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September 5, 2025 by Gbenga Bada
• Prof. Wole Soyinka with President Lula and convener of the event
An historic encounter between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and Professor Wole Soyinka has renewed the ancestral bonds that exist between Brazil and Nigeria.
In a world often marked by division, this rare moment shine bright as timeless reminders of
The two countries’ shared humanity, heritage, and destiny.
In the last days of August Nigeria’s President Tinubu and Brazil’s President Lula welcomed the Nobel Laureate and the coordinators of the Heritage Voyage of Return (HVR) Project, Ajoyemi Osunleye and Carolina Morais, to a historic gathering that symbolized unity between Brazil and Nigeria.
This visit marked President Tinubu’s third trip to Brazil in just nine months, underscoring the importance he places on strengthening cultural and ancestral ties between the two nations.
The highlight of the trip was Prof. Soyinka’s scheduled formal presentation before the Brazilian parliament in the Federal District. Yet, it was the quiet, unscripted moments before and after that event which became the true heartbeats of history.
After a grueling 36-hour journey beset by travel complications, Prof. Soyinka arrived visibly weary for a presidential lunch hosted by Presidents Tinubu and Lula. Seated at his reserved table, the Nobel Laurette’s frailty did not go unnoticed.
As Soyinka rose to greet the presidents before excusing himself, President Tinubu immediately stood up, offering his own seat to the literary icon with the warm Yoruba words: “Egbon, e jor e wa joko si ibi bayi” meaning ‘Elder brother, please come and sit here.’
Though Prof. Soyinka politely declined, choosing instead to return to his hotel for rest, the gesture did not go unnoticed. President Tinubu’s act of humility, offering comfort to Nigeria’s cultural elder, left a lasting impression not only on those present but most especially on President Lula of Brazil.
Barely an hour after Soyinka’s departure, President Lula requested a private audience with him and the HVR team. In a deeply moving exchange at Lula’s honorary office, the Brazilian leader reflected on the profound symbolism of Tinubu’s gesture. “I could not stop thinking about the respect your President showed you,” Lula confessed, emphasizing how rare and powerful it was to witness a head of state defer to a cultural elder in such a personal way. “I was fascinated. What an honor.”
Lula then asked Soyinka his age. Upon hearing the confirmation that he was 91 years old, the Brazilian President leaned forward, gently touching foreheads with the Nobel Laureate, a symbolic act of reverence and spiritual communion. With visible emotion, Lula whispered: “The grace on you, I ask it upon myself.”
This intimate gesture encapsulated not only a personal prayer for longevity, Lula expressed his dream to live to 120 years, but also a recognition that men like Soyinka embody blessings beyond their nations, radiating inspiration to humanity itself.
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The encounter reawakened a deeper truth: that Brazil and Nigeria are bound not just by diplomacy but by ancestry.
Millions of Afro-Brazilians trace their heritage to Nigeria and see its President as their leader too. The Heritage Voyage of Return (HVR) Project, championed by Ajoyemi Osunleye and Carolina Morais, Co-Founders at The African Pride, was conceived to leverage these ancestral ties, using culture, art, and shared history to build real bridges of understanding and spiritual reconnection with Africa. HVR involves a planned sea trip for Afro-descendants in Brazil, The
Americas and Caribbeans back to Africa.
“Brazil will support this.” President Lula, visibly moved, pledged his support to advancing the HVR Project, affirming his country’s commitment to celebrating the shared heritage that unites the two nations.
Shortly after his private audience with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka joined Nigeria’s Central Bank Governor, Yemi Cardoso, who is an Afro-Brazilian descendant for a warm reception hosted by Gabriel Magna Pereira da Cruz, President of the Education and Culture Commission at the Legislative Chamber of the Federal District in Brasilia.
Representing President Tinubu, Governor Cardoso formally presented the Heritage Voyage of Return (HVR) Project to the Brazilian Parliament. In his address, Cardoso highlighted the shared heritage of both nations and the unique opportunity for renewed collaboration.
“The commitment between the leadership of President Lula and President Tinubu is unprecedented,” Cardoso declared. “Both leaders are aligned in vision, and we can already see the immense possibilities for cooperation between our countries.”
He went further to reflect on the enduring historical and cultural bonds between Nigeria and Brazil, particularly through Lagos, which hosts a strong Brazilian-descendant community.
“In Lagos, we have vibrant Brazilian communities made up of descendants of Africans who returned from Brazil after the era of slavery. These communities have preserved elements of Brazilian culture from cuisine like ‘akara’ to festivals, carnivals, and even architecture. The Brazilian Quarters on Lagos Island remain a living museum of cultural and architectural heritage.”
Cardoso emphasized that such connections should form the foundation for a stronger bilateral relationship: “If we cannot seize this opportunity for collaboration now, then we have ourselves to blame. Our shared heritage must be transformed into pathways for cultural diplomacy, creative economy growth, heritage tourism, and education. This is not only an opportunity but a responsibility.”
The session also highlighted the ongoing success of Yoruba studies in Brazil and the celebration of Afro-Brazilian festivals in Nigeria, as living examples of the cultural exchange that continues to bind the two nations.
Other prominent members of the Nigerian delegation included Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), and Otunba Ajiboye, head of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO). Their presence underscored the significance Nigeria attaches to cultural diplomacy and its determination to strengthen ties with Brazil at both governmental and community levels.
The Honorable Monsoon of the Legislative Chamber of the Federal District” honors bestowed on Prof. Soyinka and Governor Cardoso, received in the name of President Tinubu, symbolized not just recognition of history, but also a bold step toward a future where shared heritage becomes the foundation of renewed global partnerships.
English (US)