₦airaland Forum

I first heard about this around 8am. People were tweeting @Gidi_Traffic to find out if it's true. @FRSCNigeria later tweeted that it's true.

@Gidi_Traffic confirmed that it is false. Lagos State Traffic Fm 96.1 also confirmed that it's false.

@FRSCNigeria later tweeted

The news retweeted by FRSC on an accident involving a BRT in Lagos could not b confirmed. Pls disregard d information.

https://mobile.twitter.com/FRSCNigeria/status/273052290515091456?p=v

I first heard about this around 8am. People were tweeting @Gidi_Traffic to find out if it's true. @FRSCNigeria later tweeted that it's true.

@Gidi_Traffic confirmed that it is false. Lagos State Traffic Fm 96.1 also confirmed that it's false.

@FRSCNigeria later tweeted

The news retweeted by FRSC on an accident involving a BRT in Lagos could not b confirmed. Pls disregard d information.

https://mobile.twitter.com/FRSCNigeria/status/273052290515091456?p=v

Lie, false and untrue.

[size=14pt]The Second World War[/size]

During the Second World War, the Regiment served in many parts of the world and played a distinguished part in the defeat of the Italians in East Africa and the Japanese in Burma. The Royal West Africa Frontier Force provided the largest colonial expeditionary force to leave any colony and it was a West African division which was the first ever to be entirely supplied by air. The following paragraphs give, but a brief outline of the most complex and diverse operations in which the Nigeria Regiment took part.

https://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/376668_10150454520787790_1427595130_n.jpg
Troops of the Nigeria Regiment, 3rd West African Brigade (Thunder), boarding a Dakota Transport plane (circa 1943).

At the outbreak of the war, the Nigeria Regiment consisted of five regular battalions with supporting arms and services. In the early part of 1940, plans were made for the move of the 1st West African Brigade to East Africa. The Brigade consisting of 1st, 2nd and 3rd battalions, Nigeria Regiment, 1st Light Battery, 1st Field Ambulance, 1st Infantry Brigade, Signals, and the 1st Field Company, R.E.; left Nigeria on June 3rd, 1940, together with a Gold Coast brigade. After taking part in the defence of Kenya, these brigades distinguished themselves in the Abyssinian Campaign. The Gold Coast brigade secured the west bank of the Juba after defeating the Italians at Bulo Erillo, whilst the Nigerian Brigade, by the capture of Merca, played an all-important part in the capture of Mogadishu. On February 13th, 1941, in company with the 22nd East African Brigade, the Nigerian Brigade advanced on Brava.

Despite their training in bush warfare based upon the lessons of the First World War and their short training in mobile warfare, they covered 600 miles between Mogadishu and Harar in twenty-six days, pushing the enemy before them and taking a number of guns, machine guns and prisoners. In the opinion of experts, this advance was the most rapid in the history of the East Africa Campaign.

The Brigade returned to Nigeria on September 5th, 1941 when it received an enthusiastic welcome and it provided the leaven of war-trained men for the great Expeditionary Force which was later to take part in the final defeat of the Japanese in Burma.

In 1940 it had not been anticipated that further troops would be required except for reinforcements and no further units were raised in the earlier part of the year. On the collapse of France in May and June, 1940 however, it was immediately decided to expand the Royal West African Frontier Force on a large scale and an extensive recruiting campaign was started. By the end of 1941 the Nigeria Regiment had, apart from other services, raised thirteen battalions.

These wartime battalions were built around a nucleus of 150 men from the old Reserve Battalion. The 7th Battalion came into official existence on June 8th, 1940 and from a cadre of this battalion a few months later and by local recruitment, the 12th battalion was raised.

Meanwhile the Reserve Battalion had moved to Enugu where the 9th Battalion, which was originally composed chiefly of Nigeria Police (including officers) with a few regular soldiers, was raised: after some time, some of the police were recalled and the battalion on its arrival at Sokoto in January 1941, (after a few months in Calabar) absorbed a large proportion of local recruits. At the same time, the battalions which were at first to make up the 6th Battalion, the 4th Brigade Group, were being formed at Kaduna and the 6th Brigade group was being established in Sierra Leone with the 4th and 11th Nigerian Battalions under command together with a Sierra Leonean and a Gambian battalion and mostly Sierra Leonean supporting arms and services.

In the early months of 1914 the 3rd Brigade Group consisting of 7th, 9th, and 12th Battalions, 3rd Light Battery, 3rd Brigade Group Company W.A.A.S.C, was formed with headquarters at Zaria. Later the 9th Battalion transferred to the 4th Brigade Group at Kaduna and the 6th Battalion came from that group to join the 3rd.

The 81st and 82nd West African Divisions were then formed for service in India and Burma. The Nigeria Regiment provided the 1st (West African) Infantry Brigade (1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions) the 3rd (West African) Infantry Brigade (5th, 9th and 10th Battalions) whilst the 4th and 11th Battalions had gone to Sierra Leone as part of the “mixed” 6th (West African) Infantry Brigade. When the Divisions went to India, the 11th Battalion remained in Sierra Leone and the 8th Battalion in Nigeria as holding battalions: the 13th Battalion was eventually disbanded and used to strengthen the 8th. In addition to these units with them supporting arms and services, the Royal West African Frontier Force also raised 43 Pioneer Companies and other group of 20 Garrison Companies which saw service in the Middle East, Palestine, Morocco and Sicily.

