₦airaland Forum

The old Five Cowry Bridge (It connects Onikan with Victoria Island). Note the tracks of the Lagos Steam Tramway

Waiters

Andro Blaze: I'm a son of the early 80's, so I am not ashamed to say I have lost the greatest Nigerian Hero I knew who inspired me all through my youth.

He meant more to me and a lot of my fellow agemates than a million Mikel Obis, a billion Obasanjos and a trillion Goodluck Ebele Johnathans will ever mean.

I will miss you, the greatest Nigerian Hero in my Lifetime.

+ 1000

[quote author=Okiki_Oluwa]Playing 4 Gateway FC of Ogun State in 2002, he scored an acrobatic kick in a NPL game @ d Gateway Stadium, Kuto, Abeokuta.
I & my Dad jumped up & screamed.
RIP our Goal Legend. ;-([/quote]Earlier this year Segun Odegbami wrote that Yekini never collected his salary while playing for Gateway and that the money is still there. The club was waiting for him to pick it up.

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

Yaba Higher College was the first institution of higher learning in Lagos and Nigeria as a whole.

It was formally opened on January 19, 1934 but in the preceding years, it had already enrolled students in medicine since 1930. It was the forerunner of Yaba College of Technology and University College Ibadan.

http://nigerianwiki.com/wiki/Yaba_Higher_College

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yaba_College

Moi-Moi

Bump

I think it was in Takiu Folami's book. I can't find my copy at the moment, but I got this for you online.


The growth of the city of Lagos was largely unplanned, impeded by the complex of swamps, canals and sand spits.[36]William MacGregor, governor from 1898 to 1903, instituted a campaign against the prevalent malaria, draining the swamps and destroying as far as possible the mosquitoes that were responsible for the spread of the disease.[37] Telephone links with Britain were established by 1886, and electric street lighting in 1898.[29] In August 1896, Charles Joseph George and G.W. Neville, both merchants and both unofficial members of the Legislative Council, presented a petition urging construction of the railway terminus on Lagos Island rather than at Iddo, and also asking for the railway to be extended to Abeokuta. George was the leader of the delegation making this request, and described its many commercial advantages.[38] On 21 February 1899 the Alake of the Egba signed an agreement opening the way for construction of a railway through their territory. [3

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagos_Colony

I can't find the map

In summary: The City of Lagos grew from Lagos Island. The Marina was the "posh" part of the city. The British lived on the Marina and it was also the center of government.

If you walk down Marina today you can still see the old secretariat, Cathedral Church of Christ, State House Marina, Lagos House Marina, etc.

The Saros lived around the Olowogbowo/Apongbon area.

The Brazilians lived behind them (around the Campos area) and the other indigenes lived on the rest of the island.

The British approached the Oba to ask if a piece of land can be granted to them to build a residential area. The Oba consulted with the Idejo and Chief Onikoyi granted them part of Ikoyi (which was largely swampland at the time).

Governor William MacGregor was a medical doctor and so much of his work in Lagos centred around healthcare (waste disposal, health science in schools, improved hospitals, nightsoil clearance, drainage, malaria prevention, etc). He dug the MacGregor canal (I have got to find the now and then pics) which separated Lagos Island from Ikoyi Island. The canal helped in draining the swamps around Lafiaji (Much of the MacGregor Canal was filled in by the Gowon Administration when the Ring Road/3rd Mainland Bridge was being built. I know people who still hate Gowon for this act. What's left of the canal is the humongous gutter/canal that runs from Lagos Lagoon, beside Dolphin Estate, through Obalende, under Awolowo Rd and empties into Five Cowry Creek).

The Carter Bridge improved transportation between Lagos and the suburbs of Yaba, Surulere, Apapa, etc. With time the city expanded to include these areas. By 1967 the boundary between the Federal Capital Territory (Lagos) and the Western Region was at Jibowu.

Lagos State was created in 1967, but the state government continued to operate from Lagos Island until the 1970s when it finally relocated to Ikeja, the new state capital. Lagos Island continued to be the capital of Nigeria until 1991.

SIFA: Hi folks,
I learnt that Lagos had eletricity before Paris. Can someone comfirm this.

Lagos was one of the first cities in the world to have electricity and streetlights (they had gas lamps before the advent of electricity). I was just about to write about this, but I have a lot of typing and copying from books to do.

