First storey building in Nigeria.
This building should have been giving the utmost care and attention by Nigeria.Every school kid should have at one time or the other gone to this place as a pilgrimage.But things like that do not happen in Nigeria.Great shame.
Badagry serves as home to historical landmarks in Nigeria as well as being a major hub of trans-atlantic slave trade in West Africa. The early missionaries in Nigeria landed in Badagry and pioneered Christianity, western education and mechanized agriculture in the country. Their contribution to civiization in Nigeria is still evident in some of parts of Badagry such as
the first-storey building. Invited by the first missionary in Nigeria, Birch Freeman, Rev. Henry Townsend laid the foundation of the first-ever storey building in Nigeria in 1842 but the building was finally completed in 1845 by Rev. C.A Gollmer.
Overlooking the Marina waterfront, this historical building houses some of the items used by the early missionaries such as the Bible and others.
Despite the claims that storey buildings were already built in the Northern side of the country before the arrival of the missionaries, the first documented storey building in Nigeria is in Badagry and it holds many historical relics such as the building materials used in constructing the house itself.
Found in the labourer’s room are the corrugated iron sheets and the nails used in the roofing of the building. The doors and hinges are still the same and appear to have stood the test of time more than what is obtainable in the market today.
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| Ebun House(85 Odunfa St.) owned by a Sierra Leonean immigrant, was the 1st 3-story building built in Lagos in 1913 |
Moving upstairs through the rickety wooden staircase is the room of the first Bishop in Nigeria who wrote the first Yoruba Bible in Nigeria. Stored in this room is the first English Bible belonging to Townsend when he was invited by his friend Birch Freeman, alongside the Yoruba version translated by Bishop Ajayi Crowther. Hung on the wall of this room are portraits of Rev. Townsend and also that of Bishop Crowther with his grandson Herbert Macaulay.
From this room, one can see the house of Lord Fredrick Luggard-the then governor of the colony and protectorate of Southern Nigeria-which is currently under construction.
Right after this room is Gollmer’s room where the first bench used by the missionary is kept. There is also the Bible room where the missionaries stored their Bibles. The safe room also had the first safe used by the missionary in 1856 where they kept their money and other valuable items. Also in this safe are the earliest form of currency used by the missionaries and slave masters such as the cowries, penny, shillings and kobo.
Also situated in the premises of the building is a well, which was dug in 1842. Ezekiel revealed that the water has never been polluted and served as drinking water in the community.
“It has never been treated before even when other sources of water in this community have been polluted, the water of this well remains clean and is believed to have magical powers of healing.”
When Birch Freeman arrived in Badagry on September 24, 1842, he preached his first gospel under the notable Agia Tree. Under this umbrella tree, though no longer in existence, the first sermon in Nigeria was preached and the tree also served as the centre of Christmas celebration for the early Christians.
The Birch Freeman High School in Surulere was named after this missionary and is an alma mater of the Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola.
Rev. Townsend, apart from introducing the first English Bible used in Nigeria, also published the first indigenous newspaper in Nigeria called Iwe Irohin in 1859 in Abeokuta.
In addition to being a tourist centre, the first-storey building has become a location for the entertainment industry as well. Ezekiel disclosed that musicians and models use the site for their videos and photo sessions. Little wonder then that former Mr. Nigeria Brian Okpara was on site having a photo session.
Improvement Required
Despite it having stood the test of time, it still needs some renovation to ensure its stability and preservation. The wooden staircase is in a bad condition and the wooden floor upstairs could scare a visitor away with its creaky noise. As a monument of cultural heritage the first-storey building in Nigeria requires utmost preservation.
source This Day.
Despite it having stood the test of time, it still needs some renovation to ensure its stability and preservation. The wooden staircase is in a bad condition and the wooden floor upstairs could scare a visitor away with its creaky noise. As a monument of cultural heritage the first-storey building in Nigeria requires utmost preservation.
source This Day.