By Omotoso Segun
Son of legendary Marcus Garvey, Dr Julius Garvey, has been given a new name by the Akran of Badagry. Garvey who is now known as ‘Ajigo’ is one of the Diaspora Returnees who arrived Badagry for the 4th Badagry Door of Return Festival, put together, by Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission and the Lagos State Government.
Other Returnees also got new African names, amongst them Dr David Anderson.
The Returnees enjoyed a warm welcome at the Palace of Oba Akran, and also had an opportunity to tour Badagry with a stop over visit to the site of the British Canon donated to King Aholu Wawu of Badagry in 1843, and then the historic tour of the Mobee Family Museum, where relics of the Trans-Atlantic Slave trade brought the returnees near tears.
However that sad memory of slave trade was later pushed away by a play performance directed by Prof Sola Fosudo.
Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Initiator of the Badagry Door Of Return, said she believes that if the event is well harvested, exploited and positioned, it will become one of the best tourism products in Nigeria, given its Diaspora content.
