The Lagos State government has begun constructing the “Door of Return Tower” in Badagry.

Bonu Solomon, the lawmaker representing Badagry Constituency 1 in the Lagos State House of Assembly, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.

The tower is at the High Chief Mobee Waterside near the iconic First Storey Building in Boekoh Quarters.

The Door of Return Tower is to serve as a symbolic entrance for returnees and descendants of slaves who were taken away to the Americas and Europe through the Point of no Return, Gberefu, in Badagry.

The lawmaker said the project was set to become a landmark to attract global attention, particularly from people of African descent seeking to reconnect with their ancestral roots.

Mr Solomon described the initiative as a transformative development.

The lawmaker, also the chairman of the House Committee on Tourism, Arts, and Culture, said this marks a significant stride in the government’s efforts to promote cultural heritage and diaspora tourism in the historic coastal town.

“This iconic landmark will become a premier tourism destination in Africa, especially for diaspora visitors,” he said.

Mr Solomon commended Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) and Olaide Mesewaku, president of the African Renaissance Foundation (AREFO), for their consistent support and advocacy for tourism development in Badagry.

“The Door of Return Tower carries deep symbolic weight. This is exciting news for Badagry! I’m thrilled to announce that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has approved and inaugurated the construction of the Door of Return Tower.

“Unlike the “Doors of No Return” found in other parts of West Africa, such as those in Ouidah, Benin Republic and Gorée Island in Senegal, which mark points of departure and historical loss, the Door of Return in Badagry represents welcome, reconciliation, and homecoming.

“It echoes similar efforts like Ghana’s ‘Year of Return,’ which inspired thousands from the diaspora to reconnect with their heritage,” he said.

(NAN)