On their arrival in India in 1943, the 3rd (West African) Infantry Brigade was detached from the 81st (West African) Division and came under the command of General Wingate who was forming a “Special Force” to carry out the Second Chindit campaign. The remainder of the two divisions took part in the campaign in the Arakan.

A detailed and authentic history of the 1st (West African) Infantry Brigade in the Arakan has been published in “A Short History of the 1st (West African) Infantry Brigade in the Arakan 1944-45”.

It has been seen how the brigades came into being and that the history of the Arakan campaign is available for the students of the roles played by the 1st and 4th Brigades, but this account would be woefully incomplete, as there is nothing published without some special preference to the 3rd and 6th Brigades. The two West African Divisions were made up as follows: The 91st from the 3rd Nigerian Brigade Group, the 5th Gold Coast Brigade and the 6th Brigade with the 4th battalion of the Nigerian Regiment and Brigade groups from Sierra Leone and the Gambia and their supporting services, the 82nd from the 2nd Gold Coast and 1st and 4th Nigerian Brigades and the Nigerian Recce Regiment which became one of the greatest thorns in the Japanese side in Burma.

The original role of the 3rd Brigade was defence against Vichy French to the north and north-west of Nigeria and training was pursued with a view to fighting in open country and orchard bush. A similar role was the part of the 6th Brigade in Sierra Leone.

In August 1914, the 3rd Brigade Reconnaissance Company was formed and by January of the following year it had become a complete unit with a full complement of equipment. Meanwhile the first Auxiliary Group was being formed in Ibadan. They were originally W.A.A.S.C and enlisted as first-line carriers trained to arms and as stretcher-bearers: their services earned much praise later on in Burma and in Nigeria they undertook important duties on works of construction.

Training was interrupted intermittently from the middle of 1941 due to supposed threats of French invasion. The most important of these alarms was at the time of ‘Richelieu’ incident at Dakar and the last at the time of the British and American landings in North Africa in November, 1942. At that time, a brigade with a squadron of Free French Tanks was massed along the northern frontier of Nigeria ready to start a counter-offensive if the Vichy French should attack. All however, went off peacefully.

Following exercises in January 1943, the news of the future employment of the West African Expeditionary Force was divulged and from then onwards till embarkation there was feverish activity. Training in thick jungle fighting was carried out at the Olokemeji Battle School and in swamp fighting around Lagos.

On September 27, 1943 the brigade embarked at Lagos and landed in India on November 5, 1943.

The 3rd Brigade which was detached from the 81st (West African) Division was introduced to a very specialised form of warfare. Shorn of its Field Battery, Recce Squadron, Group Company and Auxiliary Group, the remaining units were reorganised into ‘columns’ two to each battalion. The columns were trained for long range penetration. Equipped with unfamiliar weapons including flame-throwers and carrying their heavier weapons on mules they were required to operate behind enemy lines dependent on air-supply drops and living for long periods on the rations they carried in their packs.

The brigade went into action alongside British and Ghurkha troops in March 1944. The Special Force’s object was to establish itself in the heart of Burma on the Japanese lines of communication supplying the Japanese forces including Assam and those retreating slowly in front of General Stilwell’s Chinese-American Army advancing on Myitkina from the north. Third Brigade’s initial role was to hold ‘fortresses’ on the lines of communication, based on which other columns operated against the Japanese.

The six Nigerian columns, having being flown into Burma from Assam, were concentrated near Mawlu in two fortresses, ‘Aberdeen’ and ‘White City’, 6th Battalion was at the road and rail block at White City, and 7th Battalion was allocated a mobile role in the White City area. White City was almost immediately subjected to a very strong Japanese ground and air attack which was successfully resisted during the whole of April. In May it was decided that Special Force should move northward to join forces with General Stilwell. White City, was evacuated, a column of 12th Nigeria Regiment being the last to leave and the brigade moved northward, fighting a series of actions on the way.

Concentrating in the area near Mogaung at the northern end of the “Railway Corridor”, later to be the main axis of the final victorious southward thrust into Burma, the brigade mounted a series of attacks on a strong Japanese defence position known as “Hill 60”. This position had orders to resist to the last man and succeded in holding out until eventually reduced by the British 36th Brigade heavily supported by artillery and air craft. Third Brigade had almost succeeded in capturing the feature on one occasion and only failed through lack of artillery and air support.

By this time the brigade had suffered heavy casualties. It had fought in the most appalling conditions through the heaviest rain for four months, living on hard rations – sometimes lucky to get five days rations in a week – and seldom having a roof over its head. When hill 60 had been taken, the brigade was therefore withdrawn and after a period of recuperation, started training again in Central India at the end of 1944 for a further campaign. This time, the three battalions were divided up among composite brigades of British and Gurkha troops, with whom the Nigerians established excellent relations.

The third Chindit campaign did not, however, materialise. The successful British advance in Burma had made long-range penetration no longer necessary or practicable, so Special Force was disbanded

Reorganised once more on orthodox lines, the brigade joined the 81st (West Africa) Division in an arear near Madras, where training was commenced for a sea-borne invasion of Malaya.

