By "> Vanessa Obioha
Badagry is a town known for its rich transatlantic
slave history. It was in this city that Nigeria
witnessed the cruelest form of human abuse. It is
also in Badagry that Christianity, Western
Education and mechanized agriculture founded its
way to Nigeria. Some of the early missionaries
contributions to civilization is still preserved in
Badagry till date. A typical example is the first
storey building in Nigeria. Overlooking the Marina
waterfront, Rev. Henry Townsend laid the
foundation of the first-ever storey building in
Nigeria in 1842 but the building was finally
completed in 1845 by Rev. C.A Gollmer.
Although the building has been repainted over
time, its interior still preserve some of the artifacts
of history. The building materials used in
constructing the house itself such as corrugated
iron sheets and the nails used in the roofing of the
building can be found in the labourer’s room. The
doors and hinges are still the same and appear to
have stood the test of time more than what is
obtainable in the market today. The first teacher in
Nigeria, Mr. Claudius Phillips also lived in this
house for 23 years.
Mr Philips established the first primary school in
Nigeria, St. Thomas Primary School with 40 men
who spent 12 years in primary school before they
graduated. A quick calculation reveals that
education in Nigeria is almost 160 years old.
Another occupant of this historic building is the
first Bishop in Nigeria, Bishop Ajayi Crowther who
wrote the first Yoruba Bible in Nigeria. One can
find the first English Bible belonging to Townsend
when he was invited by his friend Birch Freeman,
alongside the Yoruba version translated by Bishop
Ajayi Crowther in this room.
Hung on the wall of this room are portraits of Rev.
Townsend and also that of Bishop Crowther with
his grandson Herbert Macaulay. From this room,
one can see the house of Lord Fredrick Luggard,
the then governor of the colony and protectorate
of Southern Nigeria. Gollmer’s room houses the
first bench used by the missionary. There is also
the Bible room where the missionaries stored their
Bibles; the safe room which house the first safe
used by the missionary in 1856. It was here that
they kept their money and other valuable items.
Also in this safe are the earliest form of currency
used by the missionaries and slave masters such as
the cowries, penny, shillings and kobo.
Another heritage preservation in the building is a
well, which was dug in 1842. This source of water
has never been polluted and served as drinking
water in the community. Till date, the water of this
well remains clean and is believed to have magical
powers of healing. When Birch Freeman arrived in
Badagry on September 24, 1842, he preached his
first gospel under the notable Agia Tree. Under
this umbrella tree, though no longer in existence,
the first sermon in Nigeria was preached and the
tree also served as the centre of Christmas
celebration for the early Christians.
The Birch Freeman High School in Surulere was
named after this missionary and is an alma mater
of the Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji
Fashola. Rev. Townsend, apart from introducing
the first English Bible used in Nigeria, also
published the first indigenous newspaper in
Nigeria called Iwe Irohin in 1859 in Abeokuta.
Other heritage sites in Badagry include the heritage
museum which was formerly the District Officer’s
office till 2011, the Brazilian Baracoon, where the
slaves are kept before being transferred to the
slave port popularly known as ‘The Point of No
Return’. The Slave port retells the harrowing
experience of our forefathers who were subjected
to despicable and inhumane treatment. Chained on
hands and feet, these slaves embarked on an
endurance trek to an unknown destination. They
are ferried across the lagoon to the winding path
that leads to the Atlantic. Already, the European
merchants have their ships ready to convey the
slaves to an unknown land.
Rocks were marked on both sides of the path to
prevent them from escaping into the surrounding
forest. Thus they formed a straight file in the
middle. Surrounded by so much greenery, they
tread on, sometimes chanting songs of freedom,
while others wore a forlorn look, and some a mask
of death. Their tormentors cared less as they
pushed them on with whips and sticks, their minds
set on delivering the “goods” and getting paid.
Those who couldn’t withstand the suffering died on
the way. Till date, their graves are visible on the
path. To seal the fate of the slaves, the masters
made them drank from the Slave Spirits Attenua­
tion Well. History has it that the water from this
well erased the memory of their homeland and
made them less aggressive and submissive to their
supremacists as they sailed into the new world.
Families were separated and many did not make it
back to their homeland but assumed another per­
sonality at their new destinations. At the Atlantic
shore, the middlemen separated the male from the
female and boarded them on a canoe to the ship
after much bargaining. With the agonising echoes
of slave trade in Badagry, Badagry should
seemingly be less appealing. Far from it. Take
away the footprints of the slavery and enjoy the
serenity of the ancient town. Surrounded by the
peninsula, Badagry is the perfect getaway from the
din of the city. The waterfront has become a
popular sight for tourists to enjoy. The long stretch
of trees along the shoreline looks like a shield
against the heinous act committed there over 400
years ago. With abundance water, tourists are
tempted to take a boat cruise and revel in the
wonderful works of nature.
Few kilometres ahead is the Suntan Beach. With
coconut trees, horse rides, barbecues and music, it
is the perfect place to chill out at the weekend. For
those who can’t make it to the beach, the marina
is the perfect place for a picnic on Sunday
afternoons. A popular hangout in Badagry is the
Hi-lander O2. The owner Olaide Osoba entertains
his guests with tasty seafood delicacies and drinks
while they enjoy the sea breeze. Situated close to
the marina waterfront, Osoba planted trees in this
setting with a chained monkey jumping from one
tree to another. The idea of his setting was to give
the guest that intimate pre-intimacy with nature. From
this spot, one can see the linking bridge from
Badagry to Seme. The waterfront is a breathtaking
scenery. Also on display is the monstrous fishes
caught in the sea.
However, Osoba feared that one day, Badagry’s
beauty will be lost. Citing the current reclamation
of Bar Beach by the Lagos state government, Osoba
expressed fear that the same fate will be meted out
to the Marina in the recent future. He pleads that
the environment should be left in its natural state
and that man-made interference will only take the
beauty away. For now, the lagoon alone attracts
tourists who are never tired of hearing the
transatlantic slave trade over and over again.
Badagry town in brief
1The popular transatlantic slave trade took place in
Badagry over 400 years ago.
2The early missionaries resided in Badagry.
3It is also in Badagry that Christianity, Western
Education and mechanised agriculture founded its
way to Nigeria.
4The first storey building is sited in Badagry.
5Some of the slave trade landmarks in Badagry
include “The Slave Port”, the Brazilian Baracoon,
and the Heritage Museum
6It is surrounded by the Peninsula.