My Afro-Brazilian Returnee Heritage Tour of the Republic of Benin gave me one of the most powerful and emotional experiences of my heritage journey. At Okoun (Atlantic) Sèmè-Kpodji, near Cotonou, I met descendants of Domingos Jose Martins, an Afro-Brazilian returnee whose family history is connected to the wider network of returnee families across the Gulf of Guinea and Nigeria. During our conversation, they shared something deeply moving with me. They told me that they are related to the Martins family in Nigeria, and that during the 1980s and 1990s, the two branches of the family maintained regular contact through exchange visits and family meetings. Members of the Benin family would travel to Nigeria, while their Nigerian relatives would also visit them. Sadly, they said that these relationships gradually weakened in the early 2000s. Today, they strongly desire to reconnect the younger generation with their Nigerian relatives so that the family bond, history and memories can b...

A photograph of a Black family with six children in 1936 can make us pause because the picture may look peaceful and happy, while the historical environment surrounding that family was anything but peaceful. In 1936, African Americans in the United States were living under Jim Crow segregation, particularly in the South. Laws and social practices restricted where Black people could live, work, study, travel, eat and even access public facilities. Racial violence and discrimination were real and sometimes deadly.  Yet Black families survived—and often created remarkably strong communities—through family, faith, work, education, cooperation and cultural pride. How could a family with six children survive? 1. The family itself was a survival institution. Parents, grandparents, siblings, cousins and extended relatives often depended upon one another. Children were not raised only by their parents; the wider community could help with food, childcare, work and protection. 2. They worked ...

It is indeed a great privilege and honour for me to inaugurate the Oyo State Chapter under NATOP South West Zone. It is the first of its kind in the history of the association. This remarkable achievement as Vice President, NATOP SOUTH WEST ZONE would not have been possible without the encouragement and support of our leaders and members. I sincerely appreciate our National President, Hajia Bolaji Mustapha, for her visionary leadership and steadfast support. I also extend my gratitude to Dr. Tunji Akib, Welfare Director, NATOP South West Zone, and Mrs. Doris Godson, Lagos State Coordinator, for their dedication and support throughout the process. Special appreciation also goes to Mr. Ayo of Flyzone Tourism for his support and contribution to the success of the event. I equally thank Mrs. Tobiloba Bamisaye, Membership Secretary, South West Zone, Alhaja Taiwo Mufuliat Omokunmi (Alhaja Mahib) and Michael Balogun for their valuable support. I    appreciate Mahogany Hotel and Suite...

For generations, coconut production has been an integral part of the heritage, economy, and identity of Badagry and its surrounding communities. However, since the early 2000s, the steady decline of coconut plantations has become a source of concern, threatening both a traditional livelihood and an important aspect of the region’s agricultural heritage. A recent educational and cultural tour of  Opa Farm Ltd  in Ajara Vetho, Badagry, offers renewed hope that this rich legacy can still be preserved. The farm, covering more than one hundred hectares of land, stands as one of the region’s remarkable agricultural success stories. It was established in the 1950s by the late  Joseph Ajose Opa  and was later incorporated as a Limited Liability Company in 1980. The visit was more than an excursion through a coconut plantation; it was a lesson in generational wealth, sustainable agriculture, and family succession. Opa Farm demonstrates the importance of involving children in ...

  LETTER OF APPRECIATION FOR THE SUCCESSFUL NATOP OYO STATE CHAPTER INAUGURATION 2026 22/5/2026 Dear Hajia Bolaji Mustapha and Members of NATOP South West Zone, I write to sincerely appreciate and personally thank you, the Executives and members of the Nigeria Association of Tour Operators (NATOP) South West Zone, for your unwavering support, commitment, belief, and confidence in this administration at all times. The successful inauguration of the Oyo State Chapter of NATOP which took place on the 21st of May 2026, at Mahogany Hotel and Suite, Jericho Ibadan, Oyo State, was achieved through dedication, sacrifice, teamwork, and collective effort. The responsibilities and challenges were significant, yet you stood firmly with us and shared the burden shoulder to shoulder. For this, I am deeply grateful. It is indeed a great privilege and honour for me to inaugurate the Oyo State Chapter under NATOP South West Zone — the first of its kind in the history of the association. This remark...