The 6th Brigade, including the 4th Battalion, Nigeria Regiment and the 6th Light Battery and a Field Survey Section, were in August 1943, the first West Africa troops to land in India. After training they proceeded to the Burma frontier area in the Arakan and before the end of the war, the 4th Battalion was established over the frontier on the headwaters of the Kaladan River valley which was the scene of its operations for nearly 14 months. The 4th Battalion was supplied entirely from the air , whilst a jeep track , known as “West Africa Way”, was constructed behind it through what seemed impossibly precipitous country. This remarkable feat covered no less than 73 miles. The rest of the Brigade and a Gold Coast brigade (the 5th) together forming the 81st Division, from which the 3rd Brigade had been detached to serve with the Chindit under General Wingate, followed and together were the first large force ever to be supplied entirely by air.

In the early months of 1944 the brigade advanced down the Kaladan valley as a left flank guard to the main 15th Indian Corps’ attack on Akyab. This attack for various reasons failed and though the 4th Battalion reached further south that year than any other large body of troops on the whole front. The division had to withdraw with the rest of the corps; after delaying tactics supported by detachments of the Reconnaissance Regiment, which up to this time had been undertaking aggressive landing operations along the coast towards Akyab, it held positions near the frontier throughout the monsoon and so forestalled the much vaunted Japanese advance on Calcutta.

The 4th Battalion led the return to Burma after the Monsoon by driving the Japanese off the precipitous slopes of Frontier Hill and the brigade advanced again down the Kaladan and parallel valleys. So successful was this outflanking movement, which was joined in January 1945 by the 82nd West African Division and resulted in joint capture by the two West African Divisions of Myohaung, that little resistance was put up in Akyab to the rest of the Corps. After the capture of Myohaung, the 81st Division, including the 6th Brigade, returned to India for rest and further training for an attack on Malaya, but an armistice was signed before this was launched. During the operation in the Kaladan Valley, the troops lived and fought in extreme jungle conditions, the only adjuncts of civilisation in the way of weapons, food, clothing, or shelter, being what they could carry themselves or what could be dropped from the air they faced these conditions for months on end in a way no other troops were ever called upon to do for such long periods. They acquitted themselves well and played a major part in driving the Japanese out of the Arakan.

The end of the war came before the West African Divisions could carry out their plans for the attack on Malaya and so, after a period of rest and vocational training in India, they returned to their home countries in 1946 with a record of which they could be well proud.

The Japanese were usually contemptuous of their foes and the following extract from a captured Japanese war diary is therefore worth recording.

The enemy soldiers are not from Britain but from Africa. Because of their belief, they are not afraid to die, so even if their comrades have fallen they keep on advancing as if nothing had happened. It makes things rather difficult. They have an excellent physique and are very brave, so fighting against these soldiers is somewhat troublesome.

The following are some of the honours won by Nigerian troops of the Royal West African Frontier Force during the Second World War 1939-1946: Distinguished Conduct Medal, 8; Military Medal, 58; British Empire Medal, 20; Mention in Despatches, 243; Certificates of Good Service, 39; Act of Gallantry, 1.

Myohaung Day ( January 24th) is the annual day of remembrance in honour of Nigerian soldiers killed in Burma. November 11th of each year is the annual commemoration day of Nigerian soldiers killed in the two World Wars.

[size=16pt]Nigerian armed forces[/size]

The Nigerian Army grew out of the Royal Niger Company Constabulary and the forces of the old Lagos Colony and Niger Coast Protectorate.

When in 1886, the Royal Niger Company received its charter, it organised its constabulary which at first consisted of five British and two African officers and about 400 rank and file, of whom more than half were Fantis (from the Gold Coast). In view of the critical situation that followed French encroachments on the territory of the Niger Company in 1894-1897, the British Government decided to raise a local force and Colonel (later Lord) Lugard was sent out to raise and command it.

By the beginning of 1900, the force had become a thoroughly well-organised and disciplined corps which was called the West African Frontier Force. In that year, the greater part of it under Colonel (later General) Sir William Wilcocks took a very prominent part in the Ashanti campaign.

At the end of 1901, all the colonial military forces in British West Africa were modelled on the same basis and constituted into the West African Frontier Force, each dependency being responsible for the maintenance of its own regiment or battalion. The Northern Nigeria Regiment consisted of two batteries and two battalions, to which was added a third Mounted Infantry Battalion. At the same time, the Lagos Constabulary became the Lagos Battalion and the Niger Coast Protectorate Force, with a portion of the Royal Niger Company Constabulary, became the Southern Niger Regiment.


On the amalgamation of Lagos and Southern Nigeria, the Lagos Battalion became the second battalion of the Southern Nigeria Regiment.

When the Northern and Southern Nigeria were amalgamated on January 1st, 1914 the two Regiments became one, which was designated the Nigeria Regiment.


[size=14pt]First World War[/size]

On the outbreak of war with Germany in August 1914, steps were immediately taken for the defence of Nigeria and for offensive action against the neighbouring German colony of The Cameroons. The Nigeria Regiment and Police were mobilised and volunteers from the European community were enrolled as members of the Nigeria Marine Contingent and the Nigeria Land Contingent.

https://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/296384_10150454291007790_317926525_n.jpg
Colonial troops of the 1st Battalion, Nigerian Regiment, about to depart Kaduna for action in German Kamerun (1914). 

An early advance into German territory along the Benue and Cross Rivers met with failure, our troops in the north being driven back from Garua, a strongly defended position and in the south being similarly overpowered by superior forces at Nsanakang, after inflicting very heavy losses on the Germans.

