By: Manoah Kikekon
The Executive Chairman of Badagry Local Government, Hon. Babatunde Hunpe, has made a passionate call to the Lagos State Government, demanding the immediate handover of historical and tourism sites located within the municipality back to the local council administration.
Hon. Hunpe made this strong assertion on Sunday, August 23, 2026, during events commemorating the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, held at the historic Badagry Heritage Museum.
Addressing the gathering, the chairman emphasized Badagry’s unique and painful position in global history, clarifying that the ancient town was merely used as a trading floor rather than an active promoter of the slave trade.
He argued that when discussions regarding reparations arise, Badagry must be prioritized due to the lasting environmental and social scars left on its land.
"God bless Badagry, God positioned us in a place where the world needed to know about us. It is not us that sold slaves or bought slaves; our land was only used as the market for the trade, and if we are talking about reparations, Badagry should be considered first because environmentally those passages have some cost to our land," Hunpe stated.
Hunpe called for the reversion of key properties, including the Badagry Heritage Museum premises and the sacred Agia Tree site—noting that the latter historically housed the Jubilee Market, which structurally falls under local government purview.
"Let us get what belongs to us back in Badagry. This premises we are here today [Badagry Heritage Museum] belongs to Badagry Local Government. My father was a Badagry Local Government staff when he was alive, and this is where he worked... No one can tell me the history of these places, so let all that belongs to us be returned back to us," he emphasized.
Hunpe also laid claim to the famous Vlekete slave market, maintaining that it rightfully belongs to the local administration to enable better community-led maintenance and preservation.
Drawing comparisons to protect community heritage, Hunpe praised various local institutions and families that have fiercely guarded their historical properties against external takeover. He cited the Anglican Communion (Badagry Diocese) for retaining the First Storey Building and the early missionary cemetery, alongside the Mobee family (custodians of the slave chain relics) and the Seriki Abass family (custodians of the slave baracoon).
"Badagry Local Government is also ready to take back all that belongs to us. I want to appreciate the Lagos State Government for helping us to keep these sites, but now we are ready to get them back because some of these places are deteriorating, the maintenance is not in place anymore, and we are ready to maintain these places better," Hunpe noted.
While expressing confidence in the administration of Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu whom he described as a listening leader and a friend of Badagry Hunpe acknowledged that bureaucratic resistance might arise behind the scenes. However, he remained optimistic that the state government would heed the collective plea of the grassroots.
"I know our governor is a listening man, a man who loves Badagry... At the same time, I know there will be some people in the background who will want to work against us getting it back, but I know the governor will listen to our plea. We the Badagry people are appealing to the governor that we are now awake and we are ready to take care of all that belongs to us," he concluded.