The Lagos State Governor's Residences And Offices (Pictures, Videos And Stories).
This thread is part of a much longer thread that I have been composing since 2012, but which I have not finished. The pictures in this thread are from the Lagos State Government and the Nigerian Nostalgia Project, the videos are from the Lagos State Government and the stories are from my memory.
Lagos House, Marina
Lagos House Marina was built by Cappa and D'Alberto to serve as the residence of the chief secretary to the Colonial Government. The chief secretary of the Colonial Government was kind of like the secretary to the Government of the Federation (before President Obasanjo separated the positions of SGF and head of service). He was the head of the Colonial Civil Service.
In 1957, on the eve of independence, the British Government requested that the Colonial Government should hand over the building so that they could use it as the residence of the British high commissioner to Nigeria. The Colonial Government refused and gave the British Government another piece of land on the Marina instead.
In 1966 Major Mobolaji Johnson was serving in Benin in the Mid-West Region when he was summoned by the governor of the Mid-West, Lieutenant Colonel David Ejoor. Governor Ejoor gave Mobolaji Johnson a smart salute and told him that the supreme commander wanted to see him in Lagos. (Governor Ejoor probably already knew why the supreme commander wanted to see Mobolaji Johnson and that's why he gave him the smart salute).
The supreme commander, Major General JTU Aguiyi-Ironsi, told Major Johnson that he needed someone to help him administer Lagos. He said that the problems of Lagos and Nigeria were too great and he needed someone that would take the problems of Lagos off him. He listed Major Johnson's qualities and also said that Major Johnson was a Lagos boy and would be able to administer Lagos properly.
Major Mobolaji therefore became the administrator of the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos. General Ironsi gave him the former residence of the chief secretary of the Colonial Government (which was next door to State House, Marina where Ironsi lived) and it became the Lagos House, Marina.
In 1967, the head of state, Major General Yakubu Gowon, made Lagos a state and Lieutenant Colonel Mobolaji Johnson became the first governor of Lagos. The former residence of the prime minister of Nigeria was handed over to the state government and it became the state secretariat. It was there that Governor Johnson, along with legends like Hawson-Wright (secretary to the government), Coker (financial secretary), Agoro (legal) and Adeyemi-Bero (chief of staff/principal secretary) began the administration of Lagos State.
(The prime minister's residence was handed over to ECOWAS in the 1970s and it became the ECOWAS Headquarters).
Governors Mobolaji Johnson, Adekunle Lawal, Ndubuisi Kanu and Ebitu Ukiwe lived at Lagos House, Marina. In 1976 the Murtala Muhammed Administration made Ikeja the capital of Lagos and the Lagos State Government gradually began moving to Ikeja. The office of the governor was moved to the Round House, Alausa in Ikeja in 1979.
Governor Lateef Jakande chose to stay at his personal house in Ilupeju, rather than moving in to Lagos House (he also chose to use his personal car, a Toyota Crown, rather than an official car). The residence of the governor was eventually moved to Ikeja GRA in 1984.
Despite the fact that the governor was not in residence, Lagos House, Marina was used for certain ceremonial functions like Boys Scout meetings and reception of visiting dignitaries.
On December 16th, 1996 the Lagos State governor, Colonel Mohammed Buba Marwa was on his way to work when a bomb exploded. The bomb destroyed the last car in his motorcade, plucking out one of the eyeballs of Lance Corporal David Umoh, who was inside the unlucky vehicle, while police Corporal Olusola, another occupant of the car, was fatally wonded A passer-by, akpata Collins, was also wounded. The bomb exploded while the motorcade was near Sheraton Hotel, on its way from State House Ikeja GRA to his office at the Round House in Alausa. Six of the cars parked in the adjacent taxi park at the Sheraton Hotel were extensively damaged. Flying shrapnel also damaged two rooms located on the fourth and sixth floors of the Sheraton.
Governor Marwa took some measures in response to the attack. He wrote to General Sani Abacha to seek for permission to move from State House, Ikeja GRA to Lagos House, Marina. State House GRA did not have the security buffer that Lagos House, Marina had. It was also at this time that Governor Marwa started using two armoured Land Cruiser SUVs as his official vehicles instead of the Peugeot 504 cars that he previously used.