However, a large expedition under Brigadier-General (later General) Sir Charles Dobell compelled Duala, the chief town of the Cameroons, to surrender unconditionally on September 27th 1914. The expedition consisted of African troops from all the British West African Colonies and French African troops. It included two battalions and a battery of the Nigeria Regiment and a large number of civilians were attached as temporary officers and non-commissioned officers. Ships of The Royal Navy and of the Nigeria Marine co-operated with the troops. After the fall of Duala, General Dobells troops secured both lines of the railway, but the heavy rains prevented a further advance till the end of 1915.

Early in 1915 Colonel (later Brigadier-General) Cunliffe. Commandant of the Nigeria Regiment, who had taken over command of the troops on the Nigerian border, had invaded Garua. He was assisted by French troops from the Chad district by a naval gun, the moral effect of which so affected the native garrison that the German commander was compelled to surrender on June 10th, 1915.

Leaving a small force to watch the German garrison at Mora, an almost impregnable mountain position, General Cunliffe then marched south to Banyo, where a powerful German force had deliberately prepared a very strong position on an extended hill feature similar in many ways to Mora Mountain. Cement had been freely used in the construction of fortifications, there was an ample water supply and the Germans had announced their intention of holding out there till the end of the war.

General Cunliffe advanced on the position under cover of darkness and at daybreak became heavily engaged at close quarters. The attack was pressed for two days and nights, but on the third night, under the cover of a heavy tornado, the larger part of the Germans succeeded in making their escape from the hill. However, a considerable number remained and surrendered at daybreak the next day. General Cunliffe continued on his way south to effect a junction with General Dobell’s troops and a simultaneous advance was made by another column from the Cross River.

Towards the end of 1915, a general advance was made on Yaunde, the new German Headquarters.

General Cunliffe’s troops from the north, General Dobell’s from the west and French and Belgium troops from the south-east converging on the town left the Germans no option but to evacuate it and it was entered by our troops on January 1st. 1916. The German troops retired towards Spanish Guinea and in spite of a close pursuit, succeeded in escaping into neutral territory, where they were disarmed. Mora, the last stronghold of the Germans, capitulated on February 18th, 1916 and the conquest of the Cameroons was completed.

In November 1916, a contingent from the Nigeria Regiment proceeded to East Africa under the command of Brigadier-General Cunliffe. It consisted of nearly 200 British and over 3,000 African and later 330 British and 3,000 more Africans were sent to reinforce the contingent. In addition to this, about 4,000 carriers were recruited in Nigeria for service in East Africa and a number of men were also recruited for service with the inland water transport in Mesopotamia. The Nigerian troops took part in some of the severest fighting in East Africa and they suffered heavy casualties, but their gallantry in action and the uncomplaining way in which they bore the hardships of a particularly arduous campaign won for them the highest praise. Over 80 decorations were awarded to the British and about the same number to the African ranks.

The contingent returned to Nigeria in March 1918 and received an enthusiastic welcome. After the return of the contingent from East Africa, it was reorganised as a brigade for further service abroad and was about to proceed to Palestine when the armistice was signed. The brigade was then demobilised and the regiment reduced to its normal size. In recognition of its services during the Great War, His Late Majesty, King George V of Britain awarded Colours to the Regiment, bearing the following honours: Ashanti 1873-1874, Ashanti 1900, Behobeho, Nyangao, East Africa 1916-1918, Duala, Garua, Banyo and Cameroons 1914-1916.

On March 14th, 1928, His Late Majesty King George V approved that the title of the forces be changed to the Royal West African Frontier Force.

You guys have inspired me to finish typing the history of the Nigerian Army (World War 1 & 2) which I've been typing for the past 4 or 5 years.

In the '80s and '90s citizens, human rights groups etc advocated that the military (especially the Nigerian Army Corp of Engineers) should be used to construct bridges, dams, etc. The theory then was that the military was bored and doiing nothing in the barracks, which was why they frequently staged coups.

In recent years the army has built barracks and other such facilities through self help. President Jonathan, while commissioning one of such facilities, encouraged the army to bid for civil works contracts as a means of raising funds to fund its activities.

Olympics exercise book, Eze Goes to School, Green Sands Shandy, Whistle Pop,ten kobo, Tafawa Balewa's visit to the US, Bolekaja, Molue, Junior and Pretty, Kingsway, Ali and Simbi, Mary Onyali, Checkmate, Behind the Clouds, Mirror in the Sun and many more, check this thread

https://www.nairaland.com/1062509/nigeria-good-bad-beautiful-ugly

Link to the story on Osun Defender

http://www.osundefender.org/?p=72356

esere826: Naptu2

Make i join book you down

Abeg, when I wan do my phd on business and strategy for Harvard I go involve you too o

I'll tell my accountant to start preparing a price list.

Culture is dynamic, it is not static. Culture changes over time. Quite a few Nigerians believe that culture is static (we just must keep repeating the same things that were done in the past). When arguing with them, I sometimes tell them this true story.

A case that happened in 1927 in Ekpoma (a part of Ishan) in present day Edo State. There was a custom that if a cow had two calves at the same time, BOTH THE COW AND THE CALVES AUTOMATICALLY BECAME THE PROPERTY OF THE ONOJIE (king) OF THE LAND (no matter who the owner was, or how far the village was from Eguare, the capital of Ishan). Custom added that the Onojie himself had to give the owner of this wonderful cow A PREGNANT WOMAN AND A CASTRATED HE GOAT as a reward for his "good hand". In those days the Onojie had several female slaves and so there were no difficulties in his fulfilling his own part of the custom.


