News, Commentary & Social Media from African Perspective

Nigeria: Arguments Against Marlon Jackson’s Proposed $3.4bn Slave Resort Hold no Water!

12 comments

Posted by: CareTaker on February 16, 2009 Under: Business & Technology, Community Report, Nigeria, USA



Proposed Slave Resort for Badagary, NigeriaBBC, NIGERIA: A BBC report showcases an interesting business opportunity Marlon Jackson (one of Michael Jackon’s brother) and his business partners are proposing for Badagary, Nigeria. But some Nigerians are opposed to it. Why?

The plan involves a development “to develop a $3.4bn (£2.4bn) slavery memorial and luxury resort in Badagry, Nigeria … The developers say the Badagry Historical Resort will be marketed to African-American tourists as a mixture of luxury tourist attractions and historical education. Visitors will be able to see the route their ancestors walked, shackled together as they were whipped toward the “point of no return”.

One of the dissenting voices belongs a Nigerian historian and writer, Toyin Falola. His take on the proposal can be summarized quoting his words:

“This plan is morally reprehensible, it’s like dancing on the graves of dead people and telling them you’re honouring them … “Money-making and historical memory are allies in the extension of capitalism. You cry with one eye and wipe it off with cold beer, leaving the other eye open for gambling…”

I don’t buy this argument in its entirety. And I think he and others against this plan need to be reminded that they can’t be more sentimental about slavery more than the descendants of Africans that were sold into slavery.

To suggest that the idea is “exploiting painful history” is to be naive and ignorant of recent developments in Ghana and Senegal — Nigeria’s West African neighbors — where slave ports have been successfully turned into tourist attractions.

Nigeria is a capitalist state, so where is the conflict? Besides, the funds for the project will be sourced from the private sector overseas — with little overhead from the Nigerian government. Besides, the project aligns well with the national goal of diversifying the economy from being oil and gas dependent. More than 80% of revenue comes from crude oil, a dangerous and unacceptable to be in in today’s global economy.

With the estimated 1.4m visitors per year the resort would attract to Nigeria, and potential revenue this brings — shouldn’t the idea be worthy of consideration?

This proposal does more good than harm no matter how it’s analyzed. Nigerians needs it, and should ensure the respective authorities make it happen.

More additional commentary on the proposed resort can be found on Naija Blog

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  4. The Tinapa Tragedy
  5. Huge Capital Flight Hits Nigerian Economy
  6. Four African Innovative Thinkers win World Bank Grants
  7. Nigeria Plans Centralized Database to Boost Local e-Government

12 comment(s)

  1. Misi | Feb 17, 2009 | Reply

    I agree with you that we do need to diversify our revenue resource but how can we guaranty this will not turn to another Tinapa tragedy? You said the overheads are not coming from government, which private sector is covering it? How did they determine the visitor will be approximately 1.4million? It’s a good idea no doubt but I am skeptical about the outcome especially during these hard times where millions are suffering and any expenditure undertaken by government or others should be scrutinized with a microscope.

  2. CareTaker | Feb 17, 2009 | Reply

    This is not a government initiative. The details of the proposal is on BBC, follow the link :)

  3. Clifton Hill | Feb 17, 2009 | Reply

    Misi, I, too, am wondering how it was determined that there would be 1.4 million visitors per year. I have sincere doubts about so many people coming to visit such a place with the bad road conditions in Nigeria. Most people would no doubt fly into Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport (which, thank God, can be done nonstop from Atlanta and, in June, from New York). However, once in Lagos, the trip to Badagry takes much longer than necessary due to bad roads and choking traffic. Tourists usually want convenience, not stress and inconvenience. Decent hotel prices in and around Lagos are astronomical!!! Who are these 1.4 million people who would be visiting a Badagry resort with water that is probably not blue like in Togo. Help me somebody.

