WHAT THE AVERAGE NIGERIAN DOESN'T KNOW ABOUT LORD LUGARD

      

Ask the average Nigerian who Lord Lugard is, and (s)he is probably going to reply like this - Lord Lugard was the firstgovernor of Nigeria and he amalgamated the North and South! Elsewhere, the Historian Nigerian would reply in this way, or some variant of this – Lord Fredrick Lugard was the first Governor-General of Nigeria, after amalgamating the Northern and Southern Protectorate in 1914. Also, his wife; Flora Shaw or Lady Lugard, gave Nigeria its name. That’s what most of our knowledge as Nigerians, of Lugard, is limited to.

During the last independence celebration, of course it was a public holiday, I was catching up on my reading, doing it the exact way I love – reading everything I could lay my hands on at that moment. The internet was awash with various diatribes about Nigeria. A few articles of encouragement here and there, critical analyses too, of the present state of Nigeria, with reference to the past. There were basically all sorts of pieces out there, still are. There were also quite a few that mentioned our past heroes, and some past leaders, Lugard made the cut.

Permit me to digress a bit, Lugard for many of us has ceased to be the admirable figure we learnt about in primary school social studies/high school government, especially with the advent of the internet and the attendant flow of information. “...he lacks the power of organization, and is conspicuously deficient in the management and control alike of men or business...” What you just read is a line from what Lugard thought of Africans, please go on Google for the full quote made in 1926, and others. I, personally, am indifferent but a little showing in a positive lighton the internet for Lugard is needed. Hence, it was a good thing to come across this article Behold, Lugard's foot-bridge.

The article makes for a good and educative read as it enlightens us about a pedestrian bridge tucked away in a corner of the popular Gamji Gate in Kaduna; a tourist site and relaxation park. The piece basically sums up one more good thing Lord Lugard gave us as a nation, other than literally uniting us. The piece showcases a landmark that has joined the ranks of various monuments such as Lugard House (official residence of the governor of Kogi State, Nigeria), Lugard Hall (Kaduna State House of Assembly) etc. Please comment and share, and also remember to mention the bridge when next you are asked who Lord Lugard was. Thank you.