Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, alongside Tourists and Culture enthusiasts from across the World, is expected to attend the 2025 Diaspora Festival in Badagry, Lagos State.
Speaking to newsmen on Tuesday ahead of the festival, Chairman of Badagry Local Government, Mr. Babatunde Hunpe, said the event would hold from October 16 to 18.
Hunpe, who spoke on behalf of other Chairmen in the Badagry area, said that “the three councils had resolved to jointly organise this year’s edition in collaboration with the Africa Renaissance Foundation and the African Door of Return Experience.”
He explained that the decision was taken to further promote tourism, cultural heritage, and unity among people of African descent worldwide.
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Hunpe said that “the three Councils had decided to take over the celebration of the 2025 festival in collaboration with Africa Renaissance Foundation and the African Door of Return Experience.”
He said that during the three-day cultural extravaganza, visitors would witness a spectacular display of African heritage through drumming, dance, cultural parades, boat regattas and historical re-enactments.
The Chairman said that the event would also feature lectures, tributes and exhibitions that chronicle the resilience and contributions of Africans across generations.
Hunpe said the heart of the celebration would be the Door of Return Ceremony, a spiritually charged and emotional highlight where descendants of enslaved Africans symbolically retrace their steps home.
According to the Chairman, this reenactment has over the years become a beacon of hope, pride and reconnection for Africans in the diaspora, showcasing Badagry as a central hub of Pan-African consciousness.
Also speaking, Mr Bonu Solomon, the Lawmaker representing Badagry Constituency 1 in Lagos State House of Assembly, said that Soyinka would lead the delegation down to Badagry.
Solomon who is the Chairman, House Committee on Tourism and Culture, said that they would be waiting to receive the delegation in Badagry.
“People from Cuba, Brazil and other European countries will be coming with Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) to Badagry.”
“Tourists are already coming down, we have students from Ajegunle coming down here and they are tourists.
“What we need to do is just to uphold tourism to serve Badagry to the whole world.
“And with the zeal of the three chairman, that we have seen today, Badagry is going to be greater in the near future. Unity is what we want,” he said.
NAN/Oluchi