I passed the road in front of Lagos House Marina everyday in the early 1980s, but that road has been blocked twice since then. It was blocked for the first time in 1983 after the fire at Net Building. This was done for safety reasons. The road was opened in the late 1980s, but it was blocked again in 1990 when the house to the right of Lagos House was made the Flag Staff House (that is, the residence of the chief of army staff). This time it was blocked for security reasons and it has remained blocked since then.
State House, Ikeja GRA is right by a public road and Governor Marwa needed a place that was some distance away from the road, for security reasons.
Governor Marwa moved to Lagos House, Marina in order to benefit from the heavy security that was provided to the chief of army staff next door.
Since 1996, Governors Mohammed Buba Marwa, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Babatunde Raji Fashola and Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu have used Lagos House Marina as their official residence.
There was a fire at Lagos House, Marina in the early 2000s and Governor Bola Tinubu and his family were temporarily relocated to State House Ikeja GRA while Lagos House was renovated.
State House Marina was the residence of the head of state of Nigeria from 1914 till 1967. Lord Lugard, Sir Hugh Clifford, Sir Graeme Thompson, Sir Donald Cameron, Sir Bernard Bourdillon, Sir John Shuckburgh, Sir Alan Burns, Sir Arthur Richards, Sir John Macpherson and Sir James Robertson lived here before Nigeria's independence. President Nnamdi Azikiwe, General Aguiyi-Ironsi and General Yakubu Gowon lived here after independence. General Gowon moved the head of state's residence to State House Ribadu Road in 1967 (just before the Civil War). State House Ribadu Road was subsequently given the name of the nearby army barracks, Dodan Barracks.
State House, Isaac John Street, Ikeja GRA
The head of state, General Murtala Ramat Muhammed, made Ikeja the capital of Lagos in 1976 and the Lagos State Government gradually began moving from Lagos Island to Ikeja.
The former first lady of Lagos, Mrs Foluke Mudasiru, was not interested in the trappings of office at all. She wanted to have a normal life. Therefore, she told he husband that she did not want to live at Lagos House, Marina. Governor Mudasiru’s office was at rhe Round House in Alausa, while her farm was at Iju and it didn’t make sense to live far away at Marina (remember that the Third Mainland Bridge had not been completed at that time. It ended at Ebute Metta). Besides, the governor had a siren blaring motorcade that could clear the way for him, but she didn’t want any motorcade. She wanted a normal life.
Therefore, they got a place on Isaac John Street in Ikeja GRA, very close to their house at the Air Force Quarters, and that became State House, Isaac John Street, Ikeja GRA.
Governors Gbolahan Mudasiru, Mike Akhibge, Raji Rasaki, Michael Otedola, Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Mohammed Buba Marwa stayed at State House, Isaac John Street, Ikeja GRA during their tenures.
Governor Marwa moved to Lagos House Marina after the 1996 bomb attack on his motorcade and State House, Ikeja GRA became the governor's guest house.
Governor Bola Tinubu briefly stayed at State House Isaac John Street in the early 2000s when Lagos House, Marina was being renovated after a fire.
The Round House
The Round House was the office of the governor of Lagos from 1979 till 2007. It is at the State Secretariat in Alausa.
This is a video of Governor Bola Tinubu's first day in office at the Round House, Alausa. You get a very good view of the Round House, see the governor's motorcade drive up the ramp to the Round House and see him acknowledge cheers from workers at the State Secretariat.
Governor's Lateef Jakande, Gbolahan Mudasiru, Mike Akhigbe, Raji Rasaki, Michael Otedola, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Mohammed Buba Marwa and Bola Tinubu worked at the Round House during their tenures.
The office of the governor was moved to the new Lagos House, Alausa in 2007, just before Governor Tinubu left office and the Round House was handed over to the deputy governor and is now the deputy governor's office.
This is a video of Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola innaugurating the governing board of the Lagos State College of Primary Education at the Council Chambers of the Governor's Office, Round House, Alausa.
Governor Mike Akhigbe did not like the idea of the Lagos State governor commuting from State House, Ikeja GRA to the Round House at Alausa every day. He wanted a Lagos House that had the governor's residence, the governor's office, banquet hall, council chambers, guest house, tennis court, swimming pool and other facilities in one compound. Basically, he wanted Lagos State's own State House Ribadu Road (Dodan Barracks).