However, in 1927, Ędętalęn of Uwenlenafua, Ekpoma had a cow that gave birth to twin calves. An informant went to tell Akhimien, the Onojie of Ekpoma, of this rare happening. The Onojie at once sent instructions that Ędętalęn should send him the cow with the two calves according to custom. Ędętalęn would do no such thing. After repeated warnings and threats, the Onojie reported this gross act of challenge to the Enijie Council holden at Ubiaja.

The Enijie were furious, so much so that they shifted their meeting right to Ekpoma, a few hundred yards from the insubordinate subject that went by the name Ędętalęn, who they were prepared to deal with in such a way that no one else throughout the length and breadth of Ishan would attempt to undermine their authority again.


Recalcitrant Ędętalęn was summoned to Eguare and in one voice packed with authority, he was first welcomed with a fine of five solid pounds “FOR CALLING THE ONOJIE’S COWS HIS” and told to go home and fetch the cow and two calves, lawful property of Akhimien, Onojie of Ekpoma!

Ędętalęn, who was no fool, knew his own side of Ishan Native Laws and Custom and on his knees before the Enijie, he said he was quite prepared to bring the cows to the Onojie, according to the ruling of custom, on the condition that he, the Onojie, gave him a pregnant woman and a castrated he-goat. Obligingly he added that since he and the Onojie were cousins, he was quite willing to forego the castrated he-goat, BUT THE PREGNANT WOMAN, HE MUST HAVE!

All eyes turned to Akhimien who had no castrated he-goat in his possession. More important still was the fact that the only women Akhimien had authority upon were his wives; at that particular time none of them were pregnant and even if they were, he could not exchange his wife and child unborn for cows! (Ędętalęn also knew that the white man was near to protect him and his lawful property).

There was hot air in the Council Chamber! The Enijie went into hasty consultation and came out with a novelty in Ishan laws and custom: they knew that if they allowed this man to get away with the challenge against a custom affecting an Onojie, soon they too would come face to face with greater challenges; Chief Akhimien was asked to give the man £10 in exchange for the cows! Ędętalęn respectfully stuck to the letter of Ishan laws and custom: it was a pregnant woman with a castrated he-goat or he kept his cows. Ędętalęn won! In this way the custom was changed.

naijababe: Funnily enough I liked Tonic Water, it was Soda water I could not stand. Used to call it 'esu' water as the cork was black

I really bugged my mum. My curiosity was insatiable. Sometimes I'd read something in one of the books in my dad's library and I'd immediately go and bug my mum.

How come I had some uncles with surnames like Santos Balthazer, Bode-Emmanuel, Duro-Emmanuel, MacGregor, Marquis, etc and yet they were Nigerian?


Once I was talking about Flag Staff House (1 Glover Road Ikoyi) and she said "O! That was the Chief of Naval Staff's house". I was shocked. "No, that's the Chief of Army Staff's house" I said. The only Chief of Naval Staff's House I know is "Ship House", Queen's Drive, Ikoyi.

She explained, "Flag Staff House used to be the Chief of Naval Staff's house. He used to go to his office by boat (on the water behind the house) ". Now she really had me confused. "What water behind the house? Do you mean MacGregor Canal?" Funny enough, in the last 2 weeks I came across another source online that also stated that 1 Glover Road Ikoyi was the Chief of Naval Staff's House.

I bugged her until she told me the name of the "egungun" that was attired in mat material (I've forgotten it's name again).

I bugged her until she told me about the beach at Marina.

I was talking about Park View Estate and she started telling me about Ikoyi Park.

I bugged her until she told me about January 1st 1960.


Why are there so many stray horses in Ikoyi? Then she told me about the stables on Keffi Street and how her father used to take her to the Race Course because he said she was his lucky charm. That's also why there are so many Hausas at Obalende, they tended the horses at the stable (I later found out about Glover's Hausas and the Federal Guards Barracks).


She told me about Adimu and Bamgbose and that one. . . . What's it called? That requires palm oil to keep it calm.

She told me about the war and my grandfather; when they thought the Germans or the Vichy French would attack.

She introduced me to my three favourite knights; Sir Darnley Alexander, Sir Mobolaji Bank-Anthony (didn't know he owned Foremost Dairies [Samco] until then) and Justice (Sir) Adetokunbo Ademola.

If only she was here to contribute to this thread. If only she had taken me to interview all those people, just like she took my brother (the Atigbale frightened him for some reason or the other).

I wish I could find Takiu Folami's book.

Some of the people I would have loved to interview are dead now, but hopefully I can interview the doctor on saturday.

Ishilove: @naptu2, I am so going to involve you in my MA project

I'm at your service.

Ishilove: Wow. I had no idea shweppes once had orange flavour. The only flavours I have ever known are shcweppes tonic water and bitter lemon.

Fanta and Schweppes had lots of "mixers".

There was Schweppes Bitter Lemon, Golden Orange (my favourite), Tonic Water (yuck!) and Soda Water.

There was also Fanta Orange, Ginger Ale (another of my favourites), Tonic Water (yuck!), Soda Water and, in the '90s, Fanta Chapman.

naijababe: You are correct, it was at Yaba while their largest store in Ibadan was at Oke-Ado/Oke-Bola road (forgotten what the area is called now).