GenBuhari: Imagine what Fashola would have done with the oil revenue realised during Obasanjo's rule?

Actually, this project is part of the Lagos-Ogun mega city project that was designed by the Obasanjo administration (at the federal level), Tinubu administration (in Lagos) and Daniel administration (in Ogun).

I remember there was a meeting in Abuja at which Obasanjo asked Tinubu what Lagos would need to execute its part of the project and Tinubu stated his needs, but also railed against the Federal Government's neglect of Lagos. Tony Anenih had started replying Tinubu when Obasanjo cut in. Gentlemen, there will always be time for politics, but let's concentrate on the task at hand.

I look for a link to the story.

O.p, do you mind if I post pictures and biographies of notable Lagosians of 1800-1960? People like Sir Kitoye Ajasa, Sir Adeyemo Alakija, Dr Henry Carr, Herbert Macaulay, etc.

On The History of Nigeria Railways - The Lagos Steam Tramway 1902 - 1913

In 1895 the Lagos Government Railway began to force its way from Iddo, on the mainland, to Ibadan, and was opened six years later on March 4, 1901. Carter Bridge was completed the same year, construction having commenced in 1896, to connect Lagos with the mainland. Because of the mistake of terminating the railway at Iddo, Lagos, the administrative capital and port of the Colony of Nigeria, was without any public (or indeed, at that time, wheeled) transport to connect it with the railhead.

That this had been in the minds of the Administration is evidenced by mention of a tramway in the Colonial Report for 1899. By 1901 it had been decided to build a 2ft. 6in.-gauge line over Carter Bridge and construction commenced. The opening of the Lagos Steam Tramway took place on May 23, 1902.

The original line ran north-west along the waterfront, from a point near Government House and the European residential area around the Race course, to Customs Wharf, where it turned north-east towards Ereko Market and Idumata. A 95ft,-radius curve took the line north-westwards again, through Ebute Ero and over Carter bridge to the railway station at Iddo.

There was a run-in outside the station building, a short siding to the parcels office, sidings to the goods transit shed, five roads into the engine and car sheds and a run-round which encircled these sheds. The track was single, with seven passing loops en route. At the Post Office there was a double junction incorporated with the passing loop, connection to the Public Works Department stores, and a straight run-through from the PWD wharf to the generating station for direct coal transfer. At Kokomaiko, the terminus, there was a run-round siding, a 20ft.-diameter turntable, and a water tank.

The sleeping track was of 2ft. 6in. gauge with a route mileage of 2 miles 58 chains, partly laid on (not in) the streets and partly on roadside reservations. The running time was 21 minutes, giving an average speed of 7 ¾ mph. Fares were 3d. “all the way”, PWD to Iddo 2d., and Ereko Market to Iddo, 1d. The headway was 45 min., later improved to 30 min., with the first tram at 6.30 hr. to connect with the 7.00 hr. mainline train from Iddo to Ibadan. There was no running after dark (this timed the last tram at about 19.00 hr.) Freight services were operated 0 it was, in fact, the only link at this time between Customs Wharf for moving imports up-country and for evacuating produce from railhead to lighter. The tramway was operated by the Lagos Government Railway.

Rolling stock consisted of ten passenger trailers with longitudinal back-to-back seats, built by the Ashbury Railway Carriage & Wagon Company, of Manchester. They were 19ft. long by 7ft. 2in. wide, double ended and fitted with tramcar-type hand brakes. The bodies were constructed from tubes, with open sides and canvas screens for wet weather. The cars were four-wheeled, the axle-boxes being provided with coil springs. There were about 20 un-braked goods wagon, each 12 ft. long and 5ft. 6in. wide, all made by the same company.

Motive power was originally provided by three locomotives of a type unique among street tramway engines. They were designed by the Crown Agents for the Colonies and manufactured by the Hunslet Engine Co. Ltd., of Leeds, bearing maker’s Nos. 751-3, and LGR Nos. 101-3. Delivery was made in September 1901.

 

 

(Map) - Route of the Lagos Tramway

 

A curious design

I will skip this for the sake of brevity and for its technicalities.

