₦airaland Forum

1978 video

This video begins with a view of Tinubu Square. You can see an LSTC bus as it passes the old fountain at the square.


Then it cuts to the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS). We see the mounted police escorting the head of state into the arena. These are mounted policemen from the Ribadu Road Mounted Troop Barracks, just a short distance from Dodan Barracks.

The state car, a Peugeot 504, comes to a halt and the head of state, General Olusegun Obasanjo exits the car.


General Obasanjo walks past Colonel Mamman Vatsa (who was the commander of the Brigade of Guards at the time) and greets Major General Shehu Musa Yar'Adua (chief of staff, Supreme Headquarters), Lieutenant General T.Y. Danjuma (chief of army staff), Vice Admiral Michael Adelanwa (chief of naval staff), Air Vice Marshal John Yisa Doko (chief of air staff), Alhaji Muhammadu Dikko Yusufu (inspector general of police) and Navy Captain Ebitu Ukiwe (governor of Lagos State).

Then we see General Obasanjo reviewing the parade. They didn't show my favourite parts - the armoured vehicles and the planes and helicopters.

Then they show the head of state leaving the arena, escorted by the police mounted troop.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LogDLtVf38

1976 video

We see the head of state, Lieutenant General Olusegun Obasanjo, getting on the review vehicle (a Land Rover Series) to review the troops, the school children and the crowd. Then we see the troops marching past the saluting dais. The school children also march past the saluting dais before the troops fire a 21 gun salute. Then we see Major General Yar'Adua (the chief of staff, Supreme Headquarters), Lieutenant General Danjuma (the chief of Army Staff) and Vice Admiral Adelanwa (the chief of Naval Staff).


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNif2fsFFEs

1975 video

There was no national Independence Day parade in 1975. Brigadier Murtala Muhammad ordered a low key celebration. However, states were encouraged to have parades at which school children marched. This is the Lagos State parade at the National Stadium, Surulere.

The video begins with a view of the crowd outside the main bowl of the stadium.

Then we see the Lagos State governor, Navy Captain Adekunle Lawal, delivering his speech. While Governor Lawal is reading his speech, we also see the NBC cameraman and a cross section of the spectators, including white cap chiefs.

Finally we see the school children as they march past the governor. I can recognise Methodist Girls High School, St Gregory’s College Ikoyi and Igbobi College Yaba.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqwhw8nnHEw

1974 video

The video begins with a street scene. We see a banner on the street that reads, “Happy 14th year anniversary”. Then we see the Tafawa Balewa Square. We can see Western House in the background. The Nigerian Police Mounted Troop escort the state car into the venue. The horses’ hooves kick up too much dust, so I can’t tell for sure if the car is the iconic w100 Mercedes Benz 600 (the number 1 state car) or if it was a W108 S Class. Judging from the length of the car, I think it’s the 600 limousine.

Then we see a cross section of the members of the public who are watching the parade.

Next we see General Gowon in the uniform of an admiral. Behind him is the chief of staff, Supreme Headquarters, Vice Admiral Wey. They are both climbing up the stairs to the saluting dais.

Then we see the troops marching past. Then we see General Gowon, Admiral Wey and General Ejoor on the saluting dais. We next see policemen marching past and then it’s the turn of school children to march past the saluting dais. We also see some foreigners in the audience who are taking pictures.

We see the parade commander and then there’s a loss of sound as the 21 gun salute is fired. There’s still no sound as we see naval ratings give three cheers to the head of state. Finally we see the officers on the saluting dais.

It was on this day that General Gowon made a major mistake. He had previously promised that he would hand over to a civilian government in 1976. However, in his Independence Day speech in 1974, he said that the 1976 handover date was no longer feasible. Many soldiers were tired of military rule. They were tired of being involved in government and they wanted to return to purely military duties. After this speech, Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, Joseph Garba and Abdullahi Mohammed started plotting to overthrow General Gowon. They staged their coup in July 1975 and handed over to Murtala Muhammad, Olusegun Obasanjo and Theophilus Danjuma, who announced that they would hand over to a civilian government in 1979.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRO77ON2nkY

1973 Independence day speech

"Of particular importance is the progress which we have continued to make with the implementation of our policy of increasing our control over the strategic sectors of our economy as well as encouraging indigenous ownership of business generally. The Federal Government now holds 40 per cent of the equity shares in the three major expatriate commercial banks and has its appointees serving on their Boards of Directors. Further, negotiations which have been in progress and aimed at securing Government participation in the existing oil companies and their concessions have been concluded successfully. As a result, the Federal Government now holds at least thirty-five per cent of the equity shares in each of the oil companies operating in the country.

With effect from tomorrow, 2nd October, 1973, the Nigerian Bank of Commerce and Industry will open business to members of the public. The Bank, as you know, aims at providing equity capital and funds by way of loans to indigenous persons, institutions and organisations for medium and long term investments in industry and commence.

These past few years have witnessed erratic weather conditions all over the world. Scanty rainfalls in the Savannah Region stretching across North Africa, Central Asia and Latin America have caused the worst drought in these areas in recent history. Parts of Nigeria, especially the northern districts of the North-Western, North-Central, Kano and North-Eastern States have been badly affected. It would like to seize this opportunity to express the deep concern of the federal Government about the plight of the people in all the affected areas.

To provide immediate succour to the people in the areas affected by the drought, the Federal Government has made grants totalling 12-million Naira (16.4 million sterling) to the four states gravely affected, partly for the purchase of foodstuffs and livestock feeds to augment whatever is available locally and partly to improve water supply facilities by the provision of bore holes."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bSzWoP4CUA

1971 video

We see the Nigeria Police Mounted Troop escorting the state car (a W108 Mercedes Benz S Class) into the arena. General and Mrs Gowon alight from the car. We see General Gowon and Kam Selem walking towards the saluting dais.

