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57-534: Badagry , also spelled Badagri , ( Gun : Gbagli ) is a coastal town and Local Government Area (LGA) in Lagos State , Nigeria . It is quite close to the city of Lagos , and located on the north bank of Porto Novo Creek, an inland waterway that connects Lagos (Nigeria's largest city and economic capital) to the Beninese capital of Porto-Novo . The same route connects Lagos, Ilaro, and Porto- Novo , and shares

114-574: A treaty of cession with Badagry chiefs. The Congress of Berlin in 1884–1885, led to the displacement of the Gbe ethnolinguistic groups in the area, with especially the Badagry-Ogu/Ewe ethnic group falling under the British rule, and marginalized through being removed from the rest of the ethnolinguistic group . Gbede:gli:me- Gbe languages - Inside the blacksmith’s walls. The first settler

171-523: A border with the Republic of Benin. As of the preliminary 2006 census results, the municipality had a population of 241,093. Serving as a lagoon and an Atlantic port, Badagry emerged as a commercial center on the West African coast between 1736 and 1851. Its connecting and navigable lakes , creeks and inland lagoons acted as a means to facilitate trade and as a security bar for residents. During

228-530: A fragmented political structure. This flexibility was advantageous for trade but also caused internal instability. Slave trading did not take place on the same massive scale in Badagry as occurred in Bonny , Angola , Ouidah, and Calabar ; In 1865, the amount of slaves transported out of Badagry was 800, while at Porto Novo, the figure was 1,200, and at Ouidah, up to 5,000 slaves were transported. The peak period of

285-470: A makeshift bamboo Church. In 1845, a CMS missionary party arrived in town Badagry. In the party were Revs, Townsend , Crowther and Gollmer, two teachers from Sierra Leone, some carpenters and wives of the party members. The intention of the part was to keep on moving to Abeokuta but as a result of the death of Sodeke, a chief in Abeokuta, they were delayed at Badagry. The party stayed in Badagry for

342-555: A port of entry for emigrants from Sierra Leone and missionaries. Around 1837, a settled Sierra-Leonean emigrant of the Methodist faith wrote a letter requesting a catechist in Badagry. The Methodist already had a missionary party in the Gold Coast , and some members were sent to Badagry. this party was led by Thomas Birch Freeman and Charles DeGraft. The Methodist missionaries first preached under an Agia tree and later erected

399-642: A radius of 500 metres and above. Aside securing lives, they also help to settle disputes and make peace among Ogu ( Egun people) Zangbeto masquerade serves numerous function in the lives of the Egun people of Badagry. Agemo Francis Sewanu, a mixed media Nigerian Artist, was born in Badagry Lagos, in 1986. He studied fine Arts at the Delta State University Abraka from where he graduated in 2008. Agemo, whose works have been influenced by

456-456: A reputation for being a successful slave trader. In an attempt to extend his trading area, Hertog negotiated with local tribes and mingled in local political struggles. He sided with the wrong party, however, leading to a conflict with Director-General Jan Pranger and to his exile to the island of Appa in 1732. The Dutch trading post on this island was extended as the new centre of slave trade. In 1733, Hertog returned to Jaquim, this time extending

513-619: A similar manner; the men helped him secure the settlement as well as preventing attacks on him. This was beginning of the Zangbeto masquerade. Zangbeto masquerade could do a lot of interesting things with the help of magic/ supernatural powers. This is the main reason they are held in high esteem by the Ogu (Egun) people and are regarded as deity. There are public displays of power such as crossing rivers by walking on water, turning bucket of water into wine as well as dancing bottles. Zangbeto watch over

570-544: A system of creeks, waterways that are navigable to Lagos and Porto Novo . The distance between the lagoon and the ocean varies along the coast, in Badagry, the distance is about a mile. The depth of the lagoon varies according to the season, from highs of 3 meters to lows of a meter. The lagoons have a diverse fish population that includes bonga , croaker , longfin pompano , tilapia and catfish . The lagoon consists of brackish and freshwater with seasonal variability; west of Badagry, Yewa River provides water inflow to

627-572: A year and a half, building a mission house with two levels. Eugene Van Cooten joined the mission in 1850. However, Christian proselytism in the first half of the nineteenth was not successful in Badagry partly as a result of a civil war between 1851- 1854 and also as a result of Lagos becoming a British colony. In the years between the founding of the colony of Lagos and colony of Nigeria , Badagry lost influence to Lagos. In 1863, wary of French influence in Porto-Novo, colonial Lagos signed

