130 YEARS OLD HOUSE STILL STANDING IN ASABA - BUILT IN 1886

By Austin Oyibode

Mungo Park House in Asaba is an example of buildings constructed with solid materials. It was built in 1886 by the Europeans who colonized Nigeria.

It has existed for over 130 years but still very strong and solid as if it was built a few months ago. It is a one storey building with strong wood, iron and corrugated zinc.

Presently, the building named after Mungo Park, the European explorer, who wanted to see the beginning and end of the River Niger, is housing the National Museum and Monument in Asaba, the Delta state capital.

Chidi Uchenwa, Principal Education Officer of the Museum in Asaba, who took NAIJ.com round the length and breadth of the structure, said the building was erected by the Royal Niger Company who employed it for various purposes. Uchenwa explained that the building served as the administrative headquarters of the Southern Protectorate.

The building in Asaba which was first administrative headquarters of Nigeria Prior to 1914 when Nigeria was amalgamated by Lord Frederick Lugard, there was no name as Nigeria.

Then the country was divided into three zones, the Northern Protectorates headquartered in Zungeru, in the present Niger state; Southern protectorate headquartered in Asaba while Lagos served as a colony.

NAIJ.com learnt that from Asaba, the headquarters was temporarily moved to Ogwashi Uku and from there it was moved to Calabar, which later became the administrative headquarters of Nigeria.

Hence, Uchenwa argued that Asaba was the first administrative headquarters of Nigeria following the fact that it was from Asaba the headquarters was moved to Calabar which was before then under Asaba. 

He explained that then protectorate then under Asaba was administered by George Tubman Goldie. It was further learnt that the indigenous people were resistant to imperialist moves of the Europeans who attempted to undermine the African culture in preference for the European culture. 

This building is 130 years old. It was the first administrative headquarters of Nigeria. It was built in 1886 “The indigenes were not happy with their cultures being eroded. This is because as the white men were coming, they came with their education, their religion and many other changes which the indigenes were not happy with.

They did not coincide with their own culture as Africans. “So, they took up a revolt against them. And that revolt was called Ekumeku war. As a result of that Ekumeku war, there was a decision to move the headquarters of the protectorate from Asaba to Ogwashi Uku and from there it was again moved over to Calabar which later became the first capital of Nigeria when it was born in 1914.”

Hence, he said: “If we are to count where the first capital started, one is proud to say it started from Asaba.” This building was the office then of the administrators. It was administered by Sir Tobman George Goldee. Head of Southern protectorate. Since it moved over from the protectorate headquarters and handed over to the Nigerian government, it has served many establishments. It served as school for the handicapped. It was one time a state library. It served as the office of the urban water board.

The ageless building was finally handed over to the National Commission for Museum and Monuments in 1997. And from then till now, the building has remained under the care of the National Commission of Museums and Monuments.

It was further revealed that besides the building being the administrative headquarters of the Southern protectorate then, the building served as warehouse where the Europeans who administered the protectorate stored the palm oil they got from the hinterland.

It was also part of their residence including the smaller buildings attached to it. See the building in Asaba which was FIRST administrative headquarters of Nigeria But one thing is significant about the building. Since it was built in 1886, it has not been renovated nor has government, whether state or federal, dropped a dime for the renovation or strengthening of the building. “The building has been like this since it was built in 1886.

This year is making it 130 years of this structure but it still remains the same,” our guide, Uchenwa, explained. Uchenwa further explained that the building is built with iron, strong wood and corrugated zinc. “The nature of the iron and the wood used for it right from the side to the middle through to the edges, makes it difficult for the building to collapse.

You can see, there is iron all over the place running through from one end to the other,” he explained. Comparing the building with the ones that crash in Nigeria on a daily basis, Uchenwa said Nigerians are no longer building houses.

He said the people who built the house had a minimum plan of 200 ahead, hence they employed the best materials to make the building strong and standard. He felt pained because Nigerians are using substandard materials in constructing modern skyscrapers and other storey buildings which have continued to crash and destroy human lives and properties worth millions of naira across the country.

But Uchenwa was not completely happy over the fact that the building housing the museum is an artifact on its own considering its age, he said they cannot display their artifacts in it because it lacks security.

Again, the building cannot accommodate all the over 100 artifacts they have. He blamed the Delta state government for its unwillingness to come to their aid. He said: “Yes, the Delta state government refused to cooperate. Instead of them to come in and say this thing is in our land, let’s see how we can help, they are not helping matters.

Do I say it is because it is a federal government institution? I’m feeling if it were a state affair, they would have done something about it.” He said the museum has made several efforts but it met a brick wall. 

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