Then we see General Gowon reviewing the troops from the back of an open top Land Rover. And then we see the troops marching past. Reviewing the troops on the saluting dais are General Gowon (who was promoted from the rank of major general to general on that day), Rear Admiral Nelson Soroh (who was promoted to the rank of rear admiral on this day), Alhaji Kam Selem, Major General David Ejoor and other senior military officers.

We see policemen marching past and then fighter planes flying overhead. Then we see a cross section of the crowd watching the parade. We see Mrs Victoria Gowon and then the Lagos State Governor Brigadier Mobolaji Johnson. Then we see the federal commissioner (minister) for information and labour, Chief Anthony Enahoro. Finally, we get another view of the audience.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-0042HPq5k

1970 video

We see a sign above the road and it reads, "ONE COUNTRY ONE DESTINY". Then we see a banner above Carter Bridge and that banner reads, "UNITY AND FAITH". We see flags and buntings over the Cenotaph at Idumota (Soja Idumota). We see another sign that reads, "One Nigeria" and we see the traffic on Broad Street.

Then we see General Gowon's motorcade enter the Race Course in Lagos (venue of the parade). He steps out of the limousine and salutes the policewoman. We then see Victoria Gowon in the audience and the General Gowon saluting as the National Anthem is played.

We see Christian clerics and then the band as they play "Praise To The Lord The Almighty". The people in the crowd also sing along. We see General Gowon, Mrs Victoria Gowon, Admiral Wey, Inspector General of Police Kam Selem and another officer as they also sing along.

Then we see the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Reverend Doctor John Kwao Amuzu Aggey, as he also sing the song. We see other Christian clerics and then we see the Oba of Lagos, Oba Adeyinka Oyekan. Then we see General Gowon greeting the Christian clerics.

We see Mrs Victoria Gowon leaving the grandstand. It looks like she is pregnant. Then we see the motorcade leaving the arena and people waving at it.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgPVs4eRQ5I

Nigeria's 5th Independence Celebrated With State Reception | Zik & Balewa | October 1st 1965

Footage of Nigerian President, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe hosting foreign dignitaries at a State Reception at State House, Marina. The event, at which the Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was also present, was held to mark Nigeria's 5th anniversary.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeMmJS5dacg?si=3zxB6iTLVyd4-8nz

1961 Independence Day Parade video

We see the saluting dais at the Race Course in Lagos. Then we see the prime minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, stepping out of the Rolls Royce Phantom. He is welcomed by the service chiefs as school children cheer. Then President Nnamdi Azikiwe and Mrs Flora Azikiwe arrive in the state Rolls Royce. Dr Azikiwe is dressed in the uniform of a field marshal. He exchanges salutes with the GOC Nigerian Army, who also bows to him and then with the other service chiefs. Then we see President and Mrs Azikiwe on the review vehicle (a Land Rover Series) as they receive the cheers of the crowd.

There is a clip of the VIP stand and we can see some of the ministers of the First Republic. The parade commander salutes Zik who returns the salute, then we see armoured vehicles (mainly ferrets) drive past the saluting dais. Finally Sir Abubakar and Dr Azikiwe watch as first the troops and later the school children march past the saluting dais (there's a cheeky school boy that sticks out his tongue at the camera).


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1Kk2G3tzIM

1960

There was a children's parade at Race Course, Lagos (now Tafawa Balewa Square) in the afternoon. It featured a march past by school children and a flypast by Air Force planes. Princes Alexandria ceremonially handed over the constitution to Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.

Princess Alexandria returned to Race Course at night, where the British flag was lowered at midnight and the Nigerian flag was hoisted.

The Princess attended the State Opening of Parliament the next day. The Senate President, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, invited her to read the speech from the throne.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMC34KhZCf8?si=0ilGVlAXh2ypLaF7



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ed8Ni2WB5js?si=xTXgj3GmFE5EATTv

Nigerian Independence Day in London | Military Parade & Service at Westminster Abbey | Oct. 1960

October 1st 1960.

Footage of official events in London marking Nigeria's independence from Britain on October 1st 1960.

. A military parade outside the Nigerian High Commission on Northumberland Avenue where his Excellency Alhaji Abdul Maliki, High Commissioner for Nigeria, inspected British trained military personnel of the army and navy. The highlight of the ceremony was the raising of the Nigerian flag.

Ambassador Maliki was accompanied during the parade by Captain Robert Adeyinka Adebayo, the future military governor of the Western Region and Western State. Adebayo donned the uniform of an army major for the ceremony. Also present among the naval personnel where cadets training at the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth: Husaini Abdullahi, Asuquo Ekanem and P.J. Odu.

. Among those attending the service at Westminster Abbey were the Conservative Party MP Duncan Sandys who was the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and Princess Mary, the Princess Royal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yT0YV17AaWU?si=lDFlpKg8pZKiSBzO

Independence Day celebrations of the 1970s and 1980s (Videos and Memories).

Decorations, horses and fighter planes

Usually, almost a week before October 1st, there would be flags and buntings on Awolowo Road all the way to Tafawa Balewa Square and on the other side of the neighbourhood, there would also be flags, balloons and buntings from Obalende Road, through Moloney Street and then to Catholic Mission Street (beside Tafawa Balewa Square).

I was always torn between going outside to see whether the mounted police escorted the president all the way from Ribadu Road to Tafawa Balewa Square or watching the arrival sequence on TV. I always ended up watching it on TV. I was never quite sure if the mounted police escorted the president all the way from their barracks on Ribadu Road or whether, as a soldier on parade told me, they only escorted him from outside the arena into the arena.

My Favourite part of the parade began from the 21 gun salute onwards. I would usually go and stand in the doorway and I’d usually hear the explosion from the artillery guns on TV first and then in real life. It took longer for the sound to travel directly to me than it did for me to hear it on TV. Then, immediately after the gun salute, I’d see the fighter jets on TV and I’d go outside to see two fighter jets and two attack helicopters flying over Five Cowrie Creek. There’s usually green and white smoke trailing the jets. Someone told me that they used to threw toys from the helicopters once upon a time, but I don’t know if that’s true.

