The Nigerian Field Society

Lagos Branch

Ogidi - 03-2003	Okomu - 05-2003
Oshogbo - 07-2003	Badagry - 08-2003
Palm wine tasting - 08-2003	Sukur-Lake Chad - 09-2003
Niger Republic- 10-2003	Ibadan - 11-2003
Kano/Katsina - 11-2003	Ikorodu Backwaters - 12-2003
Trips & Talks

Trip to Badagry and Topo Island August 23^rd – 24^th 2003  

Meeting at eight o’clock in the morning, in a cloudy and cool weather, we anticipated a nice and comfortable weekend in an exotic tropical resort. And indeed it was!

Exactly on time we took off in two boats, on the Lagos Lagoons, towards our destination at the “Whispering Palms” resort near Badagry. Sailing west over the silky lagoons while cool breeze caressing our hair and cheeks, we enjoyed a comfortable sail to the resort

After sailing an hour or so we reached the place. A nice landscaped compound hiding among coconut palm trees and bougainvillas, where we were welcomed heartly and escorted to our quarters. After having a light lunch in the wonderfull scenery we headed to our first tour to Topo Island.

First european inhabitation in Topo Island was the Missioners of the Methodist and the Anglican Church and then the French Catholic, started in 1876. The French Catholics stayed until 1962. The place served as a Missionary, school and agric farm and became a shelter for children from all the lagoons’ area, from Porto-Novo to Lagos. In the farm they were growing palms plantations, cows and other agricultural groths. During the war  in Nigeria the Army took hold of the island and used the structures as field hospital. The place was finaly deserted in July 1962. Today no one lives in the island but the farm is still operating and plans are being made to rehabilitate the island.

After touring the island and it’s deserted structures we returned to the resort for dinner and good night sleep. In the morning, after having breakfast on the porch, looking over the lagoon, we took a short drive to Badagry.

For four hundred years the coastal area of West Africa was the main source of slaves trade. The Spanish, Portugese, Dutch, Belgians, Swedes, French and British were conducting this trade, which was the main source of cheap labour force to the new settlements in North and South America. With the help of the local leadership slaves have been captured and collected from Sierra-Leone and Liberia, in the west, through Ivory-Coast, Ghana (Gold Coast) and Togo to Benin and Nigeria, in the east, brought to the beach and sent by boats to America. Slaves trade stopped only late 19^th century after four hundred years of activity. Badagry was the most eastern point of slaves transmission to the boats.

In Badagry we explored the National Slavery Museum, another private Museum, the William Abbas compound, where the slaves were brought to Badagry, shipped over the lagoon and loaded on the boats. The Point of No-Return – the loading point in Badagry and the Slavery Trail are now national heritage places.

After a short drive through Badagry, observing a few Brasilian architectural structures and the first two storey building in Nigeria we returned to our base (W.P. Resort) for final lunch and off we sailed home.