Wole Soyinka Diaspora Festival 2025 in Badagry will unite global tourists and celebrate African heritage through music, parades and the Door of Return

Wole Soyinka Diaspora Festival is set to attract global attention as Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka, alongside tourists and culture enthusiasts from across the world, will attend the 2025 edition of the annual celebration in Badagry, Lagos State.

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Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, the Chairman of Badagry Local Government, Mr Babatunde Hunpe, announced that the festival would hold from October 16 to 18, with the three councils in Badagry jointly overseeing the event in partnership with the Africa Renaissance Foundation and the African Door of Return Experience.

Hunpe said the three-day cultural celebration would feature an energetic showcase of African heritage, including traditional drumming, dance, parades, boat regattas, and historical re-enactments that narrate the rich story of the continent.

He described the festival as a “spiritually profound journey,” noting that its centrepiece, the Door of Return Ceremony, remains a deeply emotional experience for descendants of enslaved Africans who symbolically retrace their ancestral steps back to the motherland.

“This reenactment has become a beacon of hope and pride, showcasing Badagry as a hub of Pan-African consciousness and cultural renewal,” Hunpe said.

Also speaking, Mr Bonu Solomon, the lawmaker representing Badagry Constituency 1 in the Lagos State House of Assembly, confirmed that Prof. Wole Soyinka would lead the visiting delegation to Badagry.

Solomon, who chairs the House Committee on Tourism and Culture, revealed that the event would host guests from Cuba, Brazil, and several European countries, alongside Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM).

“Tourists are already arriving. Even students from Ajegunle are coming as visitors. Our goal is to project Badagry as a leading global tourism destination,” Solomon added.

He praised the unity among the three council chairmen, saying their collaboration signals “a new era of growth for Badagry’s tourism and cultural revival.”

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The Wole Soyinka Diaspora Festival 2025 promises to be a landmark event celebrating African resilience, creativity and unity on the shores of one of Nigeria’s most historic towns.