President Bola Tinubu has thrown his weight behind the ‘Heritage Voyage of Return’ initiative aimed at re-uniting Afro-descendants with their African roots.
He says the programme will not only re-awaken the historical awareness of society by bringing back memories of what happened many years ago, but will also create economic benefits.
The President said these when he received a delegation from Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, along with the initiators of the project, in an audience on Friday in Abuja.
“Reconnecting Afro-Brazilians with their African roots will be an iconic project that will rekindle our past and light up the spirit of our ancestors. It will re-awaken memories of what happened many years ago. And it is a good thing that this is coming now at a time when we are working on expanding the frontiers of freedom and democracy in Africa,” President Tinubu said.
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While thanking Professor Soyinka for supporting the initiative and for his commitment and patriotism over the years, the President emphasized that the project would also come with economic benefits that must be leveraged, noting that, “this is an important project that must be pursued.”
Speaking earlier, Professor Wale Adeniran, who led the delegation, said the history of the project dated back to when the Lagos Black Heritage Festival began.
Professor Adeniran described the Heritage Voyage of Return as a historic maritime journey that will begin in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, making stops at various African nations and terminating in Lagos.
He said the team had come to seek President Tinubu’s endorsement and for him to formally invite the Afro-descendants from Brazil home.