I also loved watching the various armoured vehicles as they rolled past. There was a particular year that I felt sorry for President Shagari. I was wondering how he was able to stand at the saluting dais for such a long time. Almost at the same time, my mum asked how the president was able to cope with the noise from all the armoured vehicles that were going past.

Taiwo Obileye and Dame Julie Coker

My favourite Independence Day commentators on the NTA were Taiwo Obileye and Julie Coker.

Taiwo Obileye was absolutely wonderful. He would tell you the name of the parade commander and the name of the parade commander’s horse. He would also tell you the number of times that the horse has taken part in these kind of parade and explain that that’s why the horse was still when the 21 gun salute was fired and when the armoured vehicles and fighter jets went past. Taiwo Obileye’s diction was absolutely flawless and it was a joy to listen to him.

I was in love with Julie Coker and so I watched anything that she presented. She was a perfect professional.

Obasanjo and Thabo Mbeki

I remembered Taiwo Obileye during one of the Independence Day parades in the early 2000s. That’s because the parade commander’s horse nearly threw him off and bolted when the 21 gun salute was being fired. The horse was frightened. Then the NTA showed Obasanjo and Mbeki and they were both laughing at the parade commander. I wonder why they didn’t use a horse that had experienced that kind of frightening noise before. None of the horses in the 1970s and ‘80s panicked like that.

The crazy people

It was also quite interesting to see the various schools that were marching past. C1982 (or was it 1981) a particular group of crazy students (who shall not be named) displayed a particular brand of madness while they were right in front of President Shagari. Schools usually try to put on a unique display when they get in front of the president, but that one was just insane (and you won’t believe the things they told me afterwards).

Nigeria is 25!

President Babangida usually staged a “Command Performance” on the night before Independence Day (September 30th). This was usually a dinner at which the major entertainment acts in Nigeria at the time would perform. I remember that the cast of the New Masquerade performed a couple of times, as did the cast of Samanja (it was said that Samanja was General Babangida’s favourite TV show).

A lot of activities were lined up for Nigeria’s 25th anniversary celebrations in 1985. Famous singer, Bongos Ikue, wrote the lyrics of a television jingle. It went

♪Nigeria is 25
The odds we did survive
Arise salute the nation
Come join the celebration
A people united will never fall
***********************
Nigeria is 25!
Nigeria is 25!
Nigeria is 25! ♫

* = forgotten lyrics.

President Babangida wanted the most famous comedian in Nigeria at that time, John Chukwu, to host the command performance, but JC had gone to his village on holiday, so President Babangida had to send the presidential jet to pick him up and bring him to Lagos.

I remember that the NTA showed a (pre=recorded) variety show that morning and there were lots of stars on the show. I remember that Veno Marioghae was on the show as well as Samanja. I remember it because all the guests were made to sing along to a song that was composed for the anniversary (I think the song was by Veno). My aunt laughed heartily when Samanja sang his part. She couldn’t believe that Samanja could sing.


1986 Independence Day Drama.

The usual arrival sequence on Independence Day during the military era was,

1) The service chiefs and the inspector general of police (they received the general salute)

2) The minister of defence & chairman joint chiefs of staff (he received the general salute)

3) The chief of staff Supreme Headquarters/chief of general staff (he received the national salute. The first 4 lines of the anthem)

4) The president/head of state and commander in chief (he received the national salute. The full anthem).

This was also the order of precedence at national events.

However, there was a coup on August 27th, 1985 which created a strange arrangement.

1) The president was Major General Ibrahim Babangida.

2) The chief of general staff was Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe

3) The minister of defence and chairman joint chiefs of staff was Major General Domkat Bali

4) The service chiefs were Major General Sani Abacha (chief of army staff), Rear Admiral Augustus Aikhomu (chief of naval staff) and Air Vice Marshal Ibrahim Alfa (chief of air staff).

The question was, how can a commodore (one star general) be the chief of general staff (military vice president) when the minister of defence and service chiefs were two star generals? This was a recipe for disaster. Furthermore, General Bali was actually President Babangida’s senior and Admiral Aikhomu had been the chief of naval staff in Buhari’s administration when Ukiwe was just the flag officer commanding the Western Naval Command!

Well, the answer was that Ukiwe served in the Biafran Navy during the Civil War and therefore he lost a round of promotion. He could have also been a two star general if the Civil War had not happened.

Anyway, these issues came to a head ahead of the 1986 Independence Day parade. It was decided that Commodore Ukiwe should arrive the arena before the service chiefs. Commodore Ukiwe was not happy about this, so he did not attend the parade.

This is exactly the way I remember it. There were sirens and a motorcade arrived. The commentator said, “. . .the sirens heralding the arrival of the chief of general staff”. I looked through the window of the car and I could see a white naval uniform, so I naturally assumed that it was Ukiwe, but it was not. It was actually President Babangida and he was dressed in the uniform of an admiral! Ukiwe did not attend the parade at all!

Later that day, I heard that Ukiwe had been placed on house arrest. It was later announced that he had been retired from service. Four days later it was announced that Rear Admiral Aikhomu was the new chief of general staff and Rear Admiral Patrick Koshoni was the new chief of naval staff.

The next year, on October 1st, 1987, President Babangida promoted himself to a four star general, Aikhomu was promoted to a vice admiral (three star), Bali was promoted to a lieutenant general (three star), while the service chiefs were left as two star generals.

Abuja

The first national Independence Day parade that was held in Abuja was held in 1982, during the Shagari era. The Akinola Aguda Lodge was hurriedly built to serve as the presidential residence during the celebration. The old Parade Ground was also built at this time.

(See picture of the 22nd anniversary decoration in Abuja below)

President Babangida also staged the 1986 and 1987 Independence Day parades in Abuja. The Nicon Noga Hilton Hotel was built for the 1987 Command Performance, which was staged in the Congress Hall of the hotel.