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684-413: Is able to give the man the child he looking for." The message in this work is that physical appearance- ugliness and deformity don't really count. Which it comes to productivity and achievements. These things are not hindrance to success in life. There is an inner beauty, and that is what counts. One may look ugly in appearance but the character or product of that person may be what is desirable. The ugly and

741-468: Is one of the traditional ways of crime control, policing and security among Egun people of Badagry. Zangbeto’s primary aim is to secure the community. The masquerade also serves to entertain people as they dance by spinning around fast, shrinking and growing in height as the masquerade turns. An illusion about Zangbeto masquerade dates back to when an Egun man was said to have been pursued by his enemies, Egun man needed to flee from his hometown unnoticed in

798-436: Is spoken in Porto-Novo. Ancient Badagry had a traditional religion close to vothun and various traditional places of worship. Shrines were located in different quarters of the town including Nabruku at Ijegba, Vlekete at Posuko, and Mathe at Adariko. In modern Badagry, adherents of Islam and Christianity populate the town. Zangbeto masquerade is a powerful cultural form among the Ogu (Egun) people. This particular masquerade

855-678: Is the first settlement of Christian missions in Nigeria. The governor of the state, Governor Sanwo-Olu urged the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to build two additional Seaports, one in Lekki and another in Badagry. He said "Lagos State needs to have two other Ports , which will not only serve us but also build the national economy . We have initiated the development of Lekki Sea Port, which has started. We are building another Port in Badagry. But we are still in conversation with

912-458: The coast of Badagry to Europe and America. The place where Christmas was first celebrated in Nigeria by Reverend Freeman and Reverend Townsend on 25 December 1842. 45 Felix Kuadugah: Etymology of Badagry 6°25′N 2°53′E  /  6.417°N 2.883°E  / 6.417; 2.883 Gun language Gun is the second most spoken language in Benin . It is mainly spoken in

969-401: The dot below diacritic to indicate sounds. In Benin, another orthography was developed for publishing a Bible translation in 1923, and it was updated in 1975, and is now used for teaching literacy in some schools in Benin; it is similar to the orthography of Fon , using letters such as ⟨ ɛ ⟩ and ⟨ ɔ ⟩ . There are proposals to unify the orthographies, for example

1026-551: The Americas. "More than a million people are thought to have died" during their transport to the New World according to a BBC report. More died soon after their arrival. The number of lives lost in the procurement of slaves remains a mystery but may equal or exceed the number who survived to be enslaved. The savage nature of the trade led to the destruction of individuals and cultures. Historian Ana Lucia Araujo has noted that

1083-577: The Atlantic trade between the 16th and 19th century, but about 1.5 million died on board ship. About 10.5 million slaves arrived in the Americas. Besides the slaves who died on the Middle Passage, more Africans likely died during the slave raids in Africa and forced marches to ports. Manning estimates that 4 million died inside Africa after capture, and many more died young. Manning's estimate covers

1140-772: The Dutch had abandoned their last trading post in the region. The Slave Coast was settled from the Dutch Gold Coast , on which the Dutch were based in Elmina . During its existence, the Slave Coast held a close relationship to that colony. According to various sources, the Dutch West India Company began sending servants regularly to the Ajaland capital of Allada from 1640 onward. The Dutch had in

1197-656: The NPA to grant the approval because we have added five developers, financiers , and partners on the Badagry Port. If we can finish the construction of both Sea Ports, it would free up.the congestion in the Apapa axis and create a new business hub for our people". The Royal Palace Of Mobee is a historical Slave Relics museum housed in a 19th-century colonial building. It is a repository of the role played by local "Chief Mobee" in conniving with slave masters to capture locals during

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1254-526: The Northern region, this group introduced Islam to the Ogu people in the city-state. After the British abolished the slave trade, notable trader Francisco Félix de Sousa migrated to Badagry around 1807. Trade in ivory, cloth and palm oil were also important economic activities of residents. Thomas Hutton established a presence in Badagri in 1838, other British traders followed in subsequent years. Unlike in

1311-612: The Thron, Atinga, Tolegba and Tovothun,( gods and goddess) of Egun (ogu) people is representing Nigeria. Francis Sewanu Agemo art has evolved over the years through the upbringing with his grandparents, who are faithful worshipers of the Thron, Atinga and Tovothun (gods and goddess of Egun people). Francis Sewanu Agemo had enriching cultural encounters at the shrine and these have informed his artistic development. Agemo, who spoke to vanguard in an exclusive interview stated that " he has over time developed his forms and figures that bear semblance to

