By: Manoah Kikekon
BADAGRY, LAGOS — In a display of culture and communal devotion, the women of Badagry’s eight traditional quarters took to the streets on Saturday, April 25, 2026, for a symbolic "Traditional Sanitation" exercise. The event serves as a cornerstone of the 10-day burial rites for the late Aholu Menu-Toyi I, the Akran of Badagry, who reigned for 49 years.
The cleanup, which occurred simultaneously across the ancient kingdom's quarters, combined rigorous environmental care with the rhythmic joy of tradition. As Badagry prepares to host a global audience of dignitaries and tourists, the exercise resurrected the age-old practice of mothers sweeping their ancestral compounds (Agbo’le) to signal readiness for monumental life events.
The timing of the symbolic sweep proved particularly fortuitous. It coincided with the official reintroduction of the Monthly Environmental Sanitation by the Lagos State Government, which resumed state-wide on the same day after a long hiatus.
While the rest of Lagos observed the mandatory cleaning window from 6:30 am to 8:30 am, the women of Badagry transformed the task into a cultural festival. Laced with songs and coordinated effort, the sanitation served as a "spiritual and physical cleansing" of the land before the final funeral rites.
"It’s in the practice of our mothers in the days of old to turn out at the Agbo’le level to sweep, preparatory to weddings, naming ceremonies, and funerals," one resident remarked. "Doing this for our late Akran is a mark of ultimate respect."
As one of the cardinal events in the burial schedule, the eight quarters—including Ahovikoh, Boekoh, Jegba, Idale, Posukoh, Awhanjigo, Asago, and Ganho—are competing to leave a memorable mark. The cleanup ensures that the "Cradle of Western Education" is pristine for the upcoming processions, which include:
The Fitila Night (Procession of lights).
The Akran Legacy Festival at the Marina.
Zangbeto and Hungan Drumming ceremonies.
The 10-day celebration, which began on April 23, is not just a period of mourning but a massive cultural showcase. Local leaders noted that the cleanliness of the streets reflects the dignity of the late monarch's reign, ensuring that his transition to the ancestors is met with a kingdom that is both beautiful and unified.