(See picture of the Nicon Noga Hilton Hotel in 1987 below)


No Parades

The 1987 Independence Day parade was the last national Independence Day parade for a long time. There was no parade in 1988 and in fact, no parade was staged until 2000. My brother said that President Babangida was afraid that he would be killed in the same way that Anwar Sadat was killed.


Third picture below = Vice President Alex Ekwueme.

Fourth picture = General Buhari

Drogba, Kohli, LeBron, Nadal - why big names are investing in powerboat racing

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/976/cpsprodpb/19df/live/a5f0b170-986c-11f0-8ac5-61a603230ddd.jpg
Didier Drogba won four Premier League titles and the Champions League with Chelsea but is now involved in electric powerboat racing with the E1 Series

Mark Lomas
Sports writer
29 September 2025

Didier Drogba is a member of what might be the world's greatest sporting WhatsApp group.

Along with fellow global icons Tom Brady, LeBron James, Virat Kohli and Rafael Nadal - as well as actor Will Smith - the former Chelsea and Ivory Coast striker owns a team in E1 Series, the world's first all-electric international powerboat racing competition.

Having taken to the waves last year, E1 is nearing the chequered flag on its second season and is about to pay its first visit to Africa, with Lagos' lagoon set to host the nine teams over the weekend of 4-5 October.

"When we decided to jump on the journey with E1, the main goal was always 'let's bring the race to Africa'," Drogba told BBC Sport Africa.

"We want people to discover our culture, to discover our history. That's why Lagos is for us a good choice, because it's a vibrant city."

Drogba's partner Gabrielle Lemaire, who is a co-investor in their team, also believes Nigeria's largest city fits the bill.

"The people are very young and it's an opportunity for us to advocate for sustainability," said the entrepreneur and vice president of the Didier Drogba Foundation.

Billing itself on its website as "pioneering a sustainable future in marine sports", E1 claims to "regenerate coastal waters through innovative clean technologies".

Venice, Monaco, Dubrovnik, Doha and Lake Como in Italy are among the venues so far visited by E1, with Miami scheduled to round off this season.

It also aims to promotes gender equality, with every team consisting of one female and one male pilot.

"As a symbol it is really strong to show that men and women can do sports," said Lemaire.

"We would like to advocate for this, for the young people, for the young ladies to understand how important it is today.

"It's not only a sport that we're talking about here."

Hunting for African talent

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/976/cpsprodpb/fe08/live/189858e0-986d-11f0-8ac5-61a603230ddd.jpg
The E1 Series has lofty aspirations of competing with motorsport powerhouses Formula 1 and Formula E

Competitors come from a variety of motorsport backgrounds, exemplified by Team Drogba's line-up.

Teenage British powerboat champion Oban Duncan is partnered with Micah Wilkinson, who won sailing bronze for New Zealand at last year's Olympic Games.

Duncan is the youngest pilot in E1, but Drogba says he has built a strong relationship with the 19-year-old.

"Oban is full of talent but her confidence was a bit low," he revealed.

"I said 'We put our trust in you, we are behind you, and you're a superstar because you race with a lot of energy, a lot of enthusiasm'.

"I'm really happy with her because she applies the same principle that I used to apply during my career: give everything, do your best."

Despite Duncan's young age, Drogba and Lemaire are already looking to the future, hoping the upcoming race in Lagos might inspire African talent.

"This is the goal, to be able to have African people interested in the sport, interested in sustainability, in racing, in discovering new cultures," explained Drogba.

"I think this is the opportunity for young people who want to succeed, who want to become a part of the E1 team.

"We would love to have an African pilot. It would mean a lot to us."

Trash talk in the WhatsApp group

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/976/cpsprodpb/aae7/live/6e91ee00-986d-11f0-8ac5-61a603230ddd.jpg
Drogba met Prince Albert II of Monaco (centre) alongside fellow E1 Series investors Rafael Nadal (third left), Tom Brady (fourth right), Marc Anthony (third right) and LeBron James (right) in July

Despite a glittering career which saw Drogba win four Premier League titles and the Champions League with Chelsea, the two-time African Footballer of the Year has so far decided against a move into coaching.

But the 47-year-old says he is now channelling the leadership qualities of his former coaches and team-mates into his new position.

"I'm lucky to have had a diversity of managers, a diversity of knowledge, and I learned a lot.

"Even players who showed great leadership, like John Terry, Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack, Petr Cech - all these guys.

"I try to be like a sponge and take the best out of them, as a leader trying to reproduce it, but in my own way."

While competition in E1 is fierce on the water, it is just as intense away from it, according to a smiling Drogba.

"I decided not to bring too much of my competitiveness, otherwise I will destroy them like I destroyed all the strikers I was in competition with," he laughed when discussing his rivalry with the other owners.

"These guys are really nasty on this WhatsApp group.

"I thought Rafa [Nadal] was a nice guy, always gentle, polite. But I've read what he said a few times and I'm not happy about it so I will have to change gears."

With DJ Steve Aoki and Puerto Rican singer Marc Anthony, huge names in North America and beyond, also team owners, the rivalry between the stars is clearly one of E1's biggest draws.

It has led organisers to target a valuation of £500m ($675m) for the competition in the next five years.

"It can only grow with the energy that all the owners are putting in," said Drogba.

"When we first started, I think it was me, Rafa, Marc and Steve.

"Now the list is becoming bigger with Tom Brady, Will Smith, LeBron James. Hopefully we'll have a female owner too because this is really important."

Also on Drogba's list is a race in Ivory Coast, with Abidjan a likely venue because of its lagoon which mirrors Lagos' waterways.

"There's some technical specifications that you must require to organise the race, but I think we have everything here [Abidjan] to host," he added.

"We proved it with the Africa Cup of Nations. This is something that must happen."

https://www.bbc.com/sport/articles/cj6xn553j5no

Boat race.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AQeBS8r1s0?si=JVnn5zcTK4u_kTHY

The E1 Lagos GP is the African edition of the UIM E1 World Championship. The Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM) is the international governing body of powerboating and it organises the UIM E1 World Championship.