Governor Akhigbe began building the new Lagos House at Alausa in 1987, but he wasn't able to complete it and the project was abandoned.
Governor Bola Tinubu decided to continue the project and it was completed in 2007 (20 years after it was started) just before Tinubu left office. Governor Tinubu said that his successor, Governor Babatunde Fashola, could choose to live at Alausa or he could choose to live at Marina. Governor Fashola chose to live at Marina. However, he began using the new Lagos House at Alausa as his office. The Round House was handed over to the deputy governor, Princess Sarah Adebisi Sosan and it became the deputy governor's office.
Lagos House Alausa, the Round House, the Lagos State House of Assembly and the Lagos State Secretariat are all within walking distance of each other (almost like Lagos State's version of the Three Arms Zone, except that the High Court is at GRA).
In 2015 Governor Akinwunmi Ambode decided that he would live at Lagos House Alausa because it would save him time since he wouldn't have to commute from Marina to Alausa everyday.
Thank God I am back at my duty post! I returned to work today, Wednesday, August 5, 2020 after several weeks away, battling the monstrous Coronavirus. It began with a feverish condition on Wednesday, July 1, 2020.
I usually don't joke with my health so I stopped at a pharmacy on my way home, got an anti malaria drug with some paracetamol and I used it as recommended.
I must state here that I have never completed a full dose of any malaria treatment or drugs before getting back on my feet in my adult life, never! In fact, you would have to remind me sometimes before taking my drugs because I would have felt well after taking the second dose.
This time, I completed the malaria medicine yet there was no improvement. By Thursday (July 2) evening and Friday (July 3) morning, my health condition had started to deteriorate. The feelings gradually moved from headaches to severe body pains and cold.
Same day, I had a responsibility to organize a media briefing for my boss. I didn't raise the alarm just yet because everybody was wary of everyone else, especially if you showed any signs of illness. But the truth is I was sick, terribly sick.
I told my wife on Thursday evening that there was a need for us to get tested for COVID-19. I convinced her that we needed to clear all doubts.
She understood clearly, knowing it may not be out of place that I had been exposed to the virus, especially now that Lagos was experiencing rise in community spread.
We drove straight to the Yaba Infectious Diseases Hospital on Friday morning and in less than an hour; the very efficient Lagos health workers in charge of sample collection and testing attended us to.
Although he was not ill and showed no signs of COVID-19, I encouraged my driver to join us for the test. We left for Marina to continue with the day’s official activities.
While Mr. Governor was briefing and responding to questions from journalists, I stood there on the beautifully tendered State House lawn shaking from within. I could feel that my legs were wobbling from inside my bone marrow.
Not even the beauty of the grass, which I usually admire, could calm the way I felt.
I remember how much I tried to keep more than two metres away from some colleagues who had come to me for some clarifications on issues or points raised by Mr. Governor.
Since I was not sure of my status, I needed to take responsibility by ensuring that nothing was discharged into the atmosphere from my side.
I waited till the end of the press conference, managed to move towards my boss but ensured that I didn't move close to him.
In that socially distanced position, I informed him of my state of health and his response was direct, "have you gone for another test?" He asked because he had mandated his entire close aides to go for COVID-19 test on two or three occasions.
He has also done the test repeatedly, just for everyone to feel safe around the office. I answered him in the affirmative, "yes sir, I just did this morning. Results should be out on Sunday."
I took some shots that evening, repeated them on Saturday morning and evening. I went again on Sunday morning but there was no remarkable improvement. By Sunday evening, our COVID-19 test results were sent to me via email.
My worst fear stared at me in the face; we all tested positive for Coronavirus - my wife, driver and I. I immediately called my driver to inform him. Clearly he was asymptomatic because as at that time and up till the time of writing this piece, he had no symptoms.
Life has been normal for him. Nonetheless, I insisted that he should self-isolate at home for 14 days and not go about infecting other people.
I duly informed my principal and then called my direct boss, Mr. Tayo Ayinde, the Chief of Staff to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who immediately made arrangements for my treatment. The doctors called in and asked that we isolate at home.
