You’ve been seeing pictures from Badagry everywhere, you’ve probably even read on the net about the beaches in Badagry. This blog post would tell you about what to expect, things to do in Badagry 2023, places to visit in Badagry 2023, the Budget and the prices. There are several things to do in Badagry in 2023 but here are only 5 places you should actually visit. Check out my Vlog post on Youtube on my trip to Badagry here
The Journey to Badagry
The best way to get to Badagry is by water transportation, the road network from Lagos to Badagry is bad hence it takes longer time to get to Badagry and little time to actually tour the place. You can commute using the popular banana boats from Ebute iro or from the Lagos Ferry station at CMS. It costs an average price of N3500 – N4000 for a direct trip depending on the station you choose and the day of the week you go.
Ebute iro station isn’t open on Sundays but they are open Mondays to Saturdays while the Ferry station at CMS is open all week long 6am – 6pm. These banana boats carry as much as 19 passengers but they are not very comfortable because the seats are wooden and have no back rest; however, they get the job done pretty well.
Sometimes, you might not get a direct boat to Badagry but not to worry, you can buy a ticket of N2000 naira to Liverpool jetty at Ojo and from there you would take another going to Badagry for N2000 or N2500. If you don’t want to use banana boats, you can get comfortable 10 seater speed boats from Kampari tours at a fee of N160,000 to and fro the Badagry jetty.
I left my house on the island at 8:10am, it cost N2800 using Bolt to get to the Ferry station at CMS. I arrived at the jetty at 8:57am and had to wait for the boat to get full. We left the jetty at CMS at 9:46am and we headed for the Liverpool jetty because I couldn’t get a direct badagry boat ride. I paid N1000 from CMS to Liverpool and another N2500 from Liverpool to badagry. We arrived at Badagry at 11:25am and on arrival I saw people commuting from Badagry to Port novo, Cotonou and Benin republic; It was interesting to know I can actually travel to these countries by water. On arrival at the badagry jetty, you can take a bike from the jetty station or rent a cab for the day like I did. Please note i took this trip in 2023.
Top 5 places to visit in Badagry 2021
- Visit the Alhaji William Abass Seriki Barracoon
To be honest, I didn’t know what to feel when I got here, it was a feeling 0f betrayal but yet open mindedness. The Barracoon is located just opposite the point of no return and the large plot of land is owned by the Abass Seriki Family. We were welcomed by one of the daughters of Abass Seriki and his grandchildren.
One of the daughters who was available and at the entrance at the time said she wasn’t feeling well so she instructed her child to take us on a tour of the compound. Before she handed us over to her child, she told us the wooden door at the entrance has been there since the 60’s, she told us that 40 slaves were sold for an Umbrella, or a bottle of gin or a small piece of Mirror (reflective glass) or a gun, ceramic bowls, a kettles, cups or tea mugs. Just imagine selling 40 able bodied humans for something as carnal as a mirror.
Alhaji Abass, who was a slave merchant at that time, sold 1600 slaves every 3 months. He kept 40 slaves in 40 small rooms called barracoons before he sold them to slave buyers. Each of these rooms is the size of a fast food male and female restroom put together. According to his family, his master told him to choose between being a slave trader, getting his freedom and being a slave forever, he had to choose to become a trader for his freedom.
Of the 40 slave cells, 38 have been converted to living quarters for the Abass family and only 2 have been left for tourism purposes. There is a courtroom in the compound where slaves were being judged, 2 grave sites one of which is the grave of Alj. William Abass Seriki. At the entrance of the room is a letter from the Abass family apologizing to tourists about what their father did. The barracoons were dark, one of them had a small hole from which the slaves could see the time of day and take in air. Beside the Abass family barracoon is the badagry prison, ironic right?
2. Point of no return and the Slave spirit Attenuation well
After we finished at the barracoon, we walked into the compound opposite the barracoon where we took a boat ride of N700 each to cross to Gberefu Island, the journey took about 5 minutes. At Gberefu island we paid the guardians N500 each and took a N500 bike ride to the point of no return. The distance from the jetty to the point of no return is a 25 mins walk and the sandy land isn’t an easy one to walk on. Along the way to the point of no return is the slave spirit attenuation well where slaves were forced to drink poisoned water.
You can walk to the Attenuation well or you can take a bike there. The Attenuation well is a 20 mins walk from the island entrance and use to be the postion of rest and final spot to get some water before slaves were put into the big ships that served as Slave ships. He water content of the well was mixed with voodoo to make the slaves forget everything they knew including their culture, names and families prior to arriving at Gberefu. The slaves then continue their journey to the Point of no return where they wait till negotiations are complete, they are then matched into massive ships where they are moved to several parts of the world.
Aside the fact that slave trade happened there, the island is a very quiet and beautiful. There was literally nobody there apart from tourists which were in total not more than 20 people. The island poses great investment opportunities and tourism opportunities if positioned well.