1368-601: The Trans-Atlantic slave trade, the town was a middleman between European traders on the coast and traders from the hinterland. Badagry is situated on the south-west coast of Nigeria, bordered by the Gulf of Guinea to the south. It is located 43 miles (69 km) southwest of Lagos and 14 miles (23 km) east of Seme , a border town in Benin Republic . Like Lagos Island, it is on the bank of inland lagoons ,

1425-656: The ancient international slave town of Badagry, transmitted to them in art form. This magic, Agemo told vanguard is made possible " with my artistic philosophy which he made possible " with my artistic philosophy which I refer to as Tracontemporary- A blend of traditions that is not alienated from contemporary realities and transformations. Agemo is a kind of historian on canvas. His paintings are mostly narrations of fragmental histories and societal discussions, political issues, ancestral rites and abandoned beliefs. Most times Francis Sewanu Agemo tell stories on his canvass about abandoned beliefs, culture and tradition of his people one of

1482-431: The captives, and handcuffs for children. Historical records provide visitors with information about the terrible conditions faced by the slaves during the passage, and images provide representations of life on the plantations . It is a source often referenced during Black History Month. The first-story building is located in Badagry, Lagos State. The foundation of the building was started in 1842 and completed in 1845. It

1539-408: The community at night wandering around to detect thieves and dispense justice. They are followed by a group of drummers and makes an 'eerie' humming noise to announce their arrival. During the night watch their horn sounded to announce the beginning of the watch and also to alert people that the group is about coming out, using the magical powers, Zangbeto masquerade could notice anyone loitering within

1596-821: The decades before begun to take an interest in the Atlantic slave trade due to their capture of northern Brazil from the Portuguese . Willem Bosman writes in his Nauwkeurige beschrijving van de Guinese Goud- Tand- en Slavekust (1703) that Allada was also called Grand Ardra, being the larger cousin of Little Ardra, also known as Offra . From 1660 onward, Dutch presence in Allada and especially Offra became more permanent. A report from this year asserts Dutch trading posts, apart from Allada and Offra, in Benin City , Grand-Popo , and Savi . The Offra trading post soon became

1653-448: The deformed woman is the one who is able to produce the male child; hence she becomes the lucky woman, which is where the title of the work was derived from. Agemo believes that the world is very small. It may be smooth or rough which is a reality of life; everyday as we go out, we may meet good or bad. Good and bad all work together says Agemo. Most of his figures for his art drawn from status in Badagry, artifacts and cultural products-

1710-679: The end of the eighteenth century. Slaves taken during inter-villages conflict were auctioned off at Badagry. Chief Mobee was one of the African chiefs who participated in the slave trade in 1883. In Marina, Badagry, the first two-story structure was constructed in 1845. Huntokonu set up a trading post on the gifted land in 1736 and it was after Huntɔkonu settlement that Badagry emerged as a slave port , serving principally as an outlet for Oyo and displacing Apa politically and commercially. During this period, political refugees fleeing aggression from King Agaja Trudo migrated to Badagry. Agaja who

1767-446: The famous works of Agemo is titled "The lucky woman", which he did during a residency at Alexis Galleries, Lagos. "This work," said Agemo, "is talking about a man who has two wives but the first wife is not able to give the man a male child. All her children are girls. So the man is now looking for another wife that can give him the male children he needs. Here, he finds the woman. Though she is ugly and deformed ( she has only one eyes) she

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1824-434: The interior, Badagry's soil was not suitable for commercial agriculture , but farms were set up in areas surrounding the town. The palm oil trade was of considerable value to Badagry, as was an illegal trade in slaves directed by Brazilians. The influence of anti-slave trade raids and cession of Badagry to Britain put a stop to the trade. Badagry's location as a coastal town with links northwards to Abeokuta and Oyo made it

1881-537: The king, Aholu Saheed Sedonu Adamson, Topon Toviaga 1, of Ajido kingdom. Aholu Adamson said, "Zangbeto" is a socio cultural heritage that is celebrated in high esteem with commitment by the Egun (Ogu) people. Ajido keyed into the Lagos state Government's proclamation that Lagos state was the hub of tourism. The native language of Badagry is Ewe/egun (Ogu)a dialect of Aja/Ewe and similar to the Fon language, an Aja sub-group that

1938-450: The lagoon. There is a traditional Yoruba narrative that the first settlement within the area was an Awori group originally from Ile-Ife who lived at a nearby settlement. Robin Law, a scholar of West African history , notes an origin that sprouted out of a resettlement for displaced peoples of varied ethnic groups, mostly Ogu people , Ewe people and Oyo Yorubas . Another source links