They tutored me on all the protocols, most of them I was already familiar with, having been part of the communication team on Lagos State Government's response to COVID-19.
On Tuesday, July 14, her SPO2 went down to 88! That was when it dawned on everyone that she had to be evacuated to an isolation centre.
She was taken to the Onikan centre, where she received some of the best treatment that COVID-19 patients in the United States of America are looking for. I don’t get scared easily by anything or situation.
This time, I was very scared. I thought the worst phase of my life had come when after three days of her admission, she had not responded well to the treatment. She neither called home nor picked her phone. Everyone was worried.
Thanks to the Lagos State Government, the Ministry of Health, the health workers; doctors, nurses and drivers, among others who ensured that my wife, like all the other patients that were brought in under very terrible conditions returned home with joy.
Without sounding immodest, Lagos State Government is a model State on the COVID-19 response in Africa. Special thanks to Mr. Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu who built excess capacity in readiness for the pandemic.
This has helped the State to manage the effects of the pandemic since it broke out.
COVID-19 is not a hoax, it’s very real. Use your face mask wash your hands regularly, use sanitizer and please keep to the social distance protocols.
Now I am back on the beat, what have I missed?
Akosile is the Chief Press Secretary to the Lagos State Governor.
Many people have criticised the Buhari Administration because members of the administration and government agencies have often taken to social media to argue and quarrel over issues that should have been resolved in house.
For example, there have been exchange of words on Twitter between the chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission and the minister of communications.
The latest Twitter fight is between the chairman of the Nigerian Postal Service (Nipost) and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) over the production of stamps and the collection of stamp duty.
The chairman Nipost fired the first salvo via this thread.
Maimuna Abubakar @ref_ng
I am worried for NIPOST, having sleepless night because of NIPOST, we need the general public to come to our aid, FIRS stole our mandate..#justicefornipost
FIRS are now selling stamps instead of buying from us #justicefornipost
What is happening, are we expected to keep quite and let FIRS kill and bury NIPOST? We need to get our mandate back #justicefornipost
NIPOST are the sole custodians of national stamps, another agency printing and selling stamps is against the law of the land #justicefornipost.
FIRS did not only steal our stamps but also our ideas, what NIPOST had worked for since 2016, our documents, patent and sneaked everything into finance bill and tactically removed the name of NIPOST #justicefornipost
I like to make this clear, NIPOST is the only agency charged with the responsibility of producing adhesive stamps and revenue for the for the purchase of such stamp accrues to NIPOST #justicefornipost
There is no where in FIRS act or stamp duty act where it's so stated that FIRS can produce stamp or sale stamp #justicefornipost
Did you know that NIPOST had generated over 60b in NIPOST CBN account for the Federal Government? #justicefornipost
We appreciate the general public for demonstrating deep knowledge of the difference between Stamp Duty and Postage Stamp. It is unfortunate that Mrs. Maimuna Abubakar, Chairperson of the NIPOST Board is yet to understand this.
Our attention was drawn to the tweet by Mrs. Abubakar. Her indecorous tweet would not have deserved any response but for the sensitive nature of the issue at stake, which if not sensibly treated and promptly corrected would likely mislead the public.
To be sure, NIPOST is a government parastatal established by Decree 41 of 1992 with the function to *develop, promote, and provide adequate and efficiently co-ordinated postal services at reasonable rates* .
This function is clearly contrary to the claim by NIPOST over the administration of stamp duties in Nigeria.
On the other hand, the FIRS is the sole agency of got charged with the responsibility of *assessing, collecting, and accounting for all tax types including Stamp Duties*
It is therefore shocking to us that such a privileged young lady who happened to be appointed to high office would throw all caution to the air to cast aspersions on reputable public institutions like the National Assembly and FIRS, which she accused of stealing NIPOST idea.
This, to say the least, is a preposterous claim and great disservice to the government and people of Nigeria.
We wish to state categorically that, as an agency which operates within the ambit of the law...
The FIRS is determined to not only ensure that all monies collected by NIPOST into its illegally operated Stamp Duties Account are fully remitted into the Federation Account but also make sure that any kobo not accounted for in that account is legally recovered...
in line with the charge of President Muhammadu Buhari to the recently inaugurated Inter-ministerial committee on the recovery of stamp duties from 2016 till date.