  4. Clifton Hill | Feb 17, 2009 | Reply

    I also have misgivings about a resort which caters to tourists and the actual people who live in the vicinity are living in abject poverty!!! Then, having been to Nigeria and having explored the topic of slavery with Nigerians and Ghanainans regularly, they mostly seem desensitized to the whole horrible historical occurrence. It’s obvious that the educational systems in both countries treat the topic superficially. I cannot imagine such a resort without proper education for Nigerians and others who might be employed there and proper amelioration of Nigeria’s infrastructure to support such a venture.

  5. CareTaker | Feb 17, 2009 | Reply

    Misi & Clifton:

    Let’s be practical here, if you were the governor of Lagos and someone wants to come to your state to set up a multi-billion dollar venture, would you start telling that person the limitations you have in your state — the poor roads, lack of security, etc?

    No you would look at the proposal and explore how you will make it happen — which may include building the supporting infrastructure that may be needed — the transportation network, improving security, educating the people, etc. This is the ONLY logical approach to take.

    Tourism is a multi-trillion dollar business worldwide which Nigeria is well primed to tap into — if we can get our acts together.

  6. Clifton Hill | Feb 17, 2009 | Reply

    CareTaker, if I were the governor of Lagos State and free from corruption, I would fix the infrastructure and fuel campaigns to prepare Nigerians for the influx of tourists. Neither would I spell out all the state’s shortcomings to foreign investors nor would I be caught in a lie about the exact condition of the state. Before inviting or allowing foreign investors in, I would clean house first. So, we agree, we simply express our views a bit differently.

    I must make sure to see Badagry on my next trip to Naija before it’s ruined by disgusting tourists.

  7. Clifton Hill | Feb 17, 2009 | Reply

    CareTaker, I also wanted to say that I am in favor of progress in a big way, but we must be very careful how we go about doing it. And we also should be careful to include all parties involved. We don’t want to see another Bakassi Peninsula episode in terms of people being uprooted from their ancestral homelands without consideration.

  8. CareTaker | Feb 17, 2009 | Reply

    Clifton – glad to know we’re on the same page.

    On the dislocation of people of Badagary from their ancestral homes… do you know what happened when the government decided to relocate the federal capital from Lagos to Abuja? People got dislocated, big time. Up till now, many of them are still squatting. I don’t see the Badagary resort leading to what you fear.

  9. Misi | Feb 18, 2009 | Reply

    @Caretaker, I agree that it is logical for any government expecting investors for them to “look at the proposal and explore how you will make it happen”. However your argument is based on the governor being logic enough to realize that he has to prepare for the investor and also that we (government) can get our act together. What if they would rather use their resources on some other projects rather than paving the way for these investors? I think there are many what ifs in this investment.

  10. Renee Greene | Feb 19, 2009 | Reply

    Slave House to the White House

    He knows what he’s doing. Mr. Jackson and his investors need to change their focus, but not the message. They should deepen the communal ties by taking the focus off the Jackson Five and making it a tribute to all of the “African Americans” whose descendants turned the situation around and overcame as citizens of the United States, and then include The Jackson Five in the museum. It’s really the only leverage, or playing card, that he has.

    This is our homeland. In America, we are not just entertainers, we are socialists, scientists, politicians, frontiersmen, founders, authors, mathematicians, doctors, lawyers, fighters, lovers, players, preachers, teachers, achievers, believers…this is where it needs to go. Total focus, not just on entertainment.

    It may also be a great platform to tell our African ancestors, as God would have us do, that we forgive them; and to make a contribution back to our historical roots.

    Marlon Jackson not only has worked hard and has the ability to bring respect back to the Jackson Family, but he also has the leverage he needs right now to hook our ancestral ties and heritage back into the blessings God has bestowed upon us in the USA.

    I don’t see it as tasteless; I see it as adventurous and definitely different. He would do well though to open the door to all African Americans who accomplished and overcame in America, though, and not just the Jackson Five.

    That’s the only real problem I can see with it.

  11. OLOWOYO | Apr 19, 2010 | Reply

    lagos is far different from calabar.so please stop comparing this project to TINAPA.

  12. Vee | Jul 8, 2010 | Reply

    I love Nigeria and new additions to create jobs and build tourism would be great. Let’s stop looking at the glass as half empty.

    An African American appreciating the experience.

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