The Dark Heritage Of Enslavement | Badagry, Nigeria

Embark on this adventure to uncover the dark heritage and remains of the ensalvement trade era. 

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
situated in the south western part of Nigeria
and bordering the Benin Republic
Badagry was created around 1425 ad
this place shares history with many coastal
West African towns
as they played significant roles in trade
with Europeans in the early centuries
as you drive into the town
a Brazilian architectured

(00:21):
red White House
is evidence of this town's connection to the Americas
a majestic
male sculpture stands in the middle of the roundabout
this sculpture of a muscular build wears a fisher hat
a cloth tied around his waist
with hands casting a fisher net into the air
tea is a site meant to preserve
this particular part of the town's history

(00:43):
badagry people were fishers
as well as farmers and saltmakers
before the enslavement era
kingdoms lay connected with culture trade
indigenous lifestyle and of course
manageable lineage disputes
these kingdoms which had existed before the Europeans
fell as an aftermath of the early globalisation

(01:03):
and events related to transatlantic slavery
Sariki Williams Abbas Slave Barracoon
we meet Kafkas Abbas a tour guide
with a direct lineage to Sariki Williams Abbas
he takes us to the first location
Sariki Williams Abbas home
where many relics including his grave are preserved

(01:26):
according to him
Brazilian slave merchants constructed this slave cell
around 1840
using it to keep dozens of captives for up to 120 days
in 2003
this construction was declared a national Monument
displayed our chains of different sizes for children
for those labelled weak and larger
chains called heavy chains for the stronger captives

(01:49):
most prisoners died due to heat and illness
as there was only one mediocre square opening
at the higher part of one wall
about 40 second meters wide
safeguarded by about six iron rods
to serve as ventilation they had a metal bucket
and another large ceramic jar to serve as a toilet
the rest you can imagine badagary

(02:12):
40 souls for a jackard umbrella
at the entrance to the Salva cell stood an umbrella
it did not seem regular
so I asked our guide more about it
he explained
how this good was used as means of exchange
during the trade era the umbrella was not regular
it was massive but old

(02:33):
made of goldish and purple jacquard
mixed with golden embroidered flowers
with a robust wooden pole in the middle
the top of the wooden bar had a brass casing
that served to beautify it
this piece of handwork was worth 40 human souls
Moby Museum in Badagri

(02:53):
barely well kept the museum consists of a room
where the relics of slavery
consist of shackles licks and chains
an iron bowl like piece
claimed to originate from the trade area
was used to provide water to the enslaved people
the family name
Moby is said to have been adopted by European traders
since they found it challenging

(03:14):
to pronounce the family name of the host
but could pick that word of his
he mentioned during prayers
the family has kept the name since then
as demand grew so did unrest in Badagri
the enslavement trade
LED to the desolation of the villages around the coast
as people fled for safety
into the inner part of the lands

(03:34):
however this did not stop the trade
as raids and warfare increased
for the transaction could not be developed
based on those sold away for crimes
or payment of debts
since more captives needed to be sold away
an active dissolution of communities
towns and villages began
raids and wars were necessary to deliver prisoners

(03:55):
which would then be sold to slave traders
or used multiple times as a currency exchange
being
the form of exchange that could accumulate capital
outside Africa
the ocean separated life and death
the point of no return
many believed that the sea separated life and death
in a sense they were correct as many relatives captured

(04:18):
sold and taken on board the ocean never returned
they journey by foot
from the barracoons through to the attenuation well
at the attenuation well
a concoction was served to the captives
to make them powerless and disoriented
I was overwhelmed on this journey
but now I know more about my history

(04:39):
join us on joadri as we explore further
to strengthen our identity
thank you for listening that was a J pod