dehumanising effects of servitude and its historical place in Africa    

Harsh weather characterised Badagry for hours. But like a popular spring in one of the South-West states which flows hot and cold water, the ambience gave way to a downpour which softened the harshness of the weather.

Thus, it was soothing for tourists visiting the Badagry slave route to relish every bit of the expedition. From the slave port, overlooking the Marina Waterfront, our correspondent could view the harbour which leads to the route.

Founded in 1425, Badagry town is located on the south by the Gulf of Guinea and encircled by creeks and islands including a lake. Its major inhabitants are Aworis and the Eguns.

The place, which was a port for slave trade in the 16th to 18th centuries, witnessed the movement of African slaves from West Africa to South America, Europe and the Caribbean.

The slave route, among other remarkable sites, monuments and relics of slavery, makes Badagry a tourist site of importance.

From the slave port, one can access the slave route via a boat fused with outboard engine at a fee. A group can charter a boat for N1,000 to the route and pay same amount to return to the port depending on its members’ bargaining power.

One of the boat operators who did not give his name said it would be fun to charter the boat so as to cruise on the water before heading for the harbour.

He said, ‘‘Sometimes, people going to the slave route can wait for hours because we will not move until the boat is filled with passengers. Each person pays N100 and we have about 10 people on board. There is no way we will be moving on the water to satisfy the desire of some of the passengers to explore some places. Other passengers will not allow such because they came to the slave route for a purpose. But if the boat is chartered, we will travel around on the water to interesting areas.’’

The slave route is a sandy place where slaves were led on a long path bordered by palm trees to a shore on the Atlantic for transportation to where they were sold.

There is a well along the route where the slaves drank from when they were tired and thirsty. It was learnt that the slaves  were usually tired along the route because of the distance they trekked on their way to the Atlantic shore known as ‘point of no return.’ It is so called because slaves that got to the point were sold abroad.

The journey from the route takes about 15 minutes with intense walking and one wonders how tough it was for the slaves who had their legs chained to prevent them from escaping.

A sign with a terse inscription, ‘‘This is the route of the journey to unknown destination’’, erected at strategic points on the route, serves as a reminder of the emotional torture slaves endured while treading therein.

A tour guide at the Brazilian Barracoon (cell) located opposite the slave port, Stephen Olaniyan, told our correspondent that the place was used to house slaves before the merchants took them away across the Atlantic.

He said, ‘‘During the slave trade, European products were used in exchange for slaves. The products were canon guns, umbrella, alcoholic drinks, brass dish, mirror, guns, kettle and beads.’’

According to him, there are 40 cells in the place and each of the cells accommodated 40 slaves consisting of men and women.

He added that the value of 40 slaves was one umbrella, small canon gun; 40 slaves, big canon gun; 100 slaves and a bottle of gin; 10 slaves.

‘‘Mirror and brass dish had no specific number of slaves because it depended on the haggling power of the merchants and slave owners. Beads are just to appreciate the owner of the slaves while children were given as extras to the merchants, ’’ he said.

There is a well in the compound which Olaniyan said was dug by the slaves in 1847. Those who now live in the place use water from it for their household chores. There is also a waiting room where Olaniyan said merchants examined the slaves to choose the ones they wanted.

One of the rooms contains relics of the chains used in ensuring that the slaves were held in custody. Olaniyan, who showed our correspondent the slave chains where they were kept, stated that there were various sizes designed to hold the necks, arms and feet of slaves.

Students of the Department of Leisure and Tourism, Yaba College of Technology, were among the tourists who visited the slave cell and slave route when our correspondent was there.

One of the lecturers in the department, Mrs. Olufemi Olubukola, said the students were in Badagry to feel real monuments and historical artifacts.

She added that a lot of historical sites exist in the town. Olubukola said, ‘‘Badagry contains more historical and tourist sites than anywhere in Lagos State. This is where to be if one truly wants to see what historical sites offer.’’

 For those who yearn for insights into the history of slave trade in Nigeria, the slave route offers a range of perspectives.

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