Home » Africa: 161 year old Monument “Ilojo Bar” Demolished in Lagos

Africa: 161 year old Monument “Ilojo Bar” Demolished in Lagos

by Atqnews
0 comments

By Friday Nwosu
Legacy, a Historical and Environmental Interest Group in Nigeria, has petitioned the Lagos State government for destroying a 161-year old building located in the state.
According to the President, Legacy, Desmond Majekodunmi, the petition is against people who have literally taken laws into their own hands and is a fight for the sovereignty of the laws that form the basis of the country called Nigeria.

The building, known as Ilojo Bar (Casa do Fernandez) was a Brazilian style of architecture brought in by returnee slaves to Lagos.

Sunday, 11th September 2016 marks a dirty taint on the history of Lagos and Nigeria as a whole. It was the day ‘developers’, acting in total disregard for the constitution, tore down a 161-year old beauty that carried immeasurable value for the life and soul of a people. The building was the epitome of the Lagos Brazilian Style of architecture brought in by returnee slaves”.

He said the National Commission for Museums and Monuments has it boldly listed on their Monuments and Sites page.

Majekodunmi said the group is demanding the perpetrators of the dastardly act brought to book.

He said: “We will not rest until they face the full wrath of the law. Legacy has the full measured drawings of the original building to enable it to be reconstructed exactly as it was. And this is exactly what should be done.”

One of the aims of Legacy is to identify historical buildings, monuments and areas of the built environment which would be singled out for their contribution to the evolution, history and culture of Nigeria.

Ilojo Bar located on Bamgbose Street, Tinubu Square at Lagos Island, the historic building which stood as the best example of Brazilian style of architecture was built by Africans who regained their freedom from Portuguese slave masters in Brazil.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian government has ordered for the restoration of the highly valued Ilojo Bar national monument demolished by a developer.

The Director General of National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), Mr. Yusuf Abdallah Usman, in a statement said that Ilojo Bar was built approximately 190 years ago and in all these years stood as the best example of Brazilian style of architecture.

Usman noted that the bar is a historical, social and architectural values have been well acclaimed, prompting the Federal government of Nigeria to provide special protection status as a National Monument through Gazette 25 Vol. 43 of April 5, 1956.

The NCMM boss lamented that the demolition has destroyed a masterpiece of the only surviving Brazilian houses in Lagos with its attractive arches and fine iron works as statue described as being “Gothic in style and balustrade reminiscent of a Venetian palace”.

He warned that the action has done great injustice to the credit of African craftsmanship in architecture which has exerted great influence on Yoruba architecture that is today visible in all parts of Yoruba land.

“Indeed the demolition has eliminated the tangible evidence of social and cultural impact of the transatlantic slave trade and its abolition. It has wiped away an outstanding source of memory and history of freed slaves and their roles and impact in the evolution and development of cosmopolitan urban Lagos. At the same time it has destroyed one of the outstanding symbolic evidence of cultural ties between Nigeria and Black diaspora in general and Brazil in particular,” he stated.

Usman vowed that the dastardly act has distorted the eminent position of Lagos in colonial history as centre where returnee slaves from Brazil built houses in the new architectural fashion when Lagos was created as a colony, thus impoverishing Lagos of its rich architectural urban history and undermining its acclaimed status as centre of excellence.

Usman further assured that the NCMM will not rest on its oars until the perpetrators of this dastardly act are brought to book. In line with the powers and responsibilities conferred on it by NCMM Act, Cap N19, Laws of the federal republic of Nigeria 2004, the NCMM will ensure that criminal action is brought on the culprits as well as demand full compensation for the demolished monument.

“It will be reconstructed and fully restored according to professional restoration standards. We wish to assure all Nigerians that the Ilojo Bar will be restored as it is a fully documented National Monument with an up-to-date and comprehensive documentation of its architectural history and design details. Consequently, NCMM is poised to restore Ilojo Bar back to its original authentic form,” he assured.

In the meantime, Usman said, the site of the monument being an integral heritage space is being explored for rescue archaeology and heritage impact assessment.

To this end, he called on all well-meaning Nigerians to join the National Commission for Museums and Monument in saving, protecting and maintaining our national heritage resources.

 

You may also like

Leave a Comment

ATQnews.com

ATQnews.com® a member of Travel Media Group is the online platform for African Travel Quarterly (ATQ), the first travel magazine in West Africa which solely focuses on travel and tourism issues. 

ATQNEWS

Latest News

ATQNEWS @2024 – All Right Reserved.

Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?
-
00:00
00:00
Update Required Flash plugin
-
00:00
00:00