Brazil Independence Day Lagos was planned for Monday 7 September 2026. We have moved it to September 2027, around Brazil’s Independence Day on 7 September. We will announce the date and venue here and on our social channels.
Who were the Aguda?
In the 19th century, enslaved Yoruba and other West Africans in Brazil won or bought their freedom, and many chose to come home. Most settled in Lagos, Badagry and Porto-Novo. In Lagos they became known as the Aguda, or the Amaro, the returnees.
They brought back a culture reshaped by decades in Brazil: the Portuguese language, a Catholicism that sat alongside Yoruba belief, feijoada and other dishes, carnival, and a skill in building that changed the look of the city.
The houses that still stand
Aguda craftsmen built in the Brazilian style: two-storey houses with ornate plaster, carved balconies and arched windows. You can still see this architecture around Popo Aguda, the Brazilian Quarter around Campos Square on Lagos Island, although many buildings have been lost.
What we are planning for 2027
- A keynote: “Who were the Aguda, and why does Lagos still carry their fingerprints?”
- A visual journey through Afro-Brazilian architecture on Lagos Island.
- A panel with cultural historians and Aguda descendants.
- Brazilian and Afrobeat music, and a Nigerian-Brazilian menu.
- An exhibition of photographs of Aguda buildings, and a screening of the short film The Returnees.
See the story now
You don’t have to wait for 2027. Our Black History tour takes in the Brazilian Quarter, the Badagry Heritage Museum, the Point of No Return and Freedom Park: the whole arc of departure and return in one day.
Frequently asked questions
When is Brazil Independence Day Lagos 2027?
It will be held in September 2027, around Brazil’s Independence Day on 7 September. The date and venue will be announced on mylocal.tours and our social channels.
Why was the 2026 event moved?
The 7 September 2026 event could not go ahead as planned due to unforeseen circumstances, so we moved it to 2027.
Where is the Brazilian Quarter in Lagos?
The Brazilian Quarter, also called Popo Aguda, is on Lagos Island around Campos Square. You can visit it on our Black History tour.
Experience Lagos with Mylocal Tours
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