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Events & Places
THE NATION, SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 2012
As years roll by in the constantly evolving world, old structures give way to new ones. Yet these old structures are of historical importance. The fast-changing face of Lagos Island's skyline has dwarfed some of the iconic buildings which define the history of the city. OKORIE UGURU tours some of these buildings
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HEY were once the toast of Lagos, the landmark that defined the city’s political, religious and social hue. Major decisions were made inside these buildings, so also they hosted major religious and social events. But time has left them behind. Although now stripped of the lustre of their good days, these buildings in Lagos are still standing. They represent echoes of the years gone by. For the young, these are simply old structures in need of demolition. But the old, seeing some them as desolate and unkept, would only shake their heads in nostalgia. For new residents of Lagos, it will be a journey into discovery to go on a tour of the Lagos metropolis and its environs to see some of the ancient landmarks that shaped the past and present Lagos and Nigeria. Cumulatively, three of them given prominence
below have a cumulative age of about 445 years, if one starts counting from when the foundation stone of Christ Church Cathedral, Marina was laid. The three structures are King’s College built in 1908; Christ Church Cathedral and Shitta Bey Mosque, on Martins Street, built in 1892. Christ Church Cathedral is the oldest Anglican church in Nigeria. It was started on March 29, 1867. It took almost 80 years before the dedication in May, 1946. To many ,it was worth the wait as it is regarded as one of the finest church structures in Africa. Shitta Bey Mosque’s architectural design is a little different from the more common domeshaped structure. It was built by a Brazilian, Joas Baptista Da Costa, for a rich Muslim from Sierra Leone, Mohammed Shitta Bey. The Nigerian Railway Corporation for more than
•The Jaekel House
Exploring Lagos ancient landmarks a century defined transportation in Nigeria. It was responsible for the movement of people and goods from one end of the country to another. A historic building, now a museum known as the Jaekal House offers an insight into this. It is also
one of the foremost ancient buildings in Lagos. Tucked inside the Railway Quarters in EbuteMeta, Lagos is the Jaekal House named after one of the expatriate drivers of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) from the 30s, William Jaekal.
The Jaekal House, according available documents, was built in the 19th century ,around 1890 as the residence of the General Manager of the railway service. It was taken over and rehabilitated by the Legacy Group, a group of
conservationists involved in identifying some of these old landmark structures and helping to preserve them. The house offers everyone the opportunity to see some of the structures built at the period. On the building, the president of the group, Mr. Desmond Majekodunmi, said the builing is among some of the structures they have been working with the Continued on Page 55
Osun community where February is like Yuletide O
TAN Ayegbaju, a serene community in Boluwaduro Local Government Area, Osun State, is reputed as a town where one dares not steal because one would be caught. It is regarded as a community where a stranger cannot enter without the inhabitants knowing. It boasts of a culture in which pride and good name take the centre stage. It is readily held up as a community where religious intolerance is alien. The sleepy community has the potential of hosting the heritage site of the United Nations Education and Children’s Fund
Gbenga ADERANTI
(UNESCO). Here, Christians of various denominations from all parts of the world gather at a place called Oke Maria for religious activities. It is, without a doubt, one of the biggest single religious gatherings in Nigeria. From the top of Oke Maria, a phrase that literally translates to Mary’s Hill, you could see the aerial view of the sleepy town. On top of the mountain is an annual pilgrimage performed by Christians of different shades every second weekend in the month of February. The event commences at 3 pm on Saturday with bible service and a carnival-like procession that lasts for about
•Pilgrims two hours. Originally designed for members of the Catholic Church, the procession begins from the town’s St Nicholas Catholic Church to a shrine on top of the hill, age or status notwithstanding. All together, it is a distance of about 10 kilometres. The night is filled with programmes that range from praying the rosary, to con-
fessions, penitential and healing services. As if the nature has made way for the annual pilgrimage, the host town, Otan Ayegbaju, is neatly tucked in the hollow of the hills. The usually quiet town is always agog a week before the annual festival. All hotel rooms are booked, and private hostels meant for stu-
dents are taken over by pilgrims. It is the period of the year the sleepy town becomes lively. The yuletide season is the only period that has the semblance of the lively air that pervades Otan Ayegbaju during Oke Maria, but it is never as lively. What is today an annual
pilgrimage began as a prayer meeting in 1980; an idea conceived by one Miss C.O. Otuyelu. Speaking about the annual event, the Parish priest, Rev Fr. Stevenson Olowolagba, explained that it is more than a pilgrimage. ‘’Oke Maria is a pilgrimage centre. When we talk of pilgrimage, we are talking