CULTURE
Nigeria and Brazil unite to champion Afro-descendant homecoming
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu have endorsed The Heritage Voyage of Return (HVR), a global initiative aimed at reconnecting Afro-descendants in Brazil, the Caribbean, and the Americas with their ancestral homelands through a symbolic sea voyage.
Noluthando Buthelezi
The initiative, championed by African Pride and supported by Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka, offers a dignified pathway for descendants of the transatlantic slave trade to reconnect spiritually with their roots.
During Tinubu's recent state visit to Brazil, he endorsed the scheme, rising to honor Soyinka, calling him "Egbon", which means elder in Yoruba. Meanwhile, in a private audience, da Silva also paid tribute to Soyinka in an intimate moment that has since resonated with people across Africa and the Diaspora.
"The grace of you, I ask it upon myself," he exclaimed, leaning towards him to touch foreheads in what is considered a gesture of mutual respect and transference of grace.
During the landmark meeting, both leaders expressed their support for the initiative, labeling it a historic opportunity to heal generational wounds while establishing bridges of cooperation between South America and the African continent.
With the backing of these two powerful leaders, the HVR aims to catalyze cultural tourism and overall economic renewal across Africa and the diaspora.
