Thanks to you guys for posting all of these pictures, it brought back a lot of good memories. I challenge anyone here to ask anybody that lived in Nigeria during the '60s, 70s and '80s and ask them, is Nigeria they live in today is what they envisioned it was going to be then?  The answer will be a resounding NO
So much potential

That is why many Nigerians that traveled out were so boastful of the country and then we thought we were the best in Africa in everything.  Be he/she Igbo, Yoruba or Efik

I was borned in the 60s, I lived in the 70s, 80s and early 90s in Nigeria. All I can say is, Rossick is quite right. Those nolstagic people were also not wrong. The wrong ones were the ones wishing for the Brits to come back. If anything, the pictures here demonstrated that we can actually achieve it if we put our sincere dedication into it. The Brits did not leave without leaving something behind though. We had their laws and orderliness. Law and orderliness in my opinion is the most important thing missing in that country. There is no rule, not to talk of respect of law. It has really degenerated. You can not go to some areas in Lagos when it becomes dark now. I lived in Ebute Ero in Isale Eko in the 70s as a Kid, there were little threath to our lives then. We played late in the night during the holiday period. The streets were lit. There was electricity even if it was for the priviledged FEWs. Having lived in Ogudu Lagos Nigeria in those days too, I would say the Ogudu of the 70s was actually bush. The same goes for Ajah. You could only get to Ajah with a boat back then. Ogudu was a town compared to Ajah in the 70s. When did electricity got to Ogudu? I dont really remember. Probably in the second half of the 70s. The only person having a television (B/W) set was Alhaji Buhari in the whole of Buhari street Ogudu. Actually, he was the first to own a TV set in Ogudu. That would be around 1975/76. In the 70s in Ogudu, before we got water tanks stationed at different locations in the town, we used to get our drinking water from the stream (the water was very clean and cool) coming from Ojota (I think it used to be called "odo Tapa" if I recollect correctly). Thats beside the Ibadan Oworonsoki Express now. And we washed our cloths at the "odo oloke" - a continuation of the "odo iya alaro" now a stinking canal. Magodo, Ogba, Alausa etc. were actually prettyy much bushland and cassava farms. It used to take us 3 days by boat to get to Lagos from Ipare (Ilaje local govt). There was no road linking Igbokoda with Okitipupa and Ore that time. So, we have witnessed tremendous development I have to say. We had austerity measures of Shagari. However,the time things really got bad was when that deceitful general came in. He used money to finish us sotey we come get spoilt. Babangida is the most evil thing that ever happend to Nigeria.

Nigeria has advanced, but notwithstanding, corruption has killed whatever development we have achieved. Coming from Abroad, immediately you land at the airport you are on tension. Travelling out is also palava. You will have to go though a lot of unneccessary questioners. I will not say the leaders are all to blame. The followers are equally guilty. If you are being defrauded, it is not the govt (only), but it is most likely your family members, neighbours, friends, acquaitances etc. that will defraud you. It is really bad despite the infrastructural advancement. The morals are just not there anymore despite huge increase in religious houses in the country. Nigerians have to learn to be honest again. We have to imbibe in us again that honesty and hardwork pays. Else, it's a doomed place.

no more pictures?

is the thread over?

oh well, buh bye.

Deja Vu

I have seen a lot of these photographs man, we just dey rehash topics on Nairaland sha

Anyways I was born too in the 60's and while growing up Nigeria was way better during that time than now. I used to remember when CMS was one of the most beautiful places in Lagos and Ikoyi was where all the white people used to live and it used to be very beautiful until after independence when upeer-middle class Nigerians moved in and started screwing the place up

proudly9ja:

"OUR ENEMIES ARE THE POLITICAL PROFITEERS,THE SWINDLERS,THE MEN IN HIGH AND LOW PLACES THAT SEEK BRIBES AND DEMAND 10 PERCENT;THOSE THAT SEEK TO KEEP THE COUNTRY DIVIDED PERMANENTLY SO THAT THEY CAN REMAIN IN OFFICE AS MINISTERS OR VIPS AT LEAST.THE TRIBALISTS,THE NEPOTISTS,THOSE THAT MAKE THE COUNTRY LOOK FOR NOTHING BEFORE INTERNATIONAL CIRCLES,THOSE THAT HAVE CORRUPTED OUR SOCIETY AND PUT THE NIGERIAN POLITICAL CALENDER BACK BY THEIR WORDS AND DEED".THIS ARE THE WORDS OF MAJOR PATRICK CHUKWUMA KADUNA NZEOGWU JAN. 15 1966.THE LEADER OF THE FIRST MILITARY COUP IN NIGERIA.

www.nairaland.com/attachments/487101_nzeogwu_jpgb805d280a592a5a65dfc4334b17e4e74

 
I remember seeing that photograph in newspapers when I was a kid. From the perspective of a kid less than 10 years old, I always thought the gentleman in the photograph looked really cool although “cool” was not in my vocabulary back then. I don't know why the photograph fascinated me as a kid. Perhaps it was the white scarf around his neck. Who is the soldier in the photograph? Is he the major in the statement you quoted?

