In the heart of Aneho, a few streets from the lagoon, stands an architectural ensemble unlike anything else on the Togolese coast. Two-story houses with colorful facades, wrought-iron balconies and doors carved with geometric motifs. This neighborhood is Porto-Seguro of Aneho — the Afro-Brazilian quarter, living testimony to the history of the Agudas.
The Agudas are descendants of former African slaves deported to Brazil who returned to settle on the West African coast in the 19th century. Upon their return, they brought with them a language, Brazilian Portuguese, a religion, Catholicism, and above all a unique architectural style that profoundly marked the urban landscape of Petit Popo. Walking through the quarter's alleys today, one still hears snatches of Portuguese mixed with Mina, smells cornbread baking in courtyards, glimpses Catholic saint statues beside Voodoo altars — a blending that tells the whole story of this place.
The return of the Agudas
The story begins around 1830, when the first Brazilian freedmen began returning to the Guinean coast. Most came from Bahia, in northeastern Brazil. They spoke Portuguese, practiced a Catholicism tinged with African traditions, and worked as skilled tradespeople: masons, carpenters, tailors, merchants. Their arrival transformed Aneho.
The Agudas were not strangers. Many found distant relatives, recognized lineages. They integrated quickly into Guin society while preserving their cultural specificity. The quarter they built became the city's economic center, with its shops, workshops and warehouses. The Agudas brought construction techniques unknown in the region: fired brick masonry, hardwood framing, decorative ironwork.
A unique architecture
Aguda houses are immediately recognizable. Built on two levels — a rarity in the region's traditional architecture where dwellings are typically single-story — they feature symmetrical facades, often painted in ochre, blue or yellow. Wrought-iron balconies, imported from Brazil or locally made on Brazilian models, overlook the street. Windows are framed with stucco moldings. The massive hardwood entrance doors are adorned with carved motifs: rosettes, crosses, geometric figures.
The interior is organized around a central patio, following the Brazilian colonial house model. Reception rooms face the street, bedrooms face the patio. This layout manages heat while preserving family privacy. Thick fired brick walls keep cool during the day and release warmth at night. Ceilings are high, often over four meters, allowing hot air to rise.
The great Aguda families
The Olympio, de Souza and d'Almeida families are the best-known Agudas of Aneho. Their ancestors, returned from Brazil in the 19th century, built the quarter and founded dynasties that marked Togo's history. The Olympio house, in the heart of the quarter, is one of the city's most beautiful. It was here that Sylvanus Olympio, the future first president of independent Togo, grew up surrounded by his ancestors' stories and the commercial bustle of the quarter.
The de Souza family, another great Aguda lineage, left their name on several streets and squares in Aneho. Their family home, recognizable by its peacock-blue facade, now houses a small collection of objects and photographs tracing the family and quarter's history. Visits are possible on request.
A threatened heritage
Today, the Afro-Brazilian quarter of Aneho is threatened. Coastal erosion eats away at the shoreline, and some houses closest to the sea are already weakened. The lack of heritage classification exposes buildings to demolition or uncontrolled transformation. Several historic houses have already disappeared, replaced by soulless concrete constructions that break the quarter's harmony.
Preservation initiatives are underway. The NGO Agbo-Zegue, supported by international partners, is inventorying historic buildings and raising awareness among owners about their heritage value. Projects for national heritage listing are under study. The quarter is one of the last witnesses to this Afro-Brazilian architecture that once lined the entire coast from Lagos to Ouidah. Its preservation is a major cultural and tourism issue for Aneho.
Visiting the quarter
The Afro-Brazilian quarter is best explored on foot, ideally early morning or late afternoon when the light caresses the colorful facades. Take time to look up at the balconies, observe the carved doors, feel the atmosphere of the alleys where children play and elders chat on doorsteps. A local guide can tell you the story of each house, each family. Our concierge offers guided tours of the quarter, with access to certain interior courtyards and meetings with residents.