Box-car mystery

When writing the book “Lagos Steam Tramway”, extensive inquiries were made as to why these locomotives were designed in the form of an articulated combination vehicle. No solution could be obtained from the Crown Agents, the makers, the Nigerian Railway, or from aged Africans (Nigerians). Flexibility is one factor (the sharpest curve was 80ft. radius) but a conventional four-wheeled tram engine would have satisfied this requirement. A more important aspect was the 5-ton weight limit imposed over the Carter Bridge. The additional bogie enabled the locomotive to comply with this but it does not explain the box-car at the rear.

One purpose of this, we are led to believe, was the conveyance of His Excellency the Governor and other senior Europeans. There is no evidence that the box-car was used in general service and, while passenger cars were used by the African population, it would not have been deemed suitable at the time for senior Europeans to travel with the general public! Fixed to the rear bulkhead was shelving, which suggests that another use was the carrying of coinage and valuables between the Treasury, Iddo Station and the wharf, in conditions of security. More certain is the transfer of mail and parcels from Customs Wharf and the GPO to Iddo. This is borne out by the short siding which was provided near the parcels office – just long about enough to accommodate the Hunslet articulated engine.

The design must have served its purpose because a repeat order for a further two such engines was placed and they were delivered in Lagos in 1910, becoming LGR Nos. 104 and 105, works numbers 1016 and 1017. Identical in design, except for improvements to the motion and two 45-gal. tanks instead of 30 gal. ones, they cost £718 each f.o.b. Liverpool! It should be noted that it was not practicable to run these locomotives in reverse service, and this accounts for the turning circle at Iddo, the turntable at Kokomaiko, and the double junctions at the Public Works Department and the Post Office, where turning could be effected.

In spite of the success of the improved services and after much track laying and a deficit of only £248 in 1913, the Government took a very short-sighted view and decided to close down the passenger service, principally because the original rolling stock needed renewal. Closure was effected on January 1, 1914.

The Lagos Sanitary Tramway, built in 1906 (see The Railway Magazine, July 1964, page 581), which ran from Dejection Jetty to a junction with the Lagos Steam Tramway at Ereko Market, continued to operate over its mid-town route, via Strachan Street, Glover Street and Faji Market, until 1933. With its closure, the island of Lagos lost its only remaining railway.

(Culled from The Railway Magazine, February 1966)

Interesting, isn’t it, that Lagos, and indeed Nigeria, actually had a tramway system as far back as the earlier part of the last century?

It is also interesting to know that apart from the Lagos Steam Tramway, 23 May 1902 - 31 Dec 1913,  the British also built the following:

Bauchi Light Railway, Zaria-Jos-Bukuru (229km), opened in sections 1912-1914, Jos-Bukuru (16km) widened to 1.067m in 1927, rest closed 30 Sep 1957. Several locos and coaches are preserved near the zoo at Jos.

Wushishi Tramway, Zungeru-Wushishi-Bari Juko (35km), opened in sections Dec 1901-1902, closed 1910

Lagos Sanitary Tramway 1906-30 June 1933. Extended to a wharf and was used to carry "nightsoil".

(Source: Durrant, A.E., A.A. Jorgensen, C.P. Lewis.” Steam in Africa”, London, 1981, Hamlyn)

Gone are those days. What was left for us by the British as a legacy of colonialism, we found it difficult to build on, not to talk of sustaining and improving it, contrary to such in other parts of the world. That is the way Nigeria has gone, to the dogs, ruled and managed by inept, corrupt, incompetent, selfish, indolent and clueless idiots since the British left.

I do hope you have found this historical journey interesting, intriguing, fascinating and reflective. I have. And there’s more on the Lagos Sanitary Tramway and others to come.

http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/akintokunbo-a-adejumo/on-the-history-of-nigeria-railways-the-lagos-steam-tramway-1902-1913.html

This was a save, but it's one that I'll never forget.

African Champions Cup (forerunner of African Champions League) 1988. Africa Sports of Ivory Coast vs Iwuanyanwu Nationale of Nigeria.

Thunderous shot from Yekini (of Africa Sports). No other African keeper would have made the save. But Iwuanyanwu's keeper was Edward Ansah (Ghana's first choice and one of the best African keepers ever). He made the save, but the shot was so hot that he spent the next 5 to 10 minutes flat on the ground.

