Afro-Brazilians are seeking Nigerian citizenship to reconnect to their roots. They have urged the Federal Government to incorporate them into their ancestral roots and make them citizens.

This is the fallout of this year’s Black Consciousness Month by The African Pride (TAP), a cultural, economic and religious integration platform based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The summit was attended by Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, and the Executive Secretary of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Biodun Ajiboye.

The minister and executive secretary were part of Nigeria’s delegation to the G-20 Summit in Brazil from November 17-19.

At the summit, the duo was presented with requests on the need for regular convergence of Nigerians in Brazil at their ancestral home.

These Afro Brazilians taken from Yoruba land, precisely Oyo and Ife, into slavery over 500 years ago, decried their lack of a sense of cultural identity, except for their spirituality. They are yearning for their return to the only place they see as their home, which is Yoruba land.

Flavia Da Silva Pinto, a spiritual leader and sociologist known for the fight against religious intolerance of African origin, said most Nigerians in Brazil have been there for years without getting in touch with their roots.

Her words: “We are glad we have a Yoruba president which is important to us in Brazil. Most people were kidnapped and brought here as slaves. So, we appreciate the work you are doing, especially efforts to organise World Orisa Congress aimed at giving Yoruba centric, a basis for collective spiritual community and commonality”.

Co-founder of TAP, Carolina Morais, said beyond the desire of most Nigerians to reconnect to their ancestral home, the visit of Nigerian delegation to Brazil and presence of executive secretary of NICO to the event marked an important moment in the relations between Brazil and Nigeria, reflecting the desire to strengthen ties and promote a more robust collaboration.

She said Africa carries a series of symbols and their meanings, saying through visitation and understanding of these spaces, the greatest deepening between the two nations, emphasising the need for repair can be achieved.

Ajiboye noted that the President Bola Tinubu administration remains committed to supporting movement of returning children from Africa back to Nigeria.

“I stand before you, on behalf of my President, Bola Tinubu and my Minister, Hannatu Musawa and I greet you all in the name of Olodumare. I can tell you that for thefour days I have been here, you have told me enough about your emotional demands and request”.

Otunba said he would take the message back home and start working on how they can be incorporated back to their ancestral roots towards reconnecting them to their original cultural background. (The Nation)