The 2012 edition of the Badagry Festival began last Friday
at the Heritage Museum with the remembrance of victims of the Trans-Atlantic
Slave Trade.

Declaring the festival open, the Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Tourism and Inter-Governmental Relations, Mr Sewanu Fadipe, who
represented Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State and the Commissioner for
Tourism, Mr Oladisun Holloway, recounted Badagry’s losses to the slave trade.

“From my knowledge, the festival is built around the history
of Badagry and the slave trade experience of the 16th century to the 18th
century,” he said.

Fadipe, who called for a minute silence for the repose of
the souls of those slaves that died during slavery, said that the foundation of
Badagry was as a result of six centuries of the evil trade.

“Badagry has been affected by the slave trade since 1474
when the Portuguese came to buy our people, chained them and took them away
into cities like Spain, Cuba, Brazil and Columbia for hard labour,” he said.

He observed that though Badagry experienced pains from the
trade, blacks in the diaspora had been able to export its culture and heritage
tradition to the outside world.

“I saw Zangbeto masquerade in Brazil, while a place was
dedicated for the worship of Olokun too,” he said.

Also speaking at the event, High Chief Possu Awarawuru of
Badagry Kingdom, urged the people to shun foreign religion and embrace African
traditional religion and way of worship.

“Before Christianity and Islam came to Nigeria, our
forefathers worshipped Orisa and the society was peaceful,” he said, while
calling for cultural renaissance.

Our correspondent reports that the programme of events for
the festival includes cultural exhibitions, Zangbeto masquerade performance,
drama presentation, Gbenopo royal carnival and art exhibitions.