This museum, also known to be the historic slaves’ relics’ museum, has the history of how slave trade started and ended in Badagry, Nigeria.
Badagry was found in 1425 and the slave trade started 15 centuries ago and lasted for 40 years before it was then abolished in Badagry.
Slavery in Badagry ended in 1886 during the reign of Chief Sumbo Mobee of Boekol Badagry who died October 1893. Chief Sumbo Mobee’s father also participated in the slave trade. He was named Mobee by the white men because whenever the white men came around for slave transaction, Chief Sumbo Mobee offered them obee, meaning kola nuts, in English language. As a result of that occurrence, at each visit, they started to call him Chief Sumbo Mobee because it was difficult for the white men to mention the his name.
Chief Sumbo Mobee, after succeeding his father, worked with the missionaries and that was able to put a stop to slavery in Badagry in 1886.
The traditional staff of rulership can be seen in the museum, as well as the real shackles that were used on each slave that was brought by the white men 15 centuries ago (about 600 years ago) is also present in the museum.
A very wonderful and educating story.