Shitta Bey Mosque

Eyo Festival 1910

Ereko Market decorated for the visit of Queen Elizabeth II in 1956

milehigh06: cant remember what number the goal was but Nigeria 7-bukinafaso 0,yekini scored a magical goal from a very very impossible angle,good old days,never missed any of the games at the national stadium then when SE matches were like national rituals
trek from akoka all the way to surulere to get into the stadium via the tinnubu axis,scale the fence,watch SE demolish whoever they played,walk home from surulere with people u dont know but u are all talking about what SE just did
chai,good old times indeed

Nigeria 7 - Burkina Faso 1

Yekini made an off the pitch contribution to Nigeria's success in that game. Just as the match was about to start, it was discovered that an NFA official forgot the Eagle's shorts @ their camp in Ota. The NFA were in a fix. They didn't know what to do. CAF refused to delay the game and if the Eagles didn't file out it would mean that the game would be forfeited.

Yekini suggested that they should cut the tracksuit trousers with razor blade and use that to play the game. The Eagles played the first half wearing the improvised "knickerbockers" while the official rushed to Ota to get ythe shorts, which the Eagles used in the 2nd half.

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.

Next I'm going to write about "Victorian Lagos" of the late 1800s

Someone once said that Nigerians can start an argument in an empty room.

I don't know why it's difficult for people to understand that Lagos was not built by a single group or a single source of funds. Somethings were built by the Agudas, eg Holy Cross Cathedral and St Gregory's College, some by the indigenous Lagosians, eg Shitta Bey Mosque, some by the Colonial Government using taxes receipts from indigenous Lagosians, eg Iju waterworks, some by the Federal Government using funds from crude oil, eg 3rd Mainland Bridge, some by Nigerian business men, eg SilverBird Galleria and so on and so forth. What's so difficult to understand about that?

naptu2: Lagos was built by many groups of people, with funding from a variety of sources. They include the indigenous Lagosians, the Saros (returnees from Sierra Leone), the Brazilians (Popo Aguda, etc), the Colonial Government, The Lagos City Council, The Federal Government, the Lagos State Government and Nigerian businessmen.

Lagos will always flourish.

naptu2: I was discussing the question of which I prefer, Lagos of the 1890s - 1960 or Lagos of today, with some people on NN 60-80. They believed that Nigeria (& Lagos) is regressing (I remember listening to Wole Soyinka say the same thing on the BBC in the 1990s) I believe it's all relative. Some things are better and some things are worse.

Pre-1970 we didn't have the explosion of armed robbery that Lagos has witnessed in recent decades, where whole neighbourhoods are terrorised by bandits. Electricity was relatively stable, etc.

However, development was limited to the colony pr-1970. As recently as the 1980s there were "night soil men" who went from house to house collecting night soil.

Personally, I think the 1990s were a lost decade. But I've read about the uniquely Victorian Lagos of the late 1800s, been told about Lagos of the 20s-60s and witnessed the 70s to the present. Each era had its unique flavour.


However, that doesn't seem to be the subject of this thread. The op & title didn't say Lagos was better then. He is only showing how Lagos was.

One of his two goals against South Africa in October 1992. He received an impossibly high pass, controlled the ball in the air and blasted it into the goal.


Nations cup 1994 when he received a long pass from Oliseh, lobbed the keeper and headed the ball into the net.

I wish I could find the map of the Colony (later Federal Capital Territory). It shows the boundaries of Lagos before 1967.

Jibowu, Mushin, Shomolu, Ikorodu, etc were not part of Lagos. They were part of Western Region. They were added to Lagos in 1967 when Lagos became a state.

I posted this on another thread previously. It gives you an idea of how Iju Waterworks was built.

Eshugbayi Eleko (The Oba/Eleko of Lagos/Eko)

Eshugbayi Eleko, the validly appointed King of Lagos by custom had been deposed by the colonial government in 1925. Part of Eleko’s trouble with the colonial government began with the government’s proposed pipe borne water scheme, estimated to cost about ₤130,000 and the subsequent government proposal that Lagosians should pay the cost because it was for their health. Eleko’s objections were that they had not been informed earlier about this scheme, that it was the Europeans who wanted pipe borne water and should pay for it and that the Lagosians’ old well water was still good enough for them. The press, which may be regarded as representing the vocal educated elite, opposed the water rate not because it objected to taxation, but on the American colonists principle of ‘No taxation without representation’. It said the people had not been consulted and therefore the government had no right to tax them. But despite protests, agitations and petitions from Eleko and other anti-government factions, the Iju waterworks was constructed.

