Badagry Festival 2016 will begin on August 23 with an international symposium on Olaudah Equiano. It is also the International Day for the Remembrance of the infamous Trans Atlantic Slave Trade and its Abolition. The festival has as theme ‘African Diaspora and the Future of Africa’. Venue is Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), Topo, Badagry. A Dark-Era Reminiscence Procession will usher local and international guests into the symposium.
However, the pre-events that will lead up to the opening include a clean-up exercise in Badagry, coconut tree planting, prayers in mosques for the repose of the spirits of victims of Slaves Trade in Africa on Friday, August 19 while Christians also pray on Sunday, August 21 at Agia Tree Monument site. Also, atonement by traditional worshippers will hold as well as a boat regatta, swimming, boat racing and fishing competition.
Also, ‘Door of Return Ceremony’ to counter ‘Point of No Return’ that ushered the slaves to waiting slave ships out of their homeland will hold on Saturday, August 20; it features drama presentation of how slaves in chain-gangs were dragged out. Although sombre, the presentations present moments of hilarity for the audience.
On Tuesday, August 22, there will be Aje celebration at Agbalata Market and Apa Cultural Festival Day at the Palace of Alapa of Apa Kingdom.
On Wednesday, August 24, Zangbeto Masquerade performance will hold at Ajido community as well as Badagry Citizen Award and Vothun Festival of Catharsis in Ajara community as well as Ogun Ajobi Festival hold the next day. Conferment of Chieftaincy Titles and Adoption of African Names by members of Africa diaspora at the Palace of Akran of Badagry as well as Aholu (kings) Carnival. A command Performance of a play Wailing from Badagry: A tale of TransAtlantic Slave Trade takes place at Badagry town hall.
The festival grand finale comes up on Saturday, August 27 at Badagry Grammar School and features a milieu of cultural extravaganza and music.
This year’s festival is dedicated to Olaudah Equiano, a former slave who bought his freedom. He was the first African author who wroteThe Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African in 1789.