I swear to God, there's no other place on this God given earth that should be referred to as hell other than Nigeria . Nigerian leaders are accursed dream killers and demons .

I went to Ibadan two years ago and drove past the store, my eyes were glazed with tears! My hubby even told me that Odutola Stores in Ijebu Ode could rival Kingsway stores in Lagos and that the tire soles factory was his biggest money spinner, all killed by successive killer military administrators and crony democrats.



What if i told you I have become my mum now It must be a woman thing

@moredendisc, would you mind sharing Odutola's biography or is it readily available online?

Yes! It was at Yaba. Thank you very much.

Cathedral Church of Christ
www.nairaland.com/attachments/695593_CMSChurch_jpg61ea8247be7cb815f928ae7e2f865376


Below: waiting for Queen Elizabeth @ Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina (1956).

Holy Cross Cathedral
www.nairaland.com/attachments/695596_Holy_Cross_Cathedral_Church_jpga25ebad09f08b51f26b2b877297c0266

Shitta Bey mosque
www.nairaland.com/attachments/696106_shitta20bey20mosque_jpg0d96635b07576632fcfa3e6f7b9b1522

Marina in 1890

moredendisc: @naptu2

That's Abiola bookshop at Junction Bus stop (i.e. after Our Lady , just by YetKem/Atan cemetery/Unilag and before Yaba Tech) not sure whether it's still called Junction Bus stop though
Odusote Bookshop for obvious reasons was originally at Ibadan until branches were set up in Lagos, Abuja etc etc

Yes, but I know that I went to Odusote Bookshop with my siblings when I was a kid, I just can't remember where it's located.

Marina in 1899
www.nairaland.com/attachments/697267_Marina20in201899_jpg0226e03da57969a9c3cdf94d5bad44ce

The "Brazilians" were skilled craftsmen (blacksmiths, builders, electricians, etc) and thus they had a profound influence on the architecture of Lagos (eg, Shitta Bey Mosque, Holy Cross Cathedral, etc).

Majority of them had been converted to the Catholic faith in Brazil, although there were also protestants and muslims amongst them. In contrast, the Saros were mostly protestants (especially Anglicans).

The Anglicans had the Cathedral Church of Christ Marina, while the Catholics had the Holy Cross Cathedral, Catholic Mission Street.

The Church Missionary Society (Anglican/protestant) established the CMS Grammar School in 1859 (the first secondary school in Nigeria). The Catholics petitioned the Vatican that they also wanted their own school. St Gregory's College Lagos was established in 1876 after an exchange of letters/petitions between catholics in Lagos and the Vatican.

Other schools that were established in Lagos included Methodist Boys High School (1879), Baptist Boys High School (1885), Kings College Lagos (1909), Eko Boys’ High School (1913) and St Mary’s Convent (1913).

At the moment I'm cracking my brain trying to remember the location of Odusote Bookshop in Lagos. My memory keeps hinting to me that it's at Yaba, but I hope I'm not confusing it with Abiola Bookshop. My primary bookshop has always been the CSS Bookshop at CMS.

Lagos in 1900

At one extreme, in the urban part of the Crown Colony of Lagos, there was an outpost of European, occidental, Atlantic culture, already of several decades standing, with Government departments, churches, schools – even Moslem schools teaching Western subjects (a bizarre instance of outside influence from an unexpected source, because it was the West Indian black man, Dr Blyden, and a white, English Moslem who joined forces to persuade the Lagos Moslems to take up education, getting the written blessings of the Sultan of Turkey to help them). The hospital was described by Lagos’ medically qualified Governor as bearing comparison in nursing with the best in Europe. There were harbour works, a railway, a racecourse which was also a recreation ground held in trust for public use, a Palladian Government House open to the Lagos public – more open than it was later to become – where legislative council meetings and agricultural shows were held, as well as “multi-racial” ladies’ champagne lunches in aid of charitable public health efforts in town.

There was electric light in the streets, there were telephones, printing-presses, newspapers. Amidst the white officials and not segregated from them by separate residential areas and hospital facilities, there was an educated elite of “Black Englishmen” – doctors (four out of the Government establishment of sixteen), clergy, pastors, teachers, lawyers, police officers, journalists, senior clerks (when ‘clerk’ corresponded nearly in the civil service with what is now administrative status and the Governor’s confidential clerk, for instance, an African, was also clerk to the Legislative Council). And, of course, there substantial businessmen, traders, middle-men, some of them frequent visitors to Liverpool, some with sons and daughters being educated overseas.

"The Administration of Nigeria 1900 to 1960: Men, Methods and Myths" by I.F Nicholson. The Clarendon Press Oxford. 1969. P 36 & 37

LAGOS IN THE 1800s

During the 1850s there was a large influx into Lagos of educated Africans, who had earlier been sold as slaves, from Sierra Leone, Brazil and Cuba. Their return profoundly affected the history of Lagos. The Sierra Leonians were known as Akus or Saros, the Brazilians and Cubans as Agudas. The Agudas were mainly Catholics, skilled artisans and craftmen who had purchased their freedom and returned home to their “country” of origin. The Akus or Saros were slaves (or descendants of slaves) rescued by the British naval squadron that patrolled the high seas on the look-out for slavers. The Saro émigrés were mainly missionaries (Protestants), teachers, clerks, or traders. All of the returned émigrés had their homes in one of the hinterland kingdoms – Ijebu, Egba, Ekiti, Oyo-Ibadan, Nupe. Most were probably shipped from Lagos, but none seemed to have been Lagosians.

