Ahmed Yahaya – Joe
The attached aerial photograph not only captures the bygone days when the Lagos lagoon water was still blue but how the erstwhile Western Regional government gave the Federal government of Nigeria a good run for propaganda value in the brief “contest” for the tallest building in Nigeria.
While I have not succeeded in dating the picture to any particular year there is a 5-year time frame between 1961 and 1966 that I shall endeavor to contextualize in my conclusion.
The capuccino of the Nigerian construction industry is Cappa & D’Alberto established by Pietro Cappa and Viginio D’Alberto in Kaduna in 1931 but relocated to Lagos in 1932 for more opportunity where Grato Cappa, brother of Pietro later founded G. Cappa in 1935;
“During World War II, the firm’s asset was briefly under the control of British authorities through the custodian of enemy properties, both D’Alberto and Cappa returned to Italy and the remaining Italian employees were interned in Jamaica until the end of the war. The partners returned in 1945 and re-established the firm, after taking control of their remaining assets.”
By 1954, when Chief Obafemi Awolowo (1909-1987) became the Premier of the Western Region, Cappa & D’Alberto had had enough proven track record all over the colonial contours of Nigeria well beyond its main British rival, Costain founded in 1865 at Maidenhead, England.
It was therefore not surprising the Italians constructed the Western House and the nearby Independence Building and then went on to build at Ibadan the “Ile Awon Agbe” (House of Farmers) better known as Cocoa House.
Incidentally, during the same First Republic period Julius Berger (Big Blue) arrived in Lagos to build the Eko Bridge under the supervision of then Minister for Works (later President) Shehu Shagari who also that same year oversaw the completion of the River Niger Bridge linking Asaba with Onitsha by Dumez, a French company.
Julius Berger had been in neighboring Cameron since 1912 when it was under German control of then Kamerun.
However, when large tracks of present-day Borno, Adamawa, and Taraba states were incorporated into Nigeria after a United Nations plebiscite in 1963 the concept of “German floor” became part of our construction lexicon.
Officially the oldest story-building in Nigeria is located at Badagry. Its foundation was laid in 1843 with the office-cum-residence and storehouse completed by the Church Missionary Society (CMS) in 1845.
If truth be told there was already a multi-storeyed building elsewhere at Gobarau rising up to 50 feet that have been variously an ivory tower, astronomical observatory, and eventually a minaret since the reign of Muhammadu Korau that held sway in Katsina from 1398 to 1408.
In 1959 with 20-storeys Western House was the tallest building in Nigeria.
What was the primary motivation for such a huge investment since the then-federal territory of Lagos was not under the Western Region?
It was a combination of prime real investment and perhaps a symbolic gesture of political ego over Nigeria’s seat of power as self-government approached.
Back then the “three arms” of State House Marina, the Supreme Court, and Parliament House were all located around the perimeter of the Race Course since renamed Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) which all had the Western House towering over them on eve of national independence.
Perhaps why the departed British endeavored to build and donate a taller structure of 25-storeys – Independence House at 103m (338 feet) high to the federal government in 1961.
The fact that the “gift” was right next to Western House on Broad Street by the roundabout on the T-junction next to the then US Embassy as can be clearly seen in the picture implies some form of symbolic contestation. Apparently not to be outdone the Western Region built what is now the 105m (344 feet) high Cocoa House at Dugbe in Ibadan of 26 storeys in 1965.
I have always wondered if that barely 2m (6 feet) competition for lofty heights in political grandstanding was really worth it.
The question is pertinent as at that time the tallest building in the United Kingdom was the Shell Center coincidentally completed in 1961 and located at the Borough of Lambert in the South Bank of London relatively at just 107m (351 feet) high.
Anyway, in conclusion, my chief reason for giving the attached picture of an upper time limit of 1966 is twofold.
First, the Apapa quays are looking completely bereft of vessel “go-slow” with materiel from 1967 onwards for 30 months as Nigeria descended into involuntary self-destruction.
Second, there is absolutely no sign of site activity whatsoever at where construction works of the imposing Lagos City Hall would commence in August 1965 and be completed in July 1970 by Messrs Reynolds Construction. See the foreground bottom right along Catholic Mission Street in the King’s College axis of the picture.
Note adjacent to the State House Marina by Marina on the grounds that eventually hosted the 32-storey NECOM House (later NET Building subsequently Nitel Tower) that attained 160m (525 feet) by 1979 built by Costain. See foreground bottom left. It remains Nigeria’s tallest building.
The abysmal lack of traffic on the roads and signs of parked cars at the green of the Race Course directly opposite the T-junction roundabout in front of the US Embassy meant perhaps cricket or even rugby (that gentleman’s game played by hooligans) which suggests the photograph was taken either during the weekend or on a public holiday.
Every picture tells a story. No doubt, this one is about Nigeria’s innocuous battle for the skies.
Back then where was Qatar?