3. Visit the National museum in Badagry
The National museum is located along the water brook that cuts through Badagry, from the national museum you can see the beautiful skyline, palm trees and green vegetation that gives it a Bali look and feel. We were welcomed at the museum by 2 custodians and they were very welcoming and courteous. Videos and camera shoots are not allowed in the museum for some reasons best known to them however we were allowed some few shots featuring us in the pictures. From the museum’s Storey building you can see the point of no return which sort of whets my appetite to want to explore more.
Mr Micheal took us on the tour and he carefully explained how slavery began and the history of every item in the museum. We had banters and chattering amongst the tourists and it just made the experience even more fun.
The entrance fee to the museum is N500, some items are sold at the museum like Adire, mini Sato drum, Coconut cups, key holders, card holders and planters. I would rate this museum a 9/10 because it was very clean, aerated, the management are courteous and helpful.
4. Visit the First Storey building in Nigeria
The first story building is just a 8 minutes drive from the point of no return, it is also very close to the museum. The compound is very spacious, perfect for some picnicking because of the green grass and huge Almond tree that keeps the compound aerated and cool. We were taken on a tour by the guardian Mr. Abidemi who was very detailed in his story and history telling. He showed us the different rooms of the different reverends that once lived there including Reverend Henry Townsend and Reverend Ajayi Crowther. He showed us the corrugated sheets used then, the money and safe used by the reverends from back in the days.
Reverend Ajayi Crowther was the first African C.M.S Bishop and translated the Holy Bible to Yoruba and the bible is located within the building. When we were done with the tour of the Storey building we went under the Almond tree where we had some chit chat and banter. Mr Abidemi also showed us a well named by tourists as the Miracle well because when they prayed and used water, miracles happen.
5. Visit the Vlekete Slave Market
The Vlekete slave market was renovated and commissioned August of 2022, the site is the exact site where slaves were bought and sold. in 1500s. The Vlekete Slave Market established in 1502 in Badagry, Lagos State, was significant during the Atlantic slave trade in Badagry as it served as a business point where African middlemen sold slaves to European slave merchants thus making it one of the most populous slave markets in West Africa. The slave market has 4 sections each containing different artefacts and history.
I finished the tour at 3:40 pm and it was threatening to rain. It indeed rained and the shelter at the jetty was packed with people who were all jam packed together trying to hide from the leaking roofs. I used the opportunity to make some new friends and strike up conversations. I met these 2 men speaking Hausa and I explained to them that I had to leave Badagry that day as it was already a few minutes past 5pm. One of them, who is a Navy officer, assured me that he would ensure I leave Badagry that very day. The boat finally came and I joined the last boat at the Jetty at 6:15pm. It was a very long, scary ride as it was dark and we kept stopping at every Navy check point with threats to be turned back to Badagry.
We finally got to CMS at 8:20Pm and we had to beg the Security at the CMS jetty to open the gate for us to access the main road. I took a cab from CMS to my house and just thanked God I wasn’t robbed while waiting for my cab to come. All in all, my trip to Badagry taught me a lot and I am really happy to have visited the beautiful island of Gberefu.
Budget breakdown to tourist site in Badagry
Taxify/Uber ride from your house to the CMS Jetty and back: N4500+N5000
Boat ride to and fro badagry: N4000+N4000
Entrance fee at all Tourist site: N1000+N1000+N1000+N1000+N1000
Boat ride from Barracoon to Gberefu and back:N700+N700
Bike fee inside Gberefu: N500
Cab man to move you around Badagry:N5000 Per person
Total Budget to Badagry cost: N29,000 – 30,000 per person
Things to know before you go to Badagry.
You are going to be around lots of water so get your mind ready for that and ensure you travel light and you don’t take anything you can’t afford to lose.
It may rain at any time so get a raincoat or you can buy one at CMS or badagry for N300.
The total budget to go to Badagry is a round figure of N30,000. Make sure you have nothing less than that.
After your tour make sure you get back to the badagry jetty on or before 3pm as it becomes difficult to get a boat from 5pm. The Navy police do not allow boats past 6pm on the water ways.
Plan to stay at a nearby hotel like Famz Embassy, Rollykings, Starjen, Sail Harbour, or motel incase of rain and you can’t get a boat back, you can check out our article on Whispering palms resort here.
It is advised you visit with a group, it saves you some money and makes the trip fun and safe.
Keep some money aside to buy some souvenirs from the national museum.
Take as many photos as possible as you may not be coming back to Badagry.
Carry your food, snacks and water if you don’t intend to buy food at Badagry.
You can complete the tour at Badagry in one day and return back to Lagos the same day, it is all about time management.
I joined Kampari tours on the trip to Badagry, If you need the contacts of the cab man we used and contacts of other people at the various tourist attractions in Badagry be sure to contact Kampari tours. Check out my Vlog post on Youtube on my trip to Badagry here.