The composition of populations in Lagos in the 1880s was as follows: Brazilians 3,220, Sierra Leonians 1,533 and Europeans 111, out of a population of 37,458. of all the population 30 ½ per cent (11,049) were engaged in commerce as merchants, traders, agents, clerks and shopmen, 5,173 were tradesmen, mechanics, manufacturers and artisans; 1,414 were farmers and agricultural labourers. In 1871 only 9 2/3 per cent of the population were in commerce, 5 per cent in agriculture. In 1881 the percentage of agricultural workers dropped to 3 ¾ while that of commercial workers jumped to 30 ½. Lagos was therefore predominantly a commercial city. Most of the population was animist in 1868, 14,797 as opposed to 8,422 Muslims and 3,970 Christians.

In the 1880s there were four distinct groups in Lagos – the Europeans, the educated Africans (Saros), the Brazilians and the indigenes. The town was physically divided into four quarters corresponding to these groups. The Europeans lived on the Marina, the Saros mainly west of the Europeans in an area called Olowogbowo, the Brazilians behind the Europeans – their quarter was known as Portuguese Town or Popo Aguda or Popo Maro – and the indigenes on the rest of the island – behind all three.

The Saros were culturally closer to the Europeans than to either of the other two groups. The top social class of Lagos of the 1880s was dominated by the Europeans – merchants, missionaries, civil servants. The Saros tried to gain admission into this class. The criteria for membership were education and wealth. In this sense, the educated elite, both black and white, could be considered as members of the same social group. They lived like Victorian gentlemen, entertainment consisting of numerous ‘conversaziones’, ‘soirees’, ‘levees’, ‘at homes’, ‘tea fights’ and concerts of the works of Bach, Beethoven, Handel and so on. The press had music critics; one irate critic lamented that concerts had fallen to the level of music-hall entertainment. Christmas was a season of Victorian festivities. As one newspaper editor enthused “Balls are announced and concerts and athletic sports, dinners, with the accessories of plump turkeys, minced pies, plum puddings and Christmas trees. Fineries of all sorts and conditions. All the elite seemed to lack was snow. Their dressing and eating habits were predictably Victorian. Most of them were profuse in their loyalty to the queen. In 1881 the Lagos Times prayed for the success of British arms in Ashanti. It declared: “we are so jealous of the Power of British arms that we would not have it suffer the slightest reverse.” The Imperial Federation League found enthusiastic support in Lagos. Several prominent Saros, J.A.O Payne, J.J Thomas and S.J. George came to Britain for Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee in 1887 at their own expense.

Life styles among the indigenes continued as before. They ate the normal Yoruba dishes of maize, cassava, yams and Yoruba sauces. They dressed in the same large flowing cloak, called Agbada, and baggy trousers. The Saro educated elite wore the lates London fashions – stiff collars and heavy woolen suits. The traditional elite continued to dress as they had always done but had developed new drinking habits. An observer described Dosunmu as “a good tempered, easy going man, much given to pomp …(he) possessed a hundred wives and innumerable suits of apparel. Visitors are always regaled with Champagne whenever they go to see him and I have heard he kept a most luxurious table.” Whitford wrote that when he met Dosunmu, the Oba was “attired in a clean loose white rob; red silk velvet slippers encase his large feet and gold, silver and brass rings profusely adorn his thumbs, fingers and wrists.”

The press exhibited a deep preoccupation with what it regarded as the essentials of society. The editor of the Eagle and Lagos Critic, Mr E.O Macaulay, writing in 1883, described the society of a place as that class of its community which comprised its ruling body, which absorbed by its influence all other ‘societies’ (he found four in Lagos – the Muslims, the Brazilians, the indigenous and the English, which of course, included the Saros) into its unit and imposed its rules of conduct on the other ‘societies’. To despise the society of the ruling class, Macaulay said, was to commit social suicide. He held that Sir John Glover, governor of the colony, 1866 – 72, understood this and therefore had given Lagos ‘society’ some directions. Glover collected at Government House the most prominent, intelligent and promising of the inhabitants of Lagos whom he created into a society, i.e. “a union in one general interest, social sympathy, companionship”. This society had “name and influence above any other, men and women aspired to become members of it and its doors were open to all who proved themselves (worthy)”. After Glover’s departure, this society was left by successive governors to go ‘moribund’. In 1883, Macaulay continued, it “was almost at death’s doors. With the cord of society thus broken, the various groups considered themselves to be of common social level; a new social egalitarianism developed, each group evolving its own code of rules. The divisions increased fear and suspicion and forced each group to seek strength in unity: it was this that brought tribal sentiments and the formation of tribal associations. Suspicions increased; jealousy, ill-will and rancour followed, judgment perverted and man ceased to be estimated by his intrinsic worth”. Every entertainment that was directed from Government House was seen as “an amelioration of the sad condition of society” in the 1880s. in 1884 the press called for the governor to resume his position as “Social Head” of Lagos.

