In what can be considered an irony and poor sense of history an ironic twist, the old cabinet office building, which lies between Strachan and Moloney Streets in Lagos and once served as office of Nigeria’s first Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, is now in ruins, Sunday Mirror investigations have revealed.

The now dilapidated and apparently abandoned building also served as offices to the Prime Minister’s cabinet members, in the early 60s.

The three-storey structure is not only dwarfed by the sprawling pavilions of the Tafawa Balewa Square Complex that overlooks what used to be the PM’s office in the First Republic.

The ex-cabinet office lies desolate and it is a shadow of its old self. Though a section of the premises presently houses Nigeria’s Defence Ministry Liaison 0ffice, the premises have been overtaken by weeds and shrubs, as residents expressed the belief that the place now harbours dangerous reptiles and rodents.

Depicting its state of abandonment, Chief Imam at Central Mosque at the Trade Fair Complex, Lagos, Alhaji Taofeek Sanni, lamented:

“It is shameful that the Cabinet Office, which housed the old offices of the late Prime Minister, Alhaji (Sir) Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, lies desolate and in waste at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos.”

A section of the building has no rooftops, and the coatings have peeled off the walls. The cleric noted that it is a shame that such a historical monument had got to such a sorry state.

He remarked; “Like many other national Institutions, this edifice now belongs to a faded past. “We have no sense of history, in allowing the office of our only Prime Minister reduced to rubble. It is a national disgrace.

Yet, we proceed to celebrate 100 years of amalgamation. He who does not learn from history is doomed to relive it,” the cleric complained.

Another concerned Nigerian who spoke on condition of anonymity described the old cabinet office as an eye-sore and a disgrace to the nation. “The old cabinet office should be a national monument. It is a shame that it has been left to rot away.

It would have been better if we maintained it at least for our children to see. It is not supposed to be like this. It shows that we lack maintenance culture,” he added.

On his part, Pa Akinsola Saint Mathew Daniel told Sunday Mirror that the old cabinet office used to be a wonderful place.

His words: “I was born and brought up here on Strachan Street. My father owns almost the whole houses on this street. This is where I was born and bred. I was a boy when Alhaji Tafawa Balewa reigned from this premises.

“Until the Second Republic, the old cabinet building still played prominent role in governance. But its relevance began to diminish after the seat of government was moved to Abuja.”

Pa Daniel, who is described as ‘Father’ on Strachan Street, however recalled that its descent into dilapidation began in the early hours of one morning, between 4.30 and 5 o’clock, about five years ago.

“We saw fire billowing out of the Cabinet Office building; and since then, nothing has been done to rebuild it.

Things have been going bad,” he explained. “We don’t know where Nigeria is heading to. They just grabbed everything; and put fire in the once appealing building. The country is just in a big mess. Since then, nothing has been done. See the outside; see trees growing on top of the building.

They are supposed to have done something. Because they have a lot of such buildings in government and as personal possession, they don’t care about buildings like this,” he complained. He further noted that by virtue of the historical significance of the building, it was supposed to be a national monument.

“It is in a big mess but it seems as they are not worried. The country is careless; when something gets spoilt, they will just abandon it and take on another one without repairing the former. Not quite long ago, the LAPAL House got burnt too,” Pa Daniel lamented.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/shame-of-a-nation-balewa-late-nigerias-first-pms-office-in-ruins/

Cry o beloved country!

That man was very polished,he didn't sound anything like a nigerian,talkless of an aboki.

He must have been very intelligent,principled,purposeful and disciplined like most nigerians of his time.

The nigerian elite of today are cowboys,paedophilles,thieves and traitors.

Not sounding like a Nigerian is NOT a "mark" of being polished.
Please stop displaying this mentality.
It is the reason why those people you want to sound like keep considering us to less than human.
It is not how you sound, it is what you are saying.

redsun: That man was very polished,he didn't sound anything like a nigerian,talkless of an aboki.
He must have been very intelligent,principled,purposeful and disciplined like most nigerians of his time.
The nigerian elite of today are cowboys,paedophilles,thieves and traitors.

