The capital city of Nigeria, Lagos encompasses an entire new aspect of African History and the dark times of Slave Trade. It is the point where many painful secrets of history can be revealed.

Badagry Town is one such place, without which the history of slave trade cannot be uncovered. This ancient slave port lies at the outskirts of the main city. Also known as “The Point of No Return” the town of Badagry was founded in the 14^th century A.D. Today, the town of Badagry is the second largest town in Lagos State. It is easily accessible for both local and international travelers. For local travelers, it only takes an hour’s drive from Lagos city or nearly thirty minutes from the Republic du Benin. Compared to Benin, Lagos is much easier choice for International travelers as there are many cheap flights to Lagos Nigeria, from Europe with low cost airlines. Some are even direct and the country also has a popular International airline Arik Air., that can make your travelling easier. 

Badagry acted as a transportation point back in the 15^th century, when ‘slave trade’ became the major source of income for the Europeans. It is, from where the West African slaves were transported to America. Historians claim, that Badagry port transported near about 550,000 or more slaves to American continent during the era of American Independence in 1787. Also, slaves were transported to various other parts of the world including Europe, South America and the Caribbean. These slaves were mainly West Africans, picked from Benin, Togo and Nigeria.

Today, Badagry holds significant importance as a site of World Heritage and a tribute to the sad souls who departed from this port unwillingly, those who were brutally tortured, held in captivity and treated like goods not humans.

The historic sites in Badagry are the town’s prominent tourist attraction, also visited by scholars and researchers of the subject. The town has a pleasant landscape, a vibrant culture, a range of local artifacts and also, the memories of human slavery. The buildings, sites and relics of the period are preserved, to be shared with the rest of the world. There are other places of interest as well, like the ‘Palace of the Akran’ and its mini ethnographic museum.

When visiting Badagry, you should also visit the early missionaries cemetery, the District Officer’s Office and Residence and the First Storey Building in Nigeria constructed by the Anglican missionaries. While the 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 are point of interest and study for western travelers who would dare to unearth the darkness of poignant era.