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October 1, 1960 would remain indelible in Nigeria’s history. Nigerians will continue to cherish the day because it was on that day that the country was granted full independence from Great Britain, and it received its Freedom Charter from the Queen’s representative at the independence ceremony, Princess Alexandra of Kent.
Marked low-keyed today across the 36 state capitals, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja as a result of present economic realities, both the Federal Government and some state governments have already made statements to that effect.
Lagos was the centre of attraction when Nigeria gained independence from British rule, 63 years ago. That was when Lagos was still the country’s political capital, as a result of being Nigeria’s federal capital.
But despite losing that status to Abuja, the new Federal Capital Territory, some monuments that marked that momentous event 63 years ago are still standing tall, but now decrepit. Some of them include the Tafawa Balewa Square, the Independence House, and the Tinubu Square. They are all on Lagos Island.
From ‘Race Course’ to Tafawa Balewa Square
The then Race Course, which is now known as Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) hosted the symbolic transfer of power between both countries. The then Prime Minister of the country, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, announced Nigeria’s independence in his speech, which was read at the then Race Course, alongside Princess Alexandria and Sir James Robertson, on October 1, 1960
The main arena of Tafawa Balewa Square now regularly hosts different public events. The Race Course was renamed Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) in honour of Nigeria’s first prime minister, and it is the country’s most known independence monument.
Before it was renamed, the Lagos Race Course was a sports field that hosted horse racing, with sections of it devoted for football and cricket. The land, according to a variant of history, was donated to colonial authorities, by Oba Dosunmu of Lagos, in 1859. About a decade later, the course was redeveloped to celebrate Nigeria’s independence and the lowering of the Union Jack.
TBS at present houses the Lagos Liaison Office of the National Assembly; an office of the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency, shopping centres, travel agencies, restaurants, parking lots, the zonal office of the National Broadcasting Commission; Public Complaints Commission, the Lagos office of the Federal Government Staff Housing Loan Board, Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate, and a bus terminal. Its open field, the main arena that usually host events has the capacity to accommodate 50,000 persons.
Moving around the complex, a closer look at it shows that it is in dire need of attention, as reflected in the present state of the four white horses and 11 red eagles at the top of the front elevation of the facility.
Among the sea of heads milling around the complex, are also persons that are doing business illegally in sections of the place. Trading activities flourish right from the square’s entrance, be it from the Onikan side, or from the Obalende end of the structure.
Also competing for space on the 14.5 hectares of land that the TBS stands on, are the varied sizes of power generating sets mounted on different section of the arena by the different organisations that are operating within the complex. Some of the big power generating sets effectively contribute to polluting the environment.
The effect of these plants humming constantly, find expression in the darkened and dirty walls of some of the structures within the complex.
Adding to the ugly spectacle of the once magnificient edifice, are cracked walls and columns, which show dire lack of maintenance.
Apart from corporate private and government businesses that are quartered in the complex, small and medium scale businesses also thrive alongside.
They include food and confectionary vendors, drink sellers, watch repairers, and cobblers. Expectedly, their presence has attracted all manner of makeshift structures, which are contributing their quota to a disheveled vicinity.
While a fresh coat of paint was recently applied on the gates, that cannot be said of the concrete structures, which seriously need an urgent facelift.
From Independence Square to Tinubu Square
Among the landmark monuments that commemorate the country’s independence is the Independence Square built in 1960, and later renamed Tinubu Square in honour of Madam Efunroye Tinubu, who died in 1887. It is on Broad Street, Lagos Island, and the Lagos State government reconstructed it in 2007.
Tinubu Square served as a recreational spot and relaxation centre since it was first built in 1960. But it is now being used for much more, including things that are not befitting. Heaps of refuse are dumped by the facility by residents and traders; while sections of it serve as urinary.
Passing besides the Tinubu Square requires one holding ones breathe as a result of the offensive smell oozing out from the facility, which petty traders and food hawkers are also using to display their wares.
Independence House Now Defense House
The Independence House is a 25-storey office building said to have been commissioned by the British government as a testimonial to, and as a good §!will to support Nigeria’s independence in 1960. It was gathered that the construction of the building, which was once the tallest building in Nigeria, started in 1959 and was completed in 1961.
It was also learnt that the building was built of reinforced concrete, housing major corporations and the Defense Headquarters under the General Ibrahim Babaginda-led administration hence the name it now bears- Defense House.
However, portions of the building were razed by fire in 1993 and since then, the building has not been managed properly, with successive governments leaving the structure to continue to rot.
As Nigeria marks its 63rd anniversary today, while the Eagle Square in Abuja may be wearing a glistering look, that is not the story of monuments erected to commemorate the country’s independence that are in Lagos State
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