Governor Egerton held out the bait of a town council in which they would participate, but they refused it. There they thought the matter ended, but Egerton suddenly published his House Assessment Ordinance, which, despite denials from the government, the people believed was a prelude towards imposing a water rate. Towards the end of 1908, a mass meeting was called. All the markets were closed, expatriate shops were looted, 15,000 people marched on State House, in response to the call from the Eleko’s bellman (town crier). Egerton was impressed by the traditional elite’s demonstration of
power; so also was the educated elite.

Eleko also fell out with the colonial government when he accepted the invitation from the Central Mosque to approve the appointment of Bashorun Balogun and others. The government believed that this was a purely muslim affair that should have been done in the Central Mosque with its blessings rather than with Eleko’s approval. The government held on to this and used the opportunity to avenge itself for Eleko’s defiance over the water rate levy. It thus withdrew recognition and suspended the Eleko’s stipend. Instead of making life more difficult for Eleko as the colonial government had believed, so as to make him change his mind, the suspension made Eleko more popular. Market women flooded Eleko’s palace with foodstuff, while Chief Oluwa (an Idejo chief) and other members of the Ilu committee made sure that the Oba was financially and materially self sufficient. This was a slap on the face of the colonial government. Seeing this, Yesufu Omo Oba led a pro-government group to the government asking for Eleko to be deposed, while the lawyer Egerton Shyngle led another faction which defended Eleko’s action in approving the Central Mosque appointment. As a result, Eleko was reinstated by Sir Hugh Clifford in 1919.

Finally, the controversial trip of Herbert Macaulay and Chief Amodu Tijani Oluwa to London over the Apapa land case and the statement made by Macaulay to the British press were to have significant effect on the Eleko affair. While in London, Macaulay gave a statement to the British press, saying that Eleko (whose grandfather had ceded Lagos to the British) was the head of seventeen million Nigerians and that Eleko was earning less than the lowest paid European gardener in Lagos, that the pension promised Eleko’s grandfather, Dosunmu, had never been paid, while the colonial government had neither rebuilt his Iga (palace) nor renovated it. This provoked serious reaction from the British government, as the British press played up the statement.

Meanwhile, the colonial government in Lagos was at Eleko’s throat over Macaulay’s statement in London. Eleko denied knowledge of the statement, but admitted giving his staff of office to Oluwa according to native customs. Although his press release of the denial appeared in the newspapers, the government would only be content if Eleko’s bell-ringers (town crier) went round with a denial written on behalf of Eleko by Henry Carr. Eleko bluntly refused. The colonial government reacted by withdrawing its recognition of Eleko as a native chief and stopping his stipend.

On June 10, 1925, nineteen princes (known to be pro-government) signed a letter demanding that Eleko should quit the palace within fourteen days. Their letter was signed by eleven literate princes, while the remaining eight affixed their thumbprints. Another letter was sent to Eleko on June 26 notifying him that Ibikunle Akitoye had been chosen to replace him.

The government sanctioned the deposition and ordered that Eshugbayi should leave Lagos. The Eleko did not comply with the order and on August 8th another order was made against the Eleko. He was thus arrested and exiled to Oyo. Sanusi Olusi was then appointed Oba by the Colonial Government.

Eshugbayi took his case to the Privy Council in London and he was assisted by Herbert Macaulay, who was hell-bent on remedying the damage done to the Eleko by a care free Governor-General.

On reviewing the customary laws of Lagos on the deposition of Eleko and the appointment of another oba, the Privy Council in London found rightly that British administrators in Lagos were beginning to act lawlessly. It stated that no validity could be given to a Lagos custom by the whimsical action of the Nigerian Governor-General of Lagos Colony, because, “it is the assent of a community that gives validity to a customary law”. Hence, the court said that the deposition of Eshugbayi Eleko was completely contrary to customary law. Mr Olusi was politely asked by the Lagos colonial authorities to leave Iga Idungaran soonest. This he did on Wednesday June 28, 1931.

After the privy Council directive of June 1928 in favour of Eleko, Herbert Macaulay’s “Lagos Daily News” published an article alleging that the colonial government was planning to plant gunpowder in the car that would bring Eleko back from Oyo, so that it could explode and kill him. For his publication, Macaulay was given six months imprisonment with hard labour, without option of a fine, while his co-owner of the paper, Dr Caulcrick, was fined £50 with the alternative of a month jail term.