Sports legends like Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast and Chelsea football legend), Lebron James (Los Angeles Lakers and American basketball legend), Virat Kohli (Indian cricket legend), Tom Brady (American football legend) and Rafael Nadal (Spanish tennis star) own teams in the competition.


Previous thread:

Lagos To Close Five Cowrie Creek For Electric Powerboat Race
https://www.nairaland.com/8529565/lagos-close-five-cowrie-creek

Photos: Governor Sanwo-Olu, Aliko Dangote, Rafael Nadal, Didier Drogba and other guests at the Monaco E1 Grand Prix. The E1 Championship will stage a race in Lagos which will be the first ever E1 race in Africa.

Lagos To Close Part Of Lekki Expressway And Ozumba Mbadiwe Way For Electric Power Boat Race

Oriental Hotel will be one of the main viewing and take off points for the race and the portion of Lekki Expressway in front of the hotel (inward Victoria Island) will be closed (all the way to Law School Junction). Motorists can use the alternative road (Yesufu Abiodun Oniru Road) or the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road to leave Lekki (the Coastal Road will be open to traffic).

Motorists going from Victoria Island to Lekki will not face any restrictions, it's only the carriageway outward Lekki that will be blocked.

The restrictions will be in effect on Saturday, October 4th and Sunday, October 5th, 2025.

Lagos State Ministry of Transportation @LagosMOT1

LASG ANNOUNCES TRAFFIC DIVERSIONS AHEAD OF OCTOBER ELECTRIC POWERBOAT RACING CHAMPIONSHIP

To facilitate the smooth hosting of the Electric Powerboat Racing Championship E1 Series Event, (Africa’s first electric powerboat race) set to take place on Lagos Inland Waterways of Victoria Island Lagoon from Saturday 4th to Sunday 5thOctober, 2025, the Lagos State Government wishes to inform the motoring public of the planned traffic diversions.

There will be total road Closure at 1st Lekki Junction inward Ozumba Mbadiwe, in view of the traffic implication, motorists are hereby enjoined to use alternative routes as follows;
 
1. Motorists from Ajah heading to Lekki will make a U-turn at Lekki 1st Junction by the Pedestrian Bridge to link Yesufu Abiodun to Maroko Police Station to access City of David to Ligali Ayorinde to connect Ajose Adeogun straight to Eko Hotel Roundabout to Ahmadu Bello Way to Independence Bridge and McEwen/Onikan to continue their journeys.
 
2. Alternatively, Motorists from Ajah inward CMS could go through Abraham Adesanya to link Ogonbo Road to access Okun Ajah Road to connect Coastal Road to Ahmadu Bello Way to Independence Bridge and McEwen/Onikan to continue their journeys.
 
3. Motorists from Lekki and its Environ going to Ikoyi/Mainland could go through Admiralty Way to access Lekki Link Bridge to Alexander road/Bourdillon Way to connect Gerrard Road and Osborne Road to continue their journeys.
 
4. Alternatively, Motorists from Lekki and its Environ going to CMS can connect Yesufu Abiodun to link Oniru Road to access Aboyade Cole Road to Ligali Ayorinde Street to Eko Hotel Roundabout and Ahmadu Bello Way to continue their journeys.

5. Motorists on the other side (from CMS/Independence Bridge and Ozumba Mbadiwe inward Lekki-Epe Expressway) will have a through traffic to Ajah and its environs.
 
Assuring Motorists of adequate parking made available for the event at; Fidelity Bank, Access Bank and Law School Premises, Victoria Island, the Lagos State Government urged all participants to cooperate with officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), who will be strategically deployed along all event routes to ensure smooth traffic flow.
 
The statement further added that during the period of the 2 days road diversion, the coastal road will be open to traffic.

ADVISORY; Motorists are implored to be patient as the diversion is part of the traffic management plans for the E1 Boat Race Event to take place on waterways at Victoria Island, Lagos State.
 
E-signed;
Mr. Oluwaseun Osiyemi,
Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation.
 
30th September, 2025

https://x.com/lagosMOT1/status/1973076191683793303?

dfrost:
This is going to be massive. A lot of opportunities here: tourism, job creation.

Well done boss naptu2

Thank you.

Oops! I forgot to edit the picture links in the BBC article.

Oluwaseun Osiyemi is the Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation.

Oluwaseun Osiyemi @seunosiyemi_

Preparation ahead of the E1 Lagos GP slated to hold from 3-5th of October.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQsamDczXTk?si=OQeBGFexdQZbPzFF

Preparation ahead of the E1 Lagos GP slated to hold from 3-5th of October.#LagosWaterways #AGreaterLagosRising pic.twitter.com/1cV3kfLGM5

— Oluwaseun Osiyemi (@seunosiyemi_) September 29, 2025

Drogba, Kohli, LeBron, Nadal - why big names are investing in powerboat racing

http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/976/cpsprodpb/19df/live/a5f0b170-986c-11f0-8ac5-61a603230ddd.jpg
Didier Drogba won four Premier League titles and the Champions League with Chelsea but is now involved in electric powerboat racing with the E1 Series

Mark Lomas
Sports writer
29 September 2025

Didier Drogba is a member of what might be the world's greatest sporting WhatsApp group.

Along with fellow global icons Tom Brady, LeBron James, Virat Kohli and Rafael Nadal - as well as actor Will Smith - the former Chelsea and Ivory Coast striker owns a team in E1 Series, the world's first all-electric international powerboat racing competition.

Having taken to the waves last year, E1 is nearing the chequered flag on its second season and is about to pay its first visit to Africa, with Lagos' lagoon set to host the nine teams over the weekend of 4-5 October.

"When we decided to jump on the journey with E1, the main goal was always 'let's bring the race to Africa'," Drogba told BBC Sport Africa.

"We want people to discover our culture, to discover our history. That's why Lagos is for us a good choice, because it's a vibrant city."

