What Happened?
On Wednesday, the main gates that lead into and out of Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) were pulled down.
While information around the incident remains scanty, a private investor is reportedly behind it. The incident has been met with some criticism, particularly from Open House Lagos, an architecture-based non-profit organisation established in 2006, which published a lengthy statement opposing the destruction, calling it “illegal.”
Originally called Race Course, Tafawa Balewa Square is a 14.5-hectare ceremonial ground in Lagos Island, Lagos.
The entrance to the square has humongous sculptures of four white horses towering above the gate and seven red eagles, symbols from Nigeria’s national emblem. Other monuments in the square include the Remembrance Arcade (with memorials to World War I, World War II and Nigerian civil war victims) and the 26-storey Independence House built in 1963 which for a long time was the tallest building in Nigeria.
In its heyday, the course hosted the Empire Day parades and on 1 October 1960 hosted Nigeria’s Independence Day celebration.
“Illegal” action
In opposing the destruction of the gates, Open House Lagos described the action as “illegal,” citing a Listed Sites Law enacted by the Lagos State House of Assembly in June 2011 which states that Grade 1 Listed Sites—which are those of special interest and are vested in or acquired by the government—shall see the government “preserve, rehabilitate and maintain them.”
Tafawa Balewa Square, Open House Lagos claimed, is Grade 1 listed, thus the destruction of its main gates constitute a crime.
“TBS (in its entirety) is Grade 1 Listed (Listed Sites Law 2011 of Lagos State), and herein lies the crux of the problem with this transgression and flagrant flouting of the law; it is illegal. And consequently, the gates must be re-installed. It is also quite clear that the contractor has cut up the gates and carted away with the pieces. Exact replicas must be built and installed,” the statement by Open House Lagos reads.
“These acts of defiance of Listing Laws must be brought to an end. Ilojo Bar, a prime example of the Portuguese style (imported from Brazil) that once dominated Lagos Island was demolished in spite of its Grade 1 Listing.”
Loss of cultural heritage
Among the reasons this non-profit body has opposed the removal of the gates is that it believes it to be an erasure of the state’s cultural heritage, imploring vested parties to reinstall the gates.
“This sort of bravado and eradication of the architectural heritage of Lagos must end forthwith. We ask all those party to this attack on TBS to retrace their steps and put back the gates,” said Open House Lagos.
Government’s response
As of the time of filing this report neither the Nigerian federal government nor the Lagos State government, both of whom currently contend for the ownership of Tafawa Balewa Square, had published a statement regarding the removal of the gates.
Last October, the Nigerian federal government considered selling Tafawa Balewa Square and some other assets in order to fund the 2023 budget deficit of 10.7 trillion naira. In response the Lagos State Government warned against such a move, saying through its Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo that the federal government had no right to make any such decision until their case at the Supreme Court is resolved.