Eshugbayi Eleko later resumed Obaship of Lagos in 1931. in 1933, however, Eshugbayi Eleko died.

Carter Bridge was completed in 1901 and rebuilt in the 1970s. The Lagos Steam Tramway ran on the bridge. It is named after Sir Gilbert Thomas Carter, who was Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Colony of Lagos from 1891–1897

desperatem: Chairman i searched facebook tire facebuk no recognize dat name wey u give us d assignment oooo

There are 3 Nigerian Nostalgia groups. The main one is (1) The Nigerian Nostalgia 1960 - 1980 project.

2) The Nigerian Nostlgia Pre-1960 project.

3) The Nigerian Nostalgia Project (Civil war conference).

If you can't get it through facebook search, try using Google. I'll try and get a link for you when I get home.

I was discussing the question of which I prefer, Lagos of the 1890s - 1960 or Lagos of today, with some people on NN 60-80. They believed that Nigeria (& Lagos) is regressing (I remember listening to Wole Soyinka say the same thing on the BBC in the 1990s) I believe it's all relative. Some things are better and some things are worse.

Pre-1970 we didn't have the explosion of armed robbery that Lagos has witnessed in recent decades, where whole neighbourhoods are terrorised by bandits. Electricity was relatively stable, etc.

However, development was limited to the colony pr-1970. As recently as the 1980s there were "night soil men" who went from house to house collecting night soil.

Personally, I think the 1990s were a lost decade. But I've read about the uniquely Victorian Lagos of the late 1800s, been told about Lagos of the 20s-60s and witnessed the 70s to the present. Each era had its unique flavour.


However, that doesn't seem to be the subject of this thread. The op & title didn't say Lagos was better then. He is only showing how Lagos was.

TREATY WITH LAGOS 1861

Treaty between Norman B. Bedingfield, commander of Her Majesty’s ship “PROMETHEUS” and Senior Officer of the Bights division and William M’coskry esquire, her Britannic Majesty’s acting consul on the part of Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain and Docemo, Oba of Lagos on the part of himself and chiefs.

ARTICLE I

In order that the Queen of England may be the better enabled to assist, defend and protect the inhabitants of Lagos and to put an end to slave trade in this land and the neighbouring countries and to prevent the destructive wars so frequently undertaken by Dahomey and others for the capture of slaves, I, Docemo, do with the consent and advice of my council, give, transfer and by this presents grants and confirm into the Queen of Britain, her heirs and successors for ever, the port and Island of Lagos, with all the rights, profits, territories and appurtenances whatsoever, thereto belonging and as well the profits and revenues as the direct, full and absolute dominion and sovereignity of the said port, Island and premises, with all the royalties thereof, freely, fully, entirely and absolutely.
I do also covenant and grant that the quiet and peaceable possession thereof shall, with all possible speed, be freely and effectually delivered to the Queen of Great Britain or such person as her Majesty shall there unto appoint for her use in the performance of this grant, the inhabitants of the said Island and territories, as the Queen’s subjects and under her sovereignty, Crown jurisdiction and government being still suffered to live there.

Article II

Docemo will be allowed the use of the title Oba in its usual African significance and will be permitted to decide disputes between natives of Lagos with their consent, subject to appeal to the British laws.

Article III

In the transfer of lands, the stamp of Docemo affixed to the document will be proof that there are no other native claims upon it and for the purpose he will be permitted to use it as hitherto.
In consideration of the cessation as before mentioned of the port and Island and territories of Lagos, the representatives of the Queen of Great Britain do promise, subject to the approval of her Majesty, that Docemo shall receive an annual pension from the Queen of Great Britain equal to the revenue hitherto annually received by him; such pension to be paid at such periods and in such mode as may here after be determined.
Lagos August 6, 1861

Signed: Docemo – His X Mark
Telake – His X Mark
Rocamena – His X Mark
Obalekolo – His X Mark
Achebong – His X Mark

Norman B. Bedingfield
Her Majesty’s Ship PROMETHEUS
Senior Officer, Bights Division

W. McCoskry
Acting Consul

Commander Bedingfield brought his ship, the Prometheus into the river (Five Cowry Creek) and invited Oba Dosunmu for a conference aboard the ship. Dosunmu was informed of the intention of the British Government to convert the anomalous protectorate into an avowed occupation and requested to sign a treaty of cessation. Not having his chiefs with him, Dosunmu refused to do so and two or three days were given to him to make up his mind.