Drogba's partner Gabrielle Lemaire, who is a co-investor in their team, also believes Nigeria's largest city fits the bill.

"The people are very young and it's an opportunity for us to advocate for sustainability," said the entrepreneur and vice president of the Didier Drogba Foundation.

Billing itself on its website as "pioneering a sustainable future in marine sports", E1 claims to "regenerate coastal waters through innovative clean technologies".

Venice, Monaco, Dubrovnik, Doha and Lake Como in Italy are among the venues so far visited by E1, with Miami scheduled to round off this season.

It also aims to promotes gender equality, with every team consisting of one female and one male pilot.

"As a symbol it is really strong to show that men and women can do sports," said Lemaire.

"We would like to advocate for this, for the young people, for the young ladies to understand how important it is today.
"It's not only a sport that we're talking about here."

Hunting for African talent

http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/976/cpsprodpb/fe08/live/189858e0-986d-11f0-8ac5-61a603230ddd.jpg
The E1 Series has lofty aspirations of competing with motorsport powerhouses Formula 1 and Formula E

Competitors come from a variety of motorsport backgrounds, exemplified by Team Drogba's line-up.

Teenage British powerboat champion Oban Duncan is partnered with Micah Wilkinson, who won sailing bronze for New Zealand at last year's Olympic Games.

Duncan is the youngest pilot in E1, but Drogba says he has built a strong relationship with the 19-year-old.

"Oban is full of talent but her confidence was a bit low," he revealed.

"I said 'We put our trust in you, we are behind you, and you're a superstar because you race with a lot of energy, a lot of enthusiasm'.

"I'm really happy with her because she applies the same principle that I used to apply during my career: give everything, do your best."

Despite Duncan's young age, Drogba and Lemaire are already looking to the future, hoping the upcoming race in Lagos might inspire African talent.

"This is the goal, to be able to have African people interested in the sport, interested in sustainability, in racing, in discovering new cultures," explained Drogba.

"I think this is the opportunity for young people who want to succeed, who want to become a part of the E1 team.

"We would love to have an African pilot. It would mean a lot to us."

Trash talk in the WhatsApp group

http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/976/cpsprodpb/aae7/live/6e91ee00-986d-11f0-8ac5-61a603230ddd.jpg
Drogba met Prince Albert II of Monaco (centre) alongside fellow E1 Series investors Rafael Nadal (third left), Tom Brady (fourth right), Marc Anthony (third right) and LeBron James (right) in July

Despite a glittering career which saw Drogba win four Premier League titles and the Champions League with Chelsea, the two-time African Footballer of the Year has so far decided against a move into coaching.

But the 47-year-old says he is now channelling the leadership qualities of his former coaches and team-mates into his new position.

"I'm lucky to have had a diversity of managers, a diversity of knowledge, and I learned a lot.

"Even players who showed great leadership, like John Terry, Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack, Petr Cech - all these guys.

"I try to be like a sponge and take the best out of them, as a leader trying to reproduce it, but in my own way."

While competition in E1 is fierce on the water, it is just as intense away from it, according to a smiling Drogba.

"I decided not to bring too much of my competitiveness, otherwise I will destroy them like I destroyed all the strikers I was in competition with," he laughed when discussing his rivalry with the other owners.

"These guys are really nasty on this WhatsApp group.

"I thought Rafa [Nadal] was a nice guy, always gentle, polite. But I've read what he said a few times and I'm not happy about it so I will have to change gears."

With DJ Steve Aoki and Puerto Rican singer Marc Anthony, huge names in North America and beyond, also team owners, the rivalry between the stars is clearly one of E1's biggest draws.

It has led organisers to target a valuation of £500m ($675m) for the competition in the next five years.

"It can only grow with the energy that all the owners are putting in," said Drogba.

"When we first started, I think it was me, Rafa, Marc and Steve.

"Now the list is becoming bigger with Tom Brady, Will Smith, LeBron James. Hopefully we'll have a female owner too because this is really important."

Also on Drogba's list is a race in Ivory Coast, with Abidjan a likely venue because of its lagoon which mirrors Lagos' waterways.

"There's some technical specifications that you must require to organise the race, but I think we have everything here [Abidjan] to host," he added.

"We proved it with the Africa Cup of Nations. This is something that must happen."

https://www.bbc.com/sport/articles/cj6xn553j5no

Lagos power boat race.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AQeBS8r1s0?si=JVnn5zcTK4u_kTHY

The Five Cowrie Creek is that body of water that begins at the Lagos Lagoon and separates Banana Island from Lekki.

The Creek flows southward and separates Lekki and Victoria Island from Ikoyi and then it empties into Lagos Harbour at the Onikan and Bonny Camp area.

The Independence (Onikan), Five Cowrie (Falomo) and Lekki-Ikoyi Link Btidges cross over Five Cowrie Creek.

The Lagos State Government will close parts of Five Cowrie Creek to boats from the 2nd to the 5th of October 2025 for the E1 Lagos GP electric power boat race.

The E1 Lagos GP is the African edition of the UIM E1 World Championship. The Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM) is the international governing body of powerboating and it organises the UIM E1 World Championship.

Sports legends like Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast and Chelsea football legend), Lebron James (Los Angeles Lakers and American basketball legend), Virat Kohli (Indian cricket legend), Tom Brady (American football legend) and Rafael Nadal (Spanish tennis star) own teams in the competition.

Babajide Sanwo-Olu @jidesanwoolu

From the 3rd to the 5th of October, for the first time on the African continent, Lagos will host the world’s all-electric powerboat championship, the E1 Series.

The E1 Lagos Grand Prix is a demonstration of innovation and progress, showing how sport can inspire sustainable solutions for the future. It is also a celebration of the creativity and resilience that define our people.

This occasion gives us the opportunity to showcase Lagos to the world as we know it: welcoming, dynamic, and determined to embrace the future with confidence.

I extend a warm invitation to you to be part of this historic moment. The E1 Lagos Grand Prix is a chance for Lagos, and for Africa, to stand proudly on the global stage.