Eko Ile:


Downtown Lagos. 1963.

I remember the red and silver buses, now that you posted this photograph. I think they were British Leyland brand. I would often ask and my mother would read things I couldn't read to me whenever we went out. I remember they had a badge that had “GUY” on it. The "GUY" image just lit up in my head when I saw the photo. Was it an image that looked like a warrior's head or am I mistaken? I don't think I ever rode one of those buses because we hardly traveled outside the Island and I was too young to venture out on my own.


Where did you guys find all these photographs?

@ Pifa. Lagosians used to call them "Bus Sapas", there HQ was in epetedo area of Lagos Island, far down freeman street by ilubinrin.

What about Benson Buses?

You guys know we used to have little things like functioning telephone booths and fire hydrants?


What about daily fresh milk deliveries in some shinny silver cylinder?


What about milk shakes for school kids


@ okooyinbo . Sure we don't want them back, but we lost a lot after their departure, everything functioned like clock work under their system.

Eko Ile:

@ Pifa. Lagosians used to call them "Bus Sapas", there HQ was in epetedo area of Lagos Island, far down freeman street by ilubinrin.

What about Benson Buses?

You guys know we used to have little things like functioning telephone booths and fire hydrants?


What about daily fresh milk deliveries in some shinny silver cylinder?


What about milk shakes for school kids


@ okooyinbo . Sure we don't want them back, but we lost a lot after their departure, everything functioned like clock work under their system.

 
Eko Ile,

Very interesting stuff. I am going to send some of these photographs to my brother and sister. Neither of them was born in Nigeria, so it's always a bit of a challenge to get them excited about anything that "smells" Nigeria.

Yes, I do remember the milk deliveries. I remember a certain honk from the milkman as he drove down our driveway. We lived in Ikoyi, on a street named Cooper Rd. I remember the sound of the gravel driveway as he pulled up waiting for my mom to come out and take delivery. My dad, who was an architect, used to work for an organization called LEDB or LSDB. The house we lived in was provided to us by his employer. I remember years after my parents shipped us to America, my dad would tell me about the battles he had with his bosses and how they eventually eased him out. Fortunately, he hooked up with a company called Cappa (or some name like that) and they moved us into another house on Alexander just before the LSDB people had to kick us out.

milkman in nigeria?

amazing.

OP, please give credit where it belongs. These pictures were lifted from the 'Nigeria Nostalgia 1960-80' group on Facebook.

Some of these pictures are under commercial copyright; the Nigeria Nostalgia group had to request permission from the rights holders. Some other pictures are the private property of the group members.

Its only fair to acknowledge the source of the pictures and the tireless efforts of the group members in making these pictures available on the web.

blacklion:

OP, please give credit where it belongs. These pictures were lifted from the 'Nigeria Nostalgia 1960-80' group on Facebook.

Some of these pictures are under commercial copyright; the Nigeria Nostalgia group had to request permission from the rights holders. Some other pictures are the private property of the group members.

Its only fair to acknowledge the source of the pictures and the tireless efforts of the group members in making these pictures available on the web.

Birthday Party at our home in Ojo-Oniyun Street, Ebute Metta, Lagos. December 1974 .

I'm getting this pix from some's public FB

I guess that wasnt enough. Some of us werent around at that time, so I'm sure some could have easily deduced that the pixs was copied from a NIgerian online website. If anyone has a problem with those pictures, simply ask them to be removed. Will take less than one hr to do so.

Look, I dont like what you're insinuating and the special effect you're trying  to add to your post. . . . . Make I know now now so that I can go to other websites to copy and paste  THE SAME PICTURES as the one on FB

blacklion:

OP, please give credit where it belongs. These pictures were lifted from the 'Nigeria Nostalgia 1960-80' group on Facebook.

Some of these pictures are under commercial copyright; the Nigeria Nostalgia group had to request permission from the rights holders. Some other pictures are the private property of the group members.

Its only fair to acknowledge the source of the pictures and the tireless efforts of the group members in making these pictures available on the web.

i wish i had my mum's pictures from the 60s.

would have added some of them there.

'Sapas' came from 'Zarpas', a Greek businessman who owned a bus service in Lagos in the 1940s-60s.

blacklion:

OP, please give credit where it belongs. These pictures were lifted from the 'Nigeria Nostalgia 1960-80' group on Facebook.

Some of these pictures are under commercial copyright; the Nigeria Nostalgia group had to request permission from the rights holders. Some other pictures are the private property of the group members.

Its only fair to acknowledge the source of the pictures and the tireless efforts of the group members in making these pictures available on the web.

ALL of the pictures Ive posted here are not mine in any sense. I do NOT own anyone of them in any sense and I am not sure I have insinuated such.

A few of the pictures I posted (about 5 or 6) are from the "Nigeria Nostalgia group" on facebook (https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=152978661409591), and others I just found on the internet via google search. I think some of them even have the picture owners watermarked on the pictures.