1995-468: The most important Dutch office on the Slave Coast. According to a 1670 report, annually 2,500 to 3,000 slaves were transported from Offra to the Americas and writing of the 1690s, Bosman commented of the trade at Fida, "markets of men are here kept in the same manner as those of beasts are with us." Numbers of slaves declined in times of conflict. From 1688 onward, the struggle between the Aja king of Allada and

2052-421: The night. But then, it was said to have used supernatural powers to disguise himself, not to be caught by his enemies which are after his life. He covered his body with dried leaves and raffia and by making scary sounds with the horns of an animal. He was eventually able to leave the town unharmed and undetected by his enemies. He later found a settlement called 'Hugbonu' and subsequently, had men with him dressed in

2109-476: The objects of worship like totems, statues, masks and raffia threads. Francis Sewanu Agemo made us known that his art poses a look at the duality between tradition and Contemporaneity . Francis Sewanu Agemo, art exhibition which opened on September 19 and run till September 23, Agemo's works are attracting a lot attention from other artists, curators and art lovers of other cultures who are obviously fascinated to be witnessing original African culture, especially from

2166-459: The one made by Hounkpati Capo in 1990. This Benin -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Dutch Slave Coast The Dutch Slave Coast ( Dutch : Slavenkust ) refers to the trading posts of the Dutch West India Company on the Slave Coast , which lie in contemporary Ghana , Benin , Togo , and Nigeria . The primary purpose of the trading post

2223-553: The people living at a settlement called Gberefu as the Ewe's of Oyo, an island along the Atlantic coast. One of the recorded notable events in the history of Badagry was the acquisition of land by a European trader who was locally known as Yovo Huntɔkonu. Yovo or Yevu means a white person in Gbe languages. Many sources identify the European to be a Dutch trader called Hendrik Hertogh. Huntɔkonu meaning(laughing or smiling priest)arrived from

2280-584: The peoples on the coastal regions, impeded the supply of slaves. The Dutch West India Company chose the side of the Aja king, causing the Offra office to be destroyed by opposing forces in 1692. After this debacle, Dutch involvement on the Slave Coast came more or less to a halt. During his second voyage to Benin , David van Nyendael visited the king of Benin in Benin City. His detailed description of this journey

2337-507: The political structures between 1784 and 1788. In 1821, Oba Adele was exiled to Badagry, he proved to be a source of leadership, and was able to make Badagry a politically independent state. The founding of Abeokuta also proved beneficial to Badagry as the former made use of Badagry as an outlet for trading. Adele was involved with the famous trader, Madam Tinubu and sided with Egba's in their conflict with Ota and Ijebu. Among Adele's followers from Lagos were Muslims, mostly servants from

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2394-424: The process of enslavement did not end with arrival on Western Hemisphere shores; the different paths taken by the individuals and groups who were victims of the Atlantic slave trade were influenced by different factors—including the disembarking region, the ability to be sold on the market, the kind of work performed, gender, age, religion, and language. Patrick Manning estimates that about 12 million slaves entered

2451-527: The shrines, e.t.c which Francis Sewanu Agemo the artist uses to create his own concept. The major economic activities in Badagry include fishing, trading, and tourism . Badagry's closeness to the sea and its historical past with the Trans-Atlantic slave trade and missionaries attracts tourists to the town. A pre-fabricated house built by Thomas Birch Freeman is considered by some as the first story building in Nigeria while Freeman's Methodist Church

2508-411: The slave trade in the city state was between 1736 and 1789, but the trade continued into the early nineteenth century , with Portuguese or Brazilian traders taking over from the Dutch. The rise of Badagry on the coast led to hostilities with Ouidah, which combined with Oyo and Lagos to sack the town in 1784. After the destruction, Jiwa a political refugee from Porto-Novo took over the reins of most of

2565-639: The south of the country, in Porto-Novo , Sèmè-Kpodji , Bonou , Adjarra , Avrankou , Dangbo , Akpro-Missérété , Cotonou , and other cities where Ogu people live. It is also spoken by a minority of Ogu people in southwest Nigeria near the border with Benin, particularly Badagry , Maun, Tube. The language has been written with three orthographies, all of them based on the Latin alphabet . In Nigeria, it has been written with an orthography similar to that of Yoruba and some other languages of Nigeria, and using

2622-502: The town has totally changed the character of Badagry to a Yoruba town. The city-state of Badagry was divided into eight wards with each having a traditional head. The eight wards are Jegba (Akran, The ruling house), Asago (Bala), Ganho (Agoloto), Posuko (Possu), Boeko (Mobee), Ahoviko (Wawu), Ahwanjigo (Jengen), and Wharakoh(vihento). Between 1953 and 1965, Badagry was a divisional headquarters for an area composed of Badagry, Amuwo-Odofin , Ojo, and Ajeromi-Ifelodun . When Lagos State