Get your tickets at e1lagos.com

From the 3rd to the 5th of October, for the first time on the African continent, Lagos will host the world’s all-electric powerboat championship, the E1 Series.

The E1 Lagos Grand Prix is a demonstration of innovation and progress, showing how sport can inspire sustainable… pic.twitter.com/nhMLIdY4Yf

— Babajide Sanwo-Olu (@jidesanwoolu) September 29, 2025

Exousiang01:
Egbon naptu2 thank you so much for this thread.
You always have a way of helping us wake up to reading something good.

Thank you.

Thirty-two more characters needed, but there's none.

Hakeem Belo-Osagie is the son of the legendary Professor Tiamiyu Belo-Osagie. He is a former Chairman of UBA. He is also a former Chairman of Chocolate City Records. He is currently a senior Business Administration lecturer at Harvard University. He is also a member of the Harvard University Global Advisory Board. Additionally he serves as Chairman of the board of trustees of Harvard’s Centre for African Studies where he and his wife have endowed the Hakeem and Myma Belo-Osagie Distinguished African Entrepreneurship Lecture series. 

naptu2:
Professor Tiamiyu Belo-Osagie

Professor Tiamiyu Belo-Osagie attended Edo College, Benin, King's College, Lagos, Howard University and McGill University. He was appointed a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist on his return to Nigeria and he worked at Island Maternity, General Hospital and the Lagos University Teaching Hospital all in Lagos.


Osagie Medical Centre

Professor Belo-Osagie established the Osagie Medical Centre at number 30, Catholic Mission Street, Lagos Island in the 1960s (that's where he delivered my brother ). There are interesting connections between the last post (about Dr Majekodunmi), this post and the next post. The Osagie Medical Centre is right beside St Nicholas Hospital (which was established by Dr Majekodunmi) and Professor Belo-Osgie's daughter-in-law works there. Professor Belo-Osagie is also the uncle of the famous Professor Osato Giwa-Osagie, who also worked at the Osagie Medical Centre at a point in time.



University of Benin Teaching Hospital

He moved to Benin in the 1970s and established the University of Benin Teaching Hospital. He worked (at various times) as Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Provost of the College of Medical Sciences at the University of Benin between 1972 and 1979.

Dodan Barracks

He served as the personal physician to the president in the 1980s. In this position he was involved in the births of Saudatu Shehu Shagari in 1981 and Halima Babangida in 1989.

Professor Tiamiyu Belo-Osagie returned to the Osagie Medical Centre in the 1990s where he was in high demand.


Away from the medical world, he also served as the chairman of Societe General Bank and was on the board of many companies. He was the father of Hakeem Belo-Osagie who is a former chairman of UBA (Keem Belo-Osagie started out as a special assistant to President Shagari). He recieved the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) in 1982.

Professor Tiamiyu Belo-Osagie died in March 2005.

Hakeem Belo-Osagie is a Nigerian businessman. He is chair of Metis Capital Partners an organisation focused on brokering and delivering attractive, large-ticket transactions in Africa to select blue chip international investment partners.He was listed by Forbes Magazine as the forty-first richest man in Africa in 2014.


Belo-Osagie and his wife, Dr Myma Belo-Osagie (a founding partner of Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie), are philanthropists. The couple are also supporters of Harvard University's Center for African Studies, and Belo-Osagie has established a scholarship to support African students studying at Balliol College, Oxford.

Belo-Osagie and his wife are both members of Harvard University's Global Advisory Council. Belo-Osagie also serves on the Yale University President's Council on International Activities and the New York University President's Global Council. In addition, Belo-Osagie sits on the International Advisory Council of the Brookings Institution and the Global Board of Advisors of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Belo-Osagie and his wife are among the largest donors to the African Leadership Academy (the "ALA" ), a residential secondary school in Johannesburg that works to educate Africa's brightest students. Founded in 2008, the highly selective ALA immerses promising young people in a rigorous two-year curriculum of leadership, service and African studies. The ALA network of alumni includes almost four hundred young leaders drawn from forty three countries across the continent. In 2012, the academy unveiled the "Hakeem and Myma Belo-Osagie Wing", named in recognition of the couple's support of the ALA and their advocacy on its behalf.

Personal life and education

Belo-Osagie was born in Lagos, Nigeria in 1955. His father was a professional gynaecologist and his mother was a nurse. He is the father of Yasmin Belo-Osagie. He attended King's College in Lagos and completed his secondary education at the United World College of the Atlantic in Wales.

Career

Oil industry

Belo-Osagie returned to Nigeria shortly after graduating from Harvard in 1980. He began his career in the service of the Federal Government of Nigeria working in various capacities in the energy sector ranging from Special Assistant to the Presidential Adviser on petroleum and energy, to Secretary of the Oil Policy Review and LNG Committees. He subsequently worked in the Petrochemicals Division of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. He resigned his appointment in 1986 to set up CTIC, which became a leading energy consulting firm. He also chairs the board of Vitol Nigeria, which is a subsidiary of the Swiss-based Vitol Group, a multinational energy and commodity trading firm.

Telecommunications and other recent ventures

Belo-Osagie until recently, was the chairman of the board of directors of Emerging Markets Telecommunications Services Ltd, a mobile telephone operator which operates in Nigeria under the Etisalat brand. He is the ultimate beneficial owner of a significant stake in the company, which is operated as a joint venture with Mubadala Development Company and the Etisalat group.

Belo-Osagie is the chairman of and main shareholder in Duval Properties Limited, a real estate company currently engaged in developing a major new residential and commercial district at Jabi Lake in Abuja. He also chairs the board of Vitol Nigeria, which is a subsidiary of the Swiss-based Vitol Group, a multinational energy and commodity trading firm.

Belo-Osagie has also recently invested in Andela, which is developing a network of high quality computer science education programmes across the African continent. Andela operates a self-financing model of education: it funds the training of promising young programmers, and generates revenue by supplying its graduates' services to a range of global clients.