I don't know the sources of other posters on the thread so I cannot speak for them. I apologise for not mentioning this earlier. It wasn't (and still isn't) an attempt at personal glory or such.

Thanks for bringing this to my notice. I will edit my original post to include the Nigeria Nostalgia facebook group but it will be a difficult thing to include all my sources now.

@proudly9ja,

Thanks for the clarification and for your inspiring efforts to help us all re-discover the Nigeria of yesteryear.

Pifa:


www.nairaland.com/attachments/487101_nzeogwu_jpgb805d280a592a5a65dfc4334b17e4e74

 
I remember seeing that photograph in newspapers when I was a kid. From the perspective of a kid less than 10 years old, I always thought the gentleman in the photograph looked really cool although “cool” was not in my vocabulary back then. I don't know why the photograph fascinated me as a kid. Perhaps it was the white scarf around his neck. Who is the soldier in the photograph? Is he the major in the statement you quoted?
   

Yeah. As far as I know, its a picture of Nzeogwu

@ EzeUche Thanks for your beautiful pictures. What i dont understand is why you, an Igboman and an Abian, could bastadise the name of your brother Aja Nwachukwu. This is the first speaker and a man who set a high standard in Nigeria. In appreciation of his efforts and achievements, a hostel was named after him in University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He is Aja Nwachukwu and not Jaja Wachuku as you repeatedly posted!

nice collection

Wonderful tread, keep it up good research.I feel like crying seeing some pictures.Some reminds me of good days on my dear country.Our so called leaders of now, have enjoyed and still enjoying the good things of this country without thinking of leaving good legacy.REVOLUTION IS ON THE WAY

The first nairaland thread where tribalism didn't prevail, if you guys can work together like this them we have hope,

Please can the original poster post pictures of Anambra state, Imo state, Abia state, Enugu state or infact the east in general? All the photos here seem to stem from Ibadan, lagos and the North. Were these areas only the developed parts of Nigeria in the 60/70's? Or was the east a savannah? People should learn to show Nigeria as a whole and not concentrating on a tiny proportion of a country to represent the entire nation. Am yet to see how the east looked like back in the day. Until then, i would say these photos are irrational.

^ Remember the East was a war zone for most of the 60's and 70's

@GenBuhari,

This is a blatant excuse. The Biafra/Nigeria war only commenced in the year 67. Do you mean to tell me that the eastern part of Nigeria was in war before this date? Am yet to learn about this. Please @OP, am still expecting pictures of the entire eastern part of Nigeria before Nigerian independence. I want to see it's infrastructures back in the day.

mcobinad:

Please can the original poster post pictures of Anambra state, Imo state, Abia state, Enugu state or infact the east in general? All the photos here seem to stem from Ibadan, lagos and the North. Were these areas only the developed parts of Nigeria in the 60/70's? Or was the east a savannah? People should learn to show Nigeria as a whole and not concentrating on a tiny proportion of a country to represent the entire nation. Am yet to see how the east looked like back in the day. Until then, i would say these photos are irrational.

you can post photos too, if you have some.

I hope nobody will tell us that all the pictures from the eastern state has been burn during the war.

a lot of them were, actually.

however, there should still be some i'm sure.

When I was a kid in Lagos, there was a television jingle for a beverage called Bonvita that sounded something like this:

Bournvita , for energy.
Bournvita , for you . . .
. . .


I don’t remember the rest of the jingle, but if anyone does, please post it (I’ll blow you a cyber kiss).

If my memory serves me, I believe the jingle was sung by teenaged Millicent Small, the Jamaican song diva who recorded the legendary 1960s pop mega hit, My Boy Lollipop. Lollipop caused quite a considerable stir in the British Commonwealth when it was released and for many years thereafter. Decades after Millie recorded that song, I introduced it to my kids who couldn't get enough of it.


For those who were not yet citizens of this universe in the late 60s and early 70s, and are curious about Millie Small, here is a taste of her vocal beauty on You Tube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCUcbRTB6Rs  - My Boy Lollipop

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EarHf_OkFr0&feature=related  - What am I living for

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zod4sHB7O-c&feature=related  - I've been around

Pifa:

   
When I was a kid in Lagos, there was a television jingle for a beverage called Bonvita that sounded something like this:

Bournvita , for energy.
Bournvita , for you . . .
. . .


I don’t remember the rest of the jingle, but if anyone does, please post it (I’ll blow you a cyber kiss).

If my memory serves me, I believe the jingle was sung by teenaged Millicent Small, the Jamaican song diva who recorded the legendary 1960s pop mega hit, My Boy Lollipop. Lollipop caused quite a considerable stir in the British Commonwealth when it was released and for many years thereafter.

. . .
 

I wonder if Eko Ile would remember Bonvita or anything about Millicent Small.

Hello house, thanks so much for all the wonderful posts. Like someone commented earlier, these pictures are more helpful than what we would find in government archives.

Does anyone have the replica of the Nigerian passport used between 1966-1968? It is urgently needed for a project.

Thanks once again

i had an amazing time going through all these pictures...thank you guys

Bump.