.
He was appointed Register of the US Treasury from 1898-1906
and as such, his signature appeared on US currency issued
during those years.
8. 1820s "T Porter" slave button (from Antigua, British West
Indies), used to identify the owner of a slave.
9. Click Here
to view more items and images...