Thousands flood Lagos' vibrant Fanti Carnival to celebrate Afro-Brazilian heritage

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LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Thousands of revelers flooded Nigeria's Lagos for the annual Lagos Fanti Carnival, celebrating the Afro-Brazilian heritage of the “Aguda” or the formerly enslaved people who returned from Brazil in the 19th century.

The festival, usually celebrated during Eastertide in recent years, is one of West Africa’s most prominent cultural celebrations, similar to Brazil’s Rio Carnival, the world's biggest party.

After reaching West Africa, many of the returnees settled in Lagos, building a life among the city’s Yoruba ethnic group. They retained some of the Brazilian and Portuguese cultures and infused them into music, food, architecture, religion and lifestyle, giving life to the Fanti carnival.

“If you know the history of Lagos, you will understand how this carnival is important to the city and its history," said Ademola Oduyebo, one of the carnival revelers, on Monday. “It is important that we preserve this so for our children.”

This year’s theme, “A Homecoming of Heritage,” saw processions from across Lagos converging at the Tafawa Balewa Square, featuring communities of descendants of formerly enslaved people of different age groups.

Many wore colorful costumes, including the attendees, as they danced their way to the city center, while others rode horses. All displayed elements of their Brazilian history and identity.

Artists and performers from across Africa wore elaborate outfits, with beads and feathers, while others had their bodies covered in colorful paint, swaying along Indigenous Yoruba rhythms.

One of the revelers, Glamour Sandra, said she always looked forward to being at both the Fanti festival and Brazil’s Rio Carnival.

“I love the energy, the artistic splendor that they create,” she said of the Fanti festival.

Various community associations that represent the original Aguda settlements are heavily featured in the annual festival and help organize it.