When the draft treaty was first submitted for his consideration at the palace (Iga Idungaran) at Isale-Eko on 1st August, 1861, Oba Dosunmu refused to sign any paper “giving up his country”. He was then threatened by Commander Bedingfield with the bombardment of the town.

Again on 5th of August, the Acting Consul, William McCoskry and Commander Bedingfield went to Dosunmu at the palace, this time with a guard of marines, who were landed and drawn up outside the King’s Palace. The draft treaty, containing only article I, was again submitted. It was read over, translated and interpreted into the Yoruba and Portuguese languages to those around Oba Dosunmu, when the fear at once arose amongst the “white cap chiefs” (Idejo) that they were about to be deprived of their rights to the land of Lagos by such a document, which they believed, aimed at the abrogation of all private rights of property which they had held from time immemorial.

Consequently, they protested vigorously against the signing of that treaty as the draft then stood and solemnly declared that the Oba had no power to give away their lands (traditionally, the Oba of Lagos owns no land, except for his palace. The land of Lagos is vested, by tradition, on the Idejo (landowning) white cap chiefs).

Dosunmu then convinced the Commander and Acting Consul to insert such clauses to the one article submitted, which would satisfy the white cap chiefs that the land of Lagos was not being ceded to the British Crown, as they depended on the land for their livelihood and it belongs to them. The clauses were inserted and Dosunmu signed the treaty the next day. However, the white cap chiefs refused to ratify the treaty.

Governor Freeman arrived on 22nd of January 1862 as the first governor and discovered that the treaty had still not been ratified. He held several long palavers at Government House and declared that he had found the cause of the problem. He states that Dosunmu claimed that he was forced to sign a treaty that he did not understand. The Governor believed that this was false since the treaty was translated into Yoruba and Portuguese. The Governor also states that he was able to convince the white cap chiefs that the British Government was not taking possession of their land and that the treaty was finally ratified.

However, the treaty was signed by Commander Norman B. Bedingfield for the British and Dosunmu, Telake, Rocamena, Obalekoro and Achebong for Lagos.

Apart from Dosunmu, the other names as they stand have no meaning in Yoruba. Herbert Macaulay tried to make sense of them. Telake, he said, was Talabi wrongly spelt. Talabi was a relative of Dosunmu and a prince of royal blood. Rocamena he interpreted as being intended to refer to one Apena, who was a magistrate in Lagos at the time. Obalekoro, he thought, was a wrong spelling for Obanikoro, who was the Archbisshop of Lagos Island. Achebong, he recognised as Ashogbon, Commander in Chief of the King’s bodyguards.

Macaulay emphasised that none of the white cap chiefs, the Idejo, who own Lagos, signed the treaty.
The Idejo include

The Oniru Family, (They owned Iru. Iru=Victoria Island & Maroko)

The Oluwa Family (Oluwa=Apapa)

The Ojora family (They owned Ijora)

The Onikoyi family (They owned Ikoyi)

The Oloto Family (they owned Oto)

The Onitolo and Aromire Families (together they owned Idumota)

The Onisiwo Family (They owned Tarkwa Bay and Ogogoro Island)
Etc.

Balogun Street, Lagos Island (you can see the tram tracks laid on the street).

london2lasgidi: Take your tribal and ethnic tom-buffoonery to another thread, please!! I've only been on this forum for a month, and you bigots seem to destroy every thread with your utter tosh.

We know yorubas are "dirty" - like Igbos are clean smh...

We know igbos "ritualists" - like yorubas are saints smh..

Tired of hearing the same childish madness everyday - grow up!

That's what I was afraid of, the ethnic and nationalist jingoists will turn up to ruin the thread the way they ruined the last Lagos thread. Might be best to ignore them and continue posting wonderful pics of Lagos (I'll try and get some pics from the other thread and NNP 1960-1980).

As recently as the 1980s you could still see signs of the Lagos my mum told me about. There were fire hydrants and post boxes in Central Lagos, although they were no longer being used.

She told me that the milkman used to deliver milk to the house every morning.