Cultural Contact Between Tourist And The Badagry Indigenes

This essay examines the contacts and interactions between tourists and Badagry indigenes. It examines the extent to which Badagry indigenes come in contacts with tourists, their perception of the benefit of the interaction and their friendship attitude towards the tourists.

For those that work in tourist attraction centres like the palace and the museum, contact with tourist is on daily basis. ‘Eh! Thousands of them because of my work as a curator of museum’ (Interview). The museum contains the relics of the slave trade that attract lots of tourists. Examples include different types of chains used for the slaves during the slave trade periods. The neck chain for example, was about 50 meters long and had the ability to hold about a 100 slave by the neck.

Those that do not work in tourists sites also admitted that they have made contact with tourists though with different levels of frequency. Only few people claimed that they have not interacted with tourists before. The meeting points include during festivals like the annual Black heritage festivals and the Zangbeto festivals.

‘Yes, Eegun festival at palace once in a while’. . . ’Yes, at the Black Heritage festival, often’. . . The Badagry indigenes belief that tourists come from all over the world; and they find Badagry interesting and inviting because people of Badagry are very friendly. ‘Yes. At the Badagry black heritage’. . . ’Yes, at slave relic’s museum — most often’. . . Yes at Mobee slave trade museum –Twice –Both’.

The Ogu people claimed that they belong to the old Yoruba Ketu kingdom. They are however found along the coast in Ghana, Togo, republic of Benin, and Nigeria. They constitute the dominant group in Badagry where they have ruled for centuries. Zangbeto, the nightwatch lord, is said to be as old as Egun people. Each Egun quarters and settlement has its Zangbeto. This is also true of all Egun community whether in Togo or Bene republic has its Zagbeto. Although the etymology of the word Zangbeto (Zan-night; gbeto- person/people) is well known, the origin of the organization is shrouded in mystery. Oral tradition says that Zangbeto is a sea spirit that people used to go to the sea to consult but at a stage he came out of the sea clad in raffia. On the advice of the Ifa Oracle he was lured out of his domain into the palace and has since then resides there. The spiritual symbol of Zangbeto is the Zanho, the house of night. Zanho is made up of bunch of robes of grass or banana leaves which create the impression of darkness.

The Black Heritage Festival was initially conceived by the Tinubu administration to promote tourism in Lagos state and later taken over by the Badagry communities as a repackage of many smaller festivals that have been in existence before. The festival is usually week-long and has been attracting large number of visitors to Badagry and Lagos state in General.

Another place of contact between Badagry indigenes and the tourists is the market places and palace. Any important tourist or group of tourists usually start their exploration from the Akran palace. Yes, . . at the point of no return slave root. . . once in a while’. . . Yes, . . . at first story building. . . not often’. . . ’Yes at mostly all the tourist centre’. . . ’Yes, many of them. . . often. . because anytime they come around they pay visit to the palace.