President Lula meets Soyinka, endorses Heritage Voyage of Return project

It was an epoch making occasion when the Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in company of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, met with the Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, the coordinators of the Heritage Voyage of Return (HVR) Project,  Ajoyemi Osunleye and Carolina Morais at the Legislative Chamber of Federal District of Brasilia, Brazil.

The meeting held on the sideline of Tinunu visit, was to inform the Brazilian President about the Heritage Voyage Return (HVR), a reverse slave trade route project aimed at reconnecting the Diaspora with Africa, with Brazil as the takeoff point.

The meeting between the two world leaders and the Noble Laureate showcased the deep ancestral ties, shared dreams and vision between Brazil and Nigeria.  Soyinka later had a private meeting with President Lula.

The champions of the HVR Project, Ajoyemi Osunleye and Carolina Morais, explained that the project was to consolidate on the ties between Brazil and  Nigeria, and by extension Africa, with Brazil,  using culture, art, and history, to build bridges of understanding.

Lula, visibly moved, pledged his support to advancing the HVR Project, affirming Brazil’s commitment to celebrating the shared heritage that unites the two nations.

A lot humility and respect, a showpiece of Africa’s cultural value and tradition were displayed by both Tinunu and Soyinka to the admiration of Lula as he watched the Nigerian President showed respect and humility by standing up to offer his seat to Soyinka when he, Soyinka, walked into the room and called him ‘egbon’, elder brother.

It was a testament to the ancestral bond, the strength of cultural diplomacy, and the power of leaders, who embody humility and humanity.

In the words of one observer, “The grace on Soyinka became the grace on us all.”

 After his private audience with Brazilian President, Soyinka joined Nigeria’s Central Bank Governor, Mr Yemi Cardoso, who is an Afro-Brazilian descendant, for a historic session at the Legislative Chamber of the Federal District in Brazil.

The warm reception, attended by Brazilian lawmakers and Afro-Brazilian leaders, was described by many as a “homecoming,” a symbolic re-connection between Brazil and Nigeria, two nations bound by deep ancestral and cultural ties.

Representing Tinubu, 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 added.

 He went further to reflect on the enduring historical and cultural bond 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 emphasised 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, Chairperson 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.

President Tinubu,  Soyinka and Cardoso were  honoured  with awards by the President of Education and Culture Commission, Gabriel Pereira da Cruz. According to Pereira da Cruz, the awards symbolised not just recognition of history, but also a bold step toward a future where shared heritage becomes the foundation of renewed global partnerships.