Yoruba in Badagry are from Ile-Ife, not Ghana – High Chief Wawu

Lagos – High Chief Tajudeen Dosa Ayipe, the Wawu of Badagry Kingdom, on Thursday traced the origin of Yoruba speaking people of Badagry to Oduduwa in Ile-Ife and not from Ghana as claimed in a recent publication.

• Drummers celebrating the importance of drums
The Badagry High Chief made this clarification during a media tour of the coastal city in preparation for the Tourism Innovation and Development Advantage (TIDA) conference scheduled for April 24, 2019.

The theme of the forthcoming TIDA conference will be “Impact of Sustainable Tourism Development and Marketing of Tourism Destinations on Host Communities”.

“We, Badagry people are from Ile-Ife and settled at Quidah in Benin Republic, later the Ifa oracle directed us to return through Gberefu to our present location in Badagry.

“The Wawu is famous because the family refused to support slavery at the time it was banned. 

“Another means of identification with the Oduduwa race is the staff of office presently used which is known as “Kanako,” a metallic sceptre in the shape of the tree leaf to which tiny piece of metal are connected and able to produce a scintillating sound when shaken.

“The staff was used then to shorten a long distance journey without using any means of transportation,’’ the Wawu said.

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He urged the Lagos State Government and Non-Governmental Organisations to invest in training youths of the community on how to latch onto the tourism potential inherent in the kingdom.

According to Ayipe, there are numerous tourist attractions that can be developed to be beneficial to the government and the people of Badagry at large.

“Most of these tourists sites are: the seat of cannon gun for slavery abolition in 1843, the Union Jack in the Wawu compound, Ancient Wawu palace.

“Also, notable shrines in the Wawu Kingdom includes: Obatala gods, Osun, Sango, Dagbe (snake), Orisa Ibeji, Egungun and host of other gods which all identify with the supreme God.

“We want these shrines and tourist sites well promoted for local and international recognition,’’ he said.

Earlier, Mr Femi Lawson, Founder of TIDA, said that the 2019 conference would rub off positively on individuals and the tourism industry.

He said that Badagry was selected host city to promote and give more awareness to its tourist sites as well as it’s rich culture.

According to him, this will lead to the development of Badagry Kingdom.

“TIDA is set for development of ideas that will add value to tourism promotion through tourism insurance, infrastructural tourism and the virtual tourism device.

“This will help market the nation’s tourism potential domestically and help increase traffic of international tourists into the country,’’ the Wawu said. (NAN)