[size=14pt]Banquet Halls.[/size]


There is a ball room at State House Marina, which was used for various state occasions. State House Marina and Glover Hall used to be the centre of social activities in Lagos in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The Governor/Governor General held lots of lunches, dinner parties, teas and other occasions for various sections of society, such as the Ladies' Auxiliary. The Nigeria Council also met at State House Marina. The ball room at State House Marina became too small to host modern day state parties and other venues had to be used. The Federal Palace Hotel was a popular venue for state parties. Other venues were also used when the Presidency moved from Marina to Ikoyi.

State House Ribadu Road does not have a banquet hall. However, less than a hundred metres from the main gate of State House is a junction (the junction between Ribadu Road and Okotie-Eboh Road). Right at that junction is the Army Officers Mess. The hall at the Army Officers Mess was often used for state banquets (some started calling that hall "Dodan Barracks", despite the fact that it is not in Dodan Barracks).


Other popular venues were the National Theatre, the Lawn Tennis Court at State House Marina (where President Jonathan hosted the Nigeria at 50 dinner and where Mariam Babangida often hosted the Independence Day children's party) and the lawn at Dodan Barracks (where Gowon hosted children's day parties).


The Aguda House in Abuja was built in the early 1980s to serve as the residence of the President in the new capital. Shagari, Buhari and Babangida often spent Independence Day in Abuja. The Nicon Noga Hilton Hotel was often used for state functions. President Babangida often hosted the "Command Performance" there (the Command Performance was an event at which famous musicians and actors performed before the President and other VIPs on the night before Independence Day). The International Conference Centre was built for the 1991 OAU summit and it was also subsequenty used for state occasions. The major venues at that time were the ICC, Nicon Noga Hilton, Sheraton and Agura Hotel.

Then Nigeria decided to host the 2003 Commonwealth Heads Of Government summit (CHOGM) and it was decided that a banquet hall should be built within the Aso Rock Villa complex. The banquet hall hosted the state dinner for Her Majesty The Queen and the Commonwealth heads of state. It has hosted all state dinners since then. Below are pictures of the banquet hall.


In 2011 a decision was made to build another (bigger) banquet hall, but that has not been done yet.

Lugard at State House, Marina.

October 3rd, 1912

"The motor at last turned in through the big gates and confronted the solid, square, white, two storied house which was to be Lugard's headquarters for nearly six years. It was already some thirty years old and has changed little in the succeeding years. Lugard's office was in front, over the porch, looking over the harbour."

Quoted from "LUGARD The Years of Authority" by Margery Perham.

Inside the banquet hall.

Inside the Council Chamber.

Inside the Aso Rock Chapel.

Inside the residence (House 5).

naptu2: Inside the residence (House 5).

You should start a school sir.

skullz:

You should start a school sir.

Thanks

naptu2:
Inside the residence (House 5).

house 5? so how are the buildings numbered?

naptu2:
State House Ribadu Road used to be the official residence of the minister of defence (Mallam Ribadu). It is beside the Federal Guards (Dodan) Barracks.

However, General Gowon felt that State House Marina was not safe/did not offer enough security (there were rumours that Major General Ironsi used to cross the Marina and sleep aboard a navy gunboat every night). He therefore mandated Joseph Garba to find a suitable residence for the Head of State/Supreme Commander.

Joe Garba decided that State House Ribadu Road would be a suitable residence. Parts of Ribadu Road were blocked off (Ribadu Road used to link Awolowo Road to Ikoyi Road) and the compound expanded. The name was changed to State House Dodan Barracks (although it is not located in Dodan Barracks).

Unlike State House Marina, which is a mansion, Dodan Barracks is a complex that contains the president's residence, office block, council chambers, press centre, etc.

Dodan is the name of a place in Burma where Nigerian soldiers died while making a last stand.

tell me more about the Nigerian army last stand in dodan... I'd like to know more

HolyHero:
tell me more about the Nigerian army last stand in dodan... I'd like to know more

The name "Dodan" originated from the site of a battle fought during the Second World War by the 82nd West African Division in Burma