The governors themselves testified to the high level of civilised society in Lagos. Governor Young in 1885 said Lagos was his first contact with civilisation since he left England. The administrators of Lagos found it impossible to keep up the high level of social entertainment Lagos demanded. And requests for increase in table allowances and salaries were frequent. Griffith described Lagos as “the Queen of West African settlements”. He went on: “ no single settlement on the West coast can compare with Lagos in public expenditure, in imports, and exports, in population or in activity, enterprise, and wealth of her mercantile community…Her merchants are unbounded in their hospitality. They entertain liberally and place the choicest and most expensive services on their tables. Even the natives will offer champagne to visitors…they keep open house and everywhere a cordial welcome awaits a stranger.” Griffith asked for horses and a carriage because both the white and black merchants had them. The Colonial Office, in one of those priceless minutes, thought mules and a carriage would suit the deputy governor best.


"Modern and Traditional Elites in the Politics of Lagos" by Patrick Dele Cole, King's College Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1975 at p 45 - 47.

The city of Lagos grew from Lagos Island. It initially included a few places on the mainland, such as Apapa, Iddo Island and Ijora. Ikeja, Ilupeju, Mushin, Isolo, Ikorodu, Badagry, etc were all part of Western Region.

Map showing growth of The City of Lagos (in black). Note, the areas in white were inhabited, but were not part of the city.
www.nairaland.com/attachments/696185_Lagos20map201_png0d721f1d9fe0f844c39d662cd747c707

moredendisc: [size=16pt]Odusote Bookstores Limited in Ibadan[/size]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/2003_Odusote_Bookstores_signage_Lagos_Nigeria_12128073.jpg
^{Odusote Bookstores Limited in Ibadan}

Ola Odusote 1925 - 2001

Mr. Odusote shunned publicity and was uneasy in a crowd, hence no readily available pictures.

Ola Odusote had no befitting national recognition or honour from the country he humbly served so well and for so long.

Extract:

He was unashamed and clear-sighted enough to declare that although he was studying History, he was ultimately going to go into business.

For this distinction, his colleagues had a nickname for him. He was called 'Pounds, Shillings and Pence.'

The sobriquet was apt and accurate. Ola Odusote eminently earned lots of pounds, shillings and pence in the course of his illustrious career in the book trade

Upon graduation, he did further studies in Education and taught at Molusi College, Ijebu-Igbo under late Tai Solarin. In 1956 he became the pioneer Principal of Oyan Grammar School and the founding Principal of African Church Grammar School, Ibadan, in 1961.

Back in Ibadan, things began to crystallise. His experience selling books under his brother, his dream in the university to run business and his will to succeed came to the fore.

He started business with odds and ends including selling firewood, and finally took on his love-the selling of books. Bookselling is the arena Ola Odusote dominated and in which he created a solid landscape for himself beyond the shores of Nigeria.

This is where he shone the most, and with the blessing of God and truly hard work, his name became synonymous with books and was a household word in Nigeria.

There were other bookshops in the city of Ibadan before his when he started in 1963, but he was undeterred.

He had the salient qualities to make it succeed He had self-discipline (remember he was a strict disciplinarian as a teacher), he had had a stint at it with his brother (which gave him a good background knowledge in Bookselling), he could work hard (which was not new to him considering how he made all his achievements), he was shrewd and pragmatic.

With funding from his late cousin, Albert Ogunkoya, a.k.a Area Father, he assembled his team and began to build his book empire.

With solid education and honesty of purpose, he quickly distinguished himself among the pack and very soon he left them behind in his trail.

When the late former Prime Minister of England and head of the Macmillan Publishing Company, Harold Macmillan, visited Nigeria in 1979 and a bookshop had been showcased, it was Odusote Bookstores in Ibadan that he visited.

When I joined him, his reputation was already made as a successful bookseller; all he did was to give me the latitude along with my colleagues to help the bookshop reach unprecedented heights. I can only illustrate with a few of the things he did remarkably well in confirmation of his greatness.

For some time we grappled with repairmen who tinkered with some of our electronic gadgets in the office without much success.

Mr. Odusote told me he had an answer to the problem. He [b]said we should find a gifted student in electronics and award him a scholarship. So feelers were sent out for schools to send us that gifted student.

Student after student came and they did not meet our test. Then one day, Mr. Odusote rushed to my office to announce that the student we had been looking for had finally been found.

The student demonstrated his skill with some crude wires., empty packets of cigarettes and some other contraptions and was able to receive radio waves to Mr. Odusote's utter amazement. He concluded that that was the talent we were looking for. And so I went to my office to write the letter of scholarship offer.

In the process, Mr. Odusote walked in and halted me. He directed that I should first employ the student as a worker so that we could measure his character and determine whether he was worthy of his scholarship. So the letter swiftly changed to one of immediate appointment.

Three months later, the police had to be called in to walk the student out of the shop as he proved to have more expertise as a thief[/b].

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Naija-news/message/1355?var=1&p=1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evans_Brothers_Limited

Thanks very much.

naijababe: ^ How many 10k pieces did I nick from my dad's kolokolo? ( the little compartemnt where you keep coins in a car, I don't know what it's called, that what my dad called it and that what I call it to date). He couldn't tell but stealing coins from my mum was another matter entirely, the woman na eagle eyes, watching everything. There was a time I was convinced my mum had special powers.

You remind me of my sister.

The kolokolo is either the glove compartment or the ashtray (I suspect it's the ashtray).

1 Naira

50 kobo