Migration has been an integral part of Yoruba history and culture for centuries. The Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa, with a population of over 40 million people spread across Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. This vast population is due in part to the migration and movement of Yoruba people over time.

In the mural, the image of the boat speaks of migration. It highlights the stark difference between the forced migration of the slave trade and the economic migration of the 21st century, symbolised by the figures carrying bags and suitcases.

The transatlantic slave trade resulted in the largest forced migration. Many of the millions of Africans who were taken prisoner and transported across the Atlantic were from Yorubaland.  Yoruba people were dispersed throughout the Americas as a result of these forced migrations, especially to countries like Brazil, Cuba, and Haiti.

The slave trade did not become the conclusion of the Yoruba migration tale.  Yoruba immigrants have been traveling around Africa, Europe, and North America in waves over the 20th and 21st century in pursuit of employment and educational opportunities.