Marina Rd.

NIGERIA AIRWAYS INAUGURAL FLIGHT FROM LAGOS TO NEW YORK - OCTOBER 1964.

The first direct air service between Nigeria and the USA, inaugurated on October 4, 1964.

Dr K. O. Mbadiwe, Nigerian Minister of Aviation, said that the new service was sponsored jointly by Nigeria Airways and Pan American Airlines and that “this is a people-to-people flight dedicated to greater understanding, the strengthening of old friendships and the creation of more social and economic in*******se between Nigeria and America via Nigeria Airways.”

Mbadiwe set out to make Nigeria Airways a contender for the ever-increasing traffic between Lagos and New York, hitherto the exclusive preserve of Pan American Airlines.

Grandiosely, Mbadiwe executed what he dubbed Operation Fantastic to highlight the inaugural Nigerian Airways flight from Lagos to New York. Instead of inviting eminent Nigerians on the inaugural flight, Mbadiwe opted to take with him the Atilogu Folk Dancers, a carefully selected and well-trained group of Nigerian dancers and drummers.

The troupe performed at the auditorium of the State Department, at the International World’s Fair in New York, and at various venues in such cities as Chicago and San Francisco. The Atilogu Folk Dancers were a spectacular success.

An American film company, contracted by Mbadiwe, did a documentary of their American performance, which was shown both in Nigeria and abroad. For it had been Mbadiwe’s goal not only to market Nigeria Airways but to project a positive image of Nigeria in the United States and internationally.

Slide 1 : Dr Mbadiwe arriving at the JFK Airport in New York

Slide 2 : The Menu in the inaugural flight program.



Sources: Pan Am Museum, FLIGHT International and KO Mbadiwe: A Nigerian Political Biography by Hollis Lynch

BRITISH HIGH COMMISSIONER’S RESIDENCE.
6 MARINA,
LAGOS

Prompted by the UK Trade Commissioner in Lagos, a senior Ministry of Works team visited Nigeria in August 1957 to consider possible sites for high commission offices and a residence in Lagos.

Lionel Brett, a rising establishment architect, Royal Fine Art Commissioner and grandson of a former Secretary of the Office of Works, was commissioned for the design of the new high commissioner’s residence.

Brett proposed, as he recalled in his autobiography, “that every item in my long creamy-white house, from the teaspoons to the carpets, should be the best that British designers could produce; Edward Bawden should design the Royal Arms, black mosaic on white, over the entrance, Reg Butler make the courtyard bronze, Jo Pattrick master-mind the interior.”

The residence was built by an Italian firm, G Cappa Ltd, that bid £71,000, £19,000 lower than the next lowest tenderer, Taylor Woodrow.

The building was occupied in January 1961.

The house had only a short life as the residence of the British high commissioner. The high commissioner moved in June 1976 to an enlarged 3 Queens Drive (later called Oyinkan Abayomi Drive).

The house became a Mess for the Brigade of Guards (Nigerian Army), barracked nearby. It is still in use as a venue for events.

It has since been reconstructed and has lost most of its original elegance.

Slide 1: Front Entrance, 1960
Slide 2: Model of Lionel Brett’s design for the new residence, 1958, with Lagos Lagoon in foreground.
Slide 3: Schematic plans of new residence: ground floor on the left, first floor on right.
Slide 4: Looking down to entrance hall from first floor access balcony, 1960.
Slide 5: Looking down on dining room from bridge, with pool beyond, 1960.
Slide 6: View of Lagoon, beyond breakfast/dining terrace, 1960.
Slide 7: Dining room from entrance, looking towards terrace and Lagoon, 1960.
Slide 8: Lagoon frontage, from west, 1960.
Slide 9: Front entrance 2010.
Slide 10: Front entrance 2024.

With all the Top Boy hysteria going on - Here’s a picture of ‘Sully’ & ‘Jermaine’ at the Bar Beach, Lagos in 2008.

FLEA OF THE RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS AND KANO AT THE ROOFTOP OF THE (FELA’S RESIDENCE) IN 2008.

Kalakuta House is at Kalakuta Museum. The home of Fela Kuti. This is the first time an event of this kind would hold on the premises.

There will be a museum tour of FELA’s house as well as a feature documentary.

There will also be games, a paint section(puff and paint 😉) and a pop up. There will also be a tattoo artist on deck.

There will also be a silent disco later in the day featuring Lagos’ finest DJs at the rooftop.

11th June 2013
7 Gbemisola Street, Ikeja, Lagos
12pm

For more information follow

60 years ago today, Louis Armstrong arrived in Lagos, Nigeria for nearly a full week of performances as part of a tour co-sponsored by the US State Department and Pepsi.
Despite being celebrated abroad, Armstrong was not exactly a hit with the Lagos crowd who preferred the Highlife sound to the traditional Jazz sound. Only a handful of the crowd remained at the stadium during the end of his performance.

Marina Rd is having pop ups all weekend at these events. Come through to party and shop with us. Looking forward to seeing you all.

BRUNCH ON SUNDAYS is back again. Come and party with us (shop too lol).

What’s the story behind this building? Some accounts allege that this was the ‘Lagos Boat Race Club’. Anyone with information please leave a comment.

1. circa 1920 -1935
2. circa 1940 - 1945
3. Boat racing event. Year unknown:
4. Present day. 2022.