Eyes of a Lagos Boy Photo of the Week series on then and now of landmark sites of Lagos is a project that has brought Nigerians together to appreciate our past and the reality of today.
This week’s edition features The Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina Lagos – a major city icon in the last 157 years, also described as the oldest Anglican cathedral in Nigeria.
The ‘then’ photos taken by photographers long gone, some of them unknown, combined with ‘now’ shots in a collage replicated by Eyes of a Lagos Boy have created a buzz and serve as a great topic of discussion among people of all ages on and off the internet. These photos have helped us put our nostalgic compass in perspective. Some even use them to bolster their political arguments on multiple sides.
The top picture, taken for Life Magazine circa 1959 shows the cathedral in the picture, the sparse number of people and cars on the road is a pure reflection of the population explosion Lagos witnesses today. The Now photo shows the Marina, Odunlami Street around the cathedral bursting with activities.
The foundation stone for the first cathedral building was laid on 29 March 1867 and the cathedral was established in 1869.
By the early 20th century, the old cathedral was pulled down for the new building, designed by architect Began Benjamin, and construction started on 1 November 1924. The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII) laid the foundation stone on 21 April 1925. The Pews in the church were designed by Chief Aina Onabolu, a famous Nigerian Artist, at 5 pounds in July 1935 Construction of The cathedral was completed in 1946.