On April 6, 2026, Tafawa Balewa Square will not look like itself because the usual rush of Island traffic will give way to colour. Brass bands. Layered lace. Feathers that sway with history. Lagos State has announced the return of the Lagos Fanti Carnival, a full-day celebration of Afro-Brazilian culture and the enduring legacy of the Fanti people.

A carnival rooted in return

The Fanti Carnival tradition traces back to formerly enslaved Africans who returned from Brazil and other parts of the Americas in the 19th century, settling in parts of Lagos, especially in areas like Brazilian Quarters. They brought back architecture, Catholic influences, music, food, and flamboyant carnival traditions that blended Brazilian spectacle with Yoruba spirit. That fusion is what the carnival celebrates.

From 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tafawa Balewa Square will transform into a space where processions, ancestral rhythms, elaborate costumes, and communal celebration meet. It is Lagos acknowledging that its story has always stretched beyond its shoreline.

More than music and costumes

The state describes the carnival as a bridge between past and future, and this time, it is structured like a full cultural experience.

There are multiple passes available depending on how deeply you want to immerse yourself.

The General Carnival Pass gives access to the concerts, side events, and the main festivities. The VIP option extends that experience to private events, film screenings, and exclusive dinners with selected guests and partners.

For those who don’t just want to watch but want to become the spectacle, Participation Passes allow attendees to join the actual procession, dressed in full carnival regalia. There is also a VIP Participation Pass for those who want the complete, all-access experience.

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Youth passes are available for children under 12 (with adult supervision), while Creator and Press passes have been reserved for media professionals and social storytellers documenting the event.

Vendors are also invited to participate, meaning food, fashion, art, souvenirs and Lagos-style entrepreneurial energy will all be part of the atmosphere.

In short, this is not just a performance. It is an ecosystem.

The Story Behind the Colours

The Fanti Carnival reminds Lagosians that migration did not erase identity, it remixed it.

The lace, the drums, the Catholic-Yoruba blend, and the architecture still standing in pockets of the Island. These are evidence of a circular journey, a journey from Africa to Brazil and back again.

And perhaps that is why calling it a “homecoming” feels accurate, because in many ways, it is.

Anita Chinedu