2679-549: The trading post into Fort Zeelandia . The revival of slave trade at Jaquim was only temporary, however, as his superiors at the Dutch West India Company noticed that Hertog's slaves were more expensive than at the Gold Coast. From 1735, Elmina became the preferred spot to trade slaves. The transatlantic slave trade resulted in a vast and as yet unknown loss of life for African captives both in and outside

2736-420: The transatlantic slave trade , as well as the opposite role played by of his son in overturning slavery in the area. The museum shows evidence of the arrival of Europeans to the Badagry area and the origins of the humans traded for money, gin and other things. Artefacts that are reminders of the savagery of the capture, entrapment, and enslavement of African people include yokes, chains, a mouth lock to silence

2793-616: The west, settling in the area after fleeing the wrath of an African chief. He reached the settlement called Apa under the Obaship of Alapa and he was given farmland to use for trading. The name Badagry was said to be derived from the city's indigenes' methods of subsistence, which include fishing, farming, and salt production. Others think the city was called after Agbede(blacksmith in Yoruba and Gbe languages)a well-known farmer whose okra farm, Agbadarigi or Agbedeglime(inside blacksmith’s wall)

2850-433: Was a blacksmith known as Gbede or Agbede who relocated there from Porto Novo area and started an okra /okro farm. In order to protect his farm from wild animals, he erected a low mud wall. Neighboring communities started referring to the settlement as - Inside Agbede’s Walls. In Gbe cluster of languages, a blacksmith is called gbede or agbede. The name was corrupted to Badagry by the European traders. Yoruba immigration to

2907-410: Was corrupted to Badagry by Europeans. Badagry served as a corridor for Europeans to carry slaves to new destinations in the early eighteenth century. Its cenotaph is called " Point of No Return ," and the well at this location was charmed to make slaves who drank from it forget their fate. Badagry was one of the routes that benefited from the ongoing slave trade conflict between Portnovo and Dahomey at

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2964-517: Was created in 1967, it became one of the five administrative zones of the state. A number of festivals are celebrated in Badagry, including the Ajido Zangbeto cult, Igunnuko festival and Badagry diaspora and heritage festivals. Ajido Zangbeto festival was supported by Lagos state, various groups, like the royal father's , women of Zangan, Yonnusi, Kregbeto, Zan holu, Ohugigo, and others danced as friends guests and tourists paid tribute to

3021-537: Was erected by Reverend Henry Townsend of the Church Missionary Society (CMS). Samuel Ajayi Crowther , the first African CMS Bishop , lived there when he undertook the translation of the Holy Bible from English to Yoruba. It was also used as a Vicarage for Saint Thomas Anglican church. The Point of No Return is located on Gberefu Island. This was the gateway for transporting slaves off

3078-453: Was established around 1670. Ouidah was also a slave-trading center for other European slave traders, making this place the likely candidate for the new main trading post on the Slave Coast.. Political unrest was also the reason for the Ouidah office to close in 1725. The company this time moved their headquarters to Jaquim , situated more easterly. The head of the post, Hendrik Hertog, had

3135-530: Was included as an appendix to Willem Bosman 's Nauwkeurige beschrijving van de Guinese Goud- Tand- en Slavekust (1703). His description of the kingdom remains valuable as one of the earliest detailed descriptions of Benin. On the instigation of Governor-General of the Dutch Gold Coast Willem de la Palma, Jacob van den Broucke was sent in 1703 as "opperkommies" (head merchant) to the Dutch trading post at Ouidah , which according to sources

3192-505: Was seeking an outlet to the sea was warring across the coast and the resulting war caused an influx of people living along the coast of Anlo , Keta, Weme , Quidah, Allada, Ajatche , and Popos to settle in Badagry. These group came to be known as Ewes/Ogu. Each migrant group were affiliated with Eight heterogeneous quarters and newly arrived immigrants settled in wards related to their state of origin. Badagry's wards were headed by commercial and political autonomous chiefs thereby creating

3249-578: Was to supply slaves for the Dutch colonies in the Americas . Dutch involvement on the Slave Coast started with the establishment of a trading post in Offra in 1660. Later, trade shifted to Ouidah , where the English and French also had a trading post. Political unrest caused the Dutch to abandon their trading post at Ouidah in 1725, now moving to Jaquim , at which place they built Fort Zeelandia . By 1760,

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