Philanthropy

Belo-Osagie and his wife are among the largest donors to the African Leadership Academy (the "ALA" ), a residential secondary school in Johannesburg that works to educate Africa's brightest students. Founded in 2008, the highly selective ALA immerses promising young people in a rigorous two-year curriculum of leadership, service and African studies. The ALA network of alumni includes almost four hundred young leaders drawn from forty three countries across the continent. In 2012, the academy unveiled the "Hakeem and Myma Belo-Osagie Wing", named in recognition of the couple's support of the ALA and their advocacy on its behalf.

The couple have recently established the "Hakeem and Myma Belo-Osagie Fund for the Promotion of Africa" at Yale University, and are supporters of Harvard University's Center for African Studies. Belo-Osagie has also endowed a fund to provide scholarships for African students studying at Balliol College, Oxford.

Belo-Osagie serves on the board of Alfanar, a charity which applies the principles of private sector investment to charitable giving to help build sustainable social enterprises throughout the Arab world. He also chairs the Nigerian National Committee for the United World Colleges, which assists the organisation's member colleges in identifying suitable candidates for their two-year International Baccalaureate scholarship programmes. Mr Belo-Osagie has also funded several scholarships to the United World Colleges.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakeem_Belo-Osagie

Photo 1) Professor Tiamiyu Belo-Osagie.

Photo 2) Mr Hakeem Belo-Osagie

Adebayo Ogunlesi

Adebayo "Bayo" O. Ogunlesi CON (born 20 December 1953) is a Nigerian lawyer and investment banker. He is currently chairman and managing partner at the private equity firm Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP). Ogunlesi was the former head of global investment banking at Credit Suisse First Boston before being promoted to chief client officer and executive vice chairman.

Early life and education

Ogunlesi comes from Makun, Sagamu, Ogun State, Nigeria. He is the son of Theophilus O. Ogunlesi, the first Nigerian professor of medicine at University of Ibadan. His family is of Yoruba origin.

Ogunlesi went to King's College, Lagos, a secondary school in Lagos, Nigeria. He received a B.A. with first class honors in philosophy, politics and economics from Oxford University in England. In 1979, Ogunlesi received a JD–MBA from Harvard Law School and later Harvard Business School. During his time at Harvard, he was on the Harvard Law Review.

Career

From 1980 to 1981, Ogunlesi served as a law clerk to associate justice Thurgood Marshall of the United States Supreme Court. Ogunlesi was an attorney in the corporate practice group of the New York City law firm of Cravath, Swaine & Moore, where he had been a summer associate while studying for his M.B.A.

In 1983, Ogunlesi joined the investment bank First Boston as an advisor on a Nigerian gas project. At First Boston, he worked in the Project Finance Group, advising clients on transactions and financings and has worked on transactions in North and South America, the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. From 1997 to 2002, he was the Head of the Global Energy Group of the by then renamed Credit Suisse First Boston (CSFB). In 2002, Ogunlesi was appointed Global Head of CSFB's Investment Banking Division. Also in 2002, he served as a member of Credit Suisse's Executive Board and Management Committee. From 2004 to 2006, Ogunlesi was Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Client Officer of CSFB.

In July 2006, Ogunlesi started the private equity firm Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), a joint venture whose initial investors included Credit Suisse and General Electric. He currently serves as chairman and managing partner.

In 2006, GIP bought London City Airport. In 2009, GIP acquired a majority stake in London Gatwick Airport in a deal worth £1.455 billion. The Nigerian press has given him the nickname, "The Man Who Bought Gatwick Airport." GIP also owns Edinburgh Airport, which they bought in 2012, and Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori, which they bought in February 2018.

In January 2024, BlackRock agreed to buy Global Infrastructure Partners for about $12.5 billion. BlackRock will pay $3 billion in cash and 12 million of its own shares as part of the deal to buy GIP. The 400 people directly employed by GIP will receive some of the stock, and five of the six founding partners, including chief executive Ogunlesi, will join BlackRock as part of the deal.

Additional work

Ogunlesi is a member of the District of Columbia Bar Association. While working at Credit Suisse First Boston, he was a lecturer at Harvard Law School and the Yale School of Management, where he taught a course on transnational investment projects in emerging countries.

In October 2012, he was appointed to the board of directors at Goldman Sachs. On 24 July 2014, he was named lead director.

In December 2016, it was announced that Ogunlesi, among other business leaders, would be part of Donald Trump's Strategic and Policy Forum, which was disbanded on 16 August 2017.

In January 2025, Ogunlesi joined the board of directors of OpenAI.

Personal life

Ogunlesi has been married to British-born optometrist Dr. Amelia Quist-Ogunlesi since 1985. They have two children. In his song "Wonderful," Burna Boy pays tribute to Adebayo, citing his hard work. As of 2025, Forbes estimates his net worth at US$2.5 billion.

Awards and honors

Recipient of The International Center in New York's Award of Excellence. Ogunlesi was cited as one of the Top 100 most influential Africans by New African magazine in 2019.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adebayo_Ogunlesi

Bayo Ogunlesi

Bayo Onanuga @aonanuga1956

Executive Chairman of Federal Inland Revenue Service, Dr. Zacch Adedeji, Chief Executive Officer, Global Infrastructure Partners and Senior Managing Director Blackrock, Mr. Bayo Ogunlesi, President Bola Tinubu, former Managing Director/Chief Executive of UBA, Hakeem Bello-Osagie and Professor Afolabi Ogunlesi during an audience with President Tinubu at his Lagos residence on Monday, September 29, 2025

https://x.com/aonanuga1956/status/1972779093998653940?

I didn't want to respond to that guy because I know that he is a troll and I know why he was on this thread.

But now that I have blocked him, I can clearly say that Asisat Oshoala did not take Gift Monday's place. In recent years Gift Monday has played on the wings and Asisat Oshoala has played in the center forward position. The person that was picked instead of Gift Monday was Francisca Ordega.