In addition, anyone found culpable of misappropriating the funds in the said illegal NIPOST Stamp Duties Account would be made to face the law as provisioned by the country's statute books.
The public is hereby reminded that we at the FIRS are resolute in our resolve to safeguard national interests and not any personal ego or interest as NIPOST officials appear to carry on lately.
We therefore call on right-thinking Nigerians to disregard that ill-advised tweet by Mrs. Maimuna Abubakar and allied misinformation being disseminated by NIPOST in relation to Stamp Duties collection, which by law is the responsibility of the FIRS.
Abdullahi Ismaila Ahmad Director Communication and Liaison Federal Inland Revenue Service
Area4Area: Thanks abeg, I was wishing you'd be on this thread because your posts are usually a notch higher, not like these kids who had become emergency professors of everything. Thanks for the enlightening post
Governors of Lagos State originally lived and worked in the Marina/Onikan area. The residence was at Lagos House Marina and the office was at the former prime minister's residence.
The Murtala Muhammad Administration made Ikeja the capital of Lagos in 1976 and the government gradually began moving to Ikeja. (The former governor's office/prime minister's residence became the ECOWAS Secretariat).
Governor Lateef Jakande lived at State House, Isaac John Street in Ikeja GRA and his office was at the Round House in Alausa.
Governor Mike Akhigbe felt that it was not ideal for the governor to have to commute from GRA to Alausa everyday, besides, the residence on Isaac John Street was relatively small, so he began building a new Lagos House in Alausa. The new complex had a residence for the governor, the governor's office, banquet hall, tennis courts, guest house and other facilities.
Lagos House, Alausa was abandoned, but it was later completed by Governor Bola Tinubu in 2007. It became the governor's office while the Round House was handed over to the deputy governor.
Lateef Jakande, Gbolahan Mudasiru, Mike Akhigbe, Raji Rasaki, Michael Otedola, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Buba Marwa.
A bomb exploded near Governor Marwa's motorcade, injuring some of his guards, so he decided to move to Marina. State House at Isaac John St was turned into the governor's guest house.
Lagos House, Marina
Mohammed Buba Marwa
Bola Ahmed Tinubu
Governor Tinubu completed the Lagos House, Alausa which had been started by Governor Akhigbe. The complex was completed just before Governor Tinubu left office. He said that Governor Fashola could choose to live there if he wanted. Governor Fashola chose to stay at Marina. The former Governor's Office (the Round House) was handed over to the deputy governor.
Raji Fashola.
Lagos House, Alausa
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.
Governor Ambode said that it would save time for him if he lived in Alausa. He wouldn't have to commute from Marina to Alausa everyday.
Lagos House, Marina
Babajide Sanwoolu.
Picture 1. Governor Jakande and his cabinet at Lagos House, Marina in 1981.
Picture 2. Lagos House Marina after it was renovated by Governor Tinubu.
Lateef Jakande, Gbolahan Mudasiru, Mike Akhigbe, Raji Rasaki, Michael Otedola, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Buba Marwa.
A bomb exploded near Governor Marwa's motorcade, injuring some of his guards, so he decided to move to Marina. State House at Isaac John St was turned into the governor's guest house.
Lagos House, Marina
Mohammed Buba Marwa
Bola Ahmed Tinubu
Governor Tinubu completed the Lagos House, Alausa which had been started by Governor Akhigbe. The complex was completed just before Governor Tinubu left office. He said that Governor Fashola could choose to live there if he wanted. Governor Fashola chose to stay at Marina. The former Governor's Office (the Round House) was handed over to the deputy governor.
Raji Fashola.
Lagos House, Alausa
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.
Governor Ambode said that it would save time for him if he lived in Alausa. He wouldn't have to commute from Marina to Alausa everyday.
Lagos House, Marina
Babajide Sanwoolu.
Picture 1. Governor Jakande and his cabinet at Lagos House, Marina.
Picture 2. Lagos House Marina after it was renovated by Governor Tinubu.
Politics › Re: Where Lagos State Government House Is Located (pics, Video) by naptu2: 6:29am On Aug 09, 2020
