Discover Lagos: History, Crafts and Coast

Lagos State can be explored through historic sites, traditional crafts and coastal landscapes. In Badagry, historic buildings and museums shape the cultural perspective; in Oriade, the focus is on mat weaving, agricultural traditions and different beach settings. When planning, first consider which of these aspects of the destination you would like to shape your stay most.

Badagry: Buildings, Museums and Remembrance

Nigeria’s First Storey Building is located in the Boekoh quarters of Badagry. Rev. C.A. Gollmer built it in June 1845 as a CMS vicarage. A year later, Bishop Ajayi Crowder translated the English Bible into Yoruba in the same building. This sequence connects the history of a building with an event in the history of language, offering those interested in cultural history a specific point of reference in Badagry.

Other historical themes are reflected in Badagry’s collections and museums. The Mobee Family Museum in the Boekoh quarters contains relics from the 16th- to 19th-century slave trade. The Barracoon is now a small museum with artifacts related to the transatlantic slave trade. The Badagry local government describes the Vlekete Slave Market as Nigeria’s largest and most populous slave market.

The histories of buildings and places also offer different points of interest: today’s Badagry Heritage Museum was formerly the District Officer’s Office and was converted into a museum in 2002. The Agia Tree is associated with Nigeria’s first Christmas celebration on December 25, 1842; the original tree fell in 1959. The historical scope thus ranges from architectural and linguistic history to remembrance of the slave trade and an early Christian celebration in Nigeria.

Oriade: Crafts and Agriculture

In Oriade, mat weaving is an indigenous craft passed down through generations. Twelve Farm is an agricultural cultural site that presents indigenous farming traditions. Together, these bring two forms of cultural transmission into focus: craft knowledge and the presentation of agricultural traditions. These themes complement the historical perspective on Badagry with a different way of engaging with the culture of Lagos State.

Coastal Places with Different Charms

The beach descriptions also emphasize different features. Refiner Beach is a stretch of coastline with calm water and natural beauty. Okun Ilashe Beach is a deep-water beach with diverse marine life and local fishing culture. Ilashe Beach stands out for its golden sand and its described accessibility by boat, while Koko Beach is a wide expanse of coastline with a fresh sea breeze and fishing canoes. These differences offer several perspectives on the coast as you narrow down your choices: calm water, marine life and fishing culture, golden sand or a wide stretch of coastline. If you plan to travel to Ilashe Beach by boat, check in advance what options are currently available.

Choose a Focus for Your Trip

When comparing hotels in Lagos, it helps to set a clear priority: would you like to focus your trip mainly on Badagry’s historic sites, or are you especially interested in Oriade’s crafts, agricultural traditions and coast? Then compare the specific hotel location with your own plans. This way, your search starts with the experiences that matter to you, rather than with a general assumption about what a hotel or a particular place offers.

Discover more destinations: Epe, Ikorodu, Ikotun, Obalende, Lagos, Maryland, Ikeja, Agege, Mushin, Lekki, Apapa, Badagry, Sangotedo, ISAWO, Ojodu

For the main travel overview: Nigeria.