But the useless clowns are asking for 4 billion to swindle on some useless and unconstitutional first lady rubbish...


Unpatriotic and incompetent cassava bread losers with no sense of duty and purpose in life.

please and please ooo........don't blame the government, you can put the blame on me. waiting for someone to mention Ge.......

Na today? Shey dem don fix ikeja police college finish?

Shut the fvck up! I am not talking of English ascent mudefucker,but when you here some one talk,you know what he is made of.

koruji: Not sounding like a Nigerian is NOT a "mark" of being polished.
Please stop displaying this mentality.
It is the reason why those people you want to sound like keep considering us to less than human.
It is not how you sound, it is what you are saying.

koruji: Not sounding like a Nigerian is NOT a "mark" of being polished.
Please stop displaying this mentality.
It is the reason why those people you want to sound like keep considering us to less than human.
It is not how you sound, it is what you are saying.

koruji: Not sounding like a Nigerian is NOT a "mark" of being polished.
Please stop displaying this mentality.
It is the reason why those people you want to sound like keep considering us to less than human.
It is not how you sound, it is what you are saying.

The labour of our heroes past shall always be in vain?....naija we hail thee

redsun: Shut the fvck up! I am not talking of English ascent mudefucker,but when you here some one talk,you know what he is made of.

*hear

k2039: [size=13pt] Pathetic.
Symptoms of a failed republic.
[/size]

i agree it shows a poor sense of history to let this historic part of our country's history rot. But saying letting this building rot is "symptoms of a failed republic" is just ridiculous and exargerated!!

redsun: Shut the fvck up! I am not talking of English ascent mudefucker,but when you here some one talk,you know what he is made of.

Stop being half smart here.

Nigeria doesn't remember her heroes.

Tafawa Balewa, Nnamdi Azikiwe...<Insert others>

Maintenance has always been Nigeria's weakness. It's a culture i never heard one mention during my school days in Nigeria. Unfortunately, decay is brazenly displayed everywhere in our society - at homes, Schools, hospitals, public buildings, roads, vehicles etc. Architectural masterpieces and national monuments are decaying across the country. Isn't it time for us to start imbibing maintenance culture in our kindergarten, so that the young ones may rescue us from our shameful neglects someday?

I weep n cry for my country.....I neva in my life knew that PM office is there before......God bless does who brings this picture out bcus to me this is my national historial thing

Sibrah:
Stop being half smart here.

How will a sub like you know the difference?

*Yawns*

Well what can I say, well the building is a danger to itself so let demolish it and use it for something else. It's not all the time we blame Gej for everything that goes wrong.

Anoda monument wasted... Where's the ministry of culture and tourism??

As an Architect, I normally dream of getting the job of renovating buildings like this. They're structurally better and they have more character than most current buildings. Its a pity they choose to ignore these buildings.

D building fine sha


But dat looks like a 2-storey building o

Gombs: D building fine sha


But dat looks like a 2-storey building o

Left over of the British,maybe.

That is why we don't have monuments,we don't build neither do we maintain for the mere fact that we don't understand the concept of building. All we do is destroy what we have just to fatten our bank accounts with stolen blood monies.

It should be leveled with a Bulldozer and a low cost estate should be built there for the poor. What history is there, nothing good came out of those past selfish leaders who mixed oil with water.

They should give it to those without accomodation in that country called Lagos marred by overpopulation with no accomodation.

Stories like this reinforce the FACT that dying for Nigeria ,as she is presently, IS A WASTE OF YOUR ESSENCE AND BEING
Remember GANI FAWEHINMI
Forget not SAM OKPARAJI(Hope I spelt it right)

What a lugubrious sight

If the govt cannot maintain the sprawling beautiful Abuja National Stadium which is at the heart of the federal capital territory to d extent that it now overgrown with shrubs, how will they remember an historica edifice that is in 'far away' Lagos! Shame.

I bet this will soon become contract to be awarded and make some boys happy. Sign of govt without plan, focus or vision. Govt that has to be reminded of her responsibility by the media.

Quite unfortunate! What ought to be a National Monument! Depicts the fact that we are far from being a Nation!!