CAMEROON SLAVE TRADE ROUTE

Cameroon slave trade served as a very important supply zone for the export of African slaves to the New World after the Portuguese exploration on the Cameroon coast. Cameroonian slaves were mostly sold to the Fernando Po collection center. The island of Fernando Po was one of the main collection points for slaves taken along the Bight of Benin. The Douala of Cameroon was the predominant slave-trading middlemen in these transactions. The majority of slaves traded from the Cameroon coast came from inland invasions as well as from the neighboring Bataga, Bassa, and Bulu. Four groups i.e. Tikari, Douala-Bimbia, Banyangi and Bakossi, Bamileke accounted for 62 percent of the people carried out of the River and from Bimbia in those years.

Detailed Itinerary Program

Day 1: Douala

Arrival at the Douala International airport received by a Global Bush representative and then transfer to the hotel for briefing and then dinner and night.

Day 02: Douala

Breakfast, Visit of the various sites in Douala (castle of King Akwa Ndika P), The Pagoda of King Manga Bell; The Portuguese navigator anchor in the estuary Wouri which was one boarding stations for slaves in Douala which was baptized by Rio Dos Cameros (River of Prawns). A brief meeting with the kings of Douala (Bell and Akwa), who signed the first contract with the British government to prohibit slave trade. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight in Douala.

Day 3 – 4: Douala- Limbe

Pickup after breakfast, for trip to Limbe and then continue to Bimbia which is situated 8.5km from Limbe. Visit the site of an old slave trading port where you can learn about the colonial times, where slaves were assembled for exportation to Europe and America during the slave trading period. There are some historical attractions still present in Bimbia today. They include; Old German Wharf where ships anchored for the embarkation of slaves, chains used on slaves and abandoned Ships, the Alfred Saker Camp (where Alfred Saker first landed in Cameroon, A monument has been constructed to commemorate his arrival); the British Canon (an instrument used to abolish slave trade); foundation of the first printing press built by Joseph Merrick (English missionary); Nichol Island (site that harbored slaves prior to their journey to the new world) etc. return to the hotel, dinner, leisure and night in hotel.



Day 5 – 6: Limbe – Bafoussam

After Breakfast, departure to the west region via Limbe, and upon arrival, meet the Bamileke Chiefs and Kings who were the major suppliers of Slaves that left the coasts of Cameroon during the Atlantic slave trade. Most of the slaves came from the western highlands and the sloping coastal plain running west from the Wouri estuary. Leisure activities in the evening, and later on dinner and night at Bafoussam.

Day 7 -8: Bafoussam- Bamenda –Bali

Pickup after breakfast, depart for Bamenda and upon arrival visit to the Bamenda grasslands which was a major source area for slaves; where the Bakweri (indigenous ethnic group in Cameroon) played a predominant role in capturing and selling of slaves. Most Slaves from this area were exported via the Cross River to Calabar. View the beautiful sun setting, some leisure activities in the evening, and then dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 9 – 16: Bamenda -Calabar –Nigeria

Breakfast, pick up from the hotel and drive to Calabar through Mamfe and Ekok. Calabar is a journey of about two days, and it has a strategically located seaport on the Atlantic Coast, a short distance from the Cameroon border in the south eastern corner of Nigeria. Upon arrival in Calabar early afternoon transfer to a 3 or 4 star hotel, rest and freshen up. Dinner at a city restaurant and brief tour round Calabar; admire the beauty of a town that inspired the famous slave trade turn abolitionist “Milton Hilton” to write the hymnal “Amazing Grace”- one of the most famous inspirational songs in the world today. Return to the hotel, dinner and night.

Performing Arts

In the evening, we have a Buffet dinner and a Bonfire cultural reception. Enjoy yourselves under the clouds!

Calabar:

Breakfast, we’ll embarked drive on a tour of Calabar and its environs – visit the famous Calabar ports where 30% of all the slaves who were shipped from Africa to the new world passed through; explore the unknown slave routes. Return to the hotel diner and night.

Calabar:

Breakfast; embark on the visit of the old colonial governor’s residence, the old colonial headquarters building, prefabricated in England. Visit the Mary Slessor Town and Millennium Park. See the cascading Kwa Falls. Later return in the evening to the hotel for leisure activities, diner and night.



Calabar:

After breakfast, check out of the hotel and depart for Lagos through Obudu Ranch via Ikom and Ogoja if time permits. Stop over at Ikom to enjoy one of the many Calabar delicacies at the home of the popular “Sweet mother” music town. Don’t miss mama’s food! Upon arrival in Lagos, transfer to a 3 or 4 star hotel, rest and freshen up, Dinner and night.

Day 17 – 22: Lagos Badagry:

Here, you will have a five day discovery of the slave trade routes in Lagos, drive to Badagry which is an important slave route in West Africa. Badagry is one of five divisions created in Lagos State in l968. This town Badagry was founded around l425 A.D. The Town of Badagry is surrounded by creeks, islands and a lake. The ancient town served mainly the Oyo Empire which was comprised of Yoruba and Ogu people. Today, the Aworis and Egun are mainly the people who reside in the town of Badagry as well as in Ogun State in Nigeria and in the neighboring Republic of Benin. In the early 1500's, slaves were transported from West Africa to America through Badagry. It is reported that Badagry exported no fewer than 550,000 African slaves to America during the period of the American Independence in l787. In addition, slaves were transported to Europe, South America and the Caribbean. The slaves came mainly from West Africa and the neighboring countries of Benin and Togo as well as others parts of Nigeria. The slave trade became the major source of income for the Europeans in Badagry.

Today, Badagry is a historic site because of the significant role it played as a major slave port in Nigeria. The town of Badagry is promoting an African Heritage Festival, cultural artifacts and relics of human slavery. Badagry wants to share this world heritage site with others. They are preserving buildings, sites and memories of this iniquitous period so those tourists can unearth the dark impact of that era. Places of interest include the Palace of the Akran of Badagry and its mini ethnographic museum, the early missionaries cemetery, the District Officer’s Office and Residence, the First Storey Building in Nigeria constructed by the Anglican missionaries, relics of slave chains in the mini museum of slave trade, cannons of war, the Vlekte slave Market, and the Slave Port established for the shipment of slaves before the l6th century. Night at the hotel. (B, L, D).

Day 23: Lagos Badagry – Europe

After breakfast, shopping, and then drive to the Lagos international airport for departure formalities farewell greetings and take off. End of the tour.