The Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Dr Abike Dabiri-Erewa OON, has paid a condolence visit to the palace of the late Akran of Badagry, His Royal Majesty, Oba Babatunde Akran.
In a statement issued on Monday by Abdur-Rahman Balogun, NiDCOM’s Head of Media and Public Relations, and made available to TVC News, Dr Dabiri-Erewa was received at the palace by the Regent, high chiefs, and members of the royal family.
According to the statement, the NIDCOM boss expressed her heartfelt condolences and described the late Oba as a visionary traditional ruler whose reign was marked by peace, progress, and significant contributions to the socio-economic and cultural development of Badagry and Nigeria at large.
The NiDCOM Chairman particularly applauded the institutionalisation of the Badagry Door of Return Festival, noting that the initiative further positioned Badagry as a symbolic destination reconnecting Africans in the Diaspora with their ancestral homeland.
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She emphasised that the late monarch’s enduring commitment to heritage preservation and diaspora engagement would remain a lasting legacy.
The chiefs and family members of the late monarch expressed appreciation to Dr Dabiri-Erewa for the visit and reaffirmed their commitment to sustaining a cordial relationship between the palace, the people of Badagry, and NiDCOM.
During the visit, Dr Dabiri-Erewa also undertook an inspection tour of the site of the Door of Return, currently under construction.
She commended the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for approving the construction of the permanent Door of Return, describing it as a significant landmark tourism project aimed at strengthening cultural ties and reconnecting the historic African diaspora to the motherland.
