My interesting experience with Oxygen Broadband Networks took me to one of Nigeria's historical landmarks - The New Freedom Parks formerly Old Broad Street Prison, CMS Lagos. Driving through the gate adjacent to St. Nicholas Hospital I could feel that I'm standing on one of Africa's historical grounds. The peaceful ambience, the well tended gardens and trees, the pond, fountain, the effigies (all mimicking the various walks of life of the early Nigerians and also our beliefs). We were expected to mount, install and configure Access Points to provide super fast Wi-fi internet services around the park, and we did all that quite alright but I just couldn't resist taking a tour of the Park while taking pictures, I even ran into Prof. Wole Soyinka on the two flight of stairs that leads to the parking lot, but I was so struck that I couldn't even ask for a picture with him, all I could muster was a weak 'Good afternoon sir' to which he replied 'Afternoon' and flashed a ready smile. He seems quite charming. Moving around freedom park is quite an enjoyable experience which require little or no guidance as every piece of effigy, sculpture, pond, fountain, garden etc are properly tagged to aid tourists.
It occupies what was once the Broad Street Prison which was operational from 1887 until it was closed in the 1960s. Along with some petty criminals, some of the famous inmates held in the prison included some of the nation’s foremost activists and politicians like Herbert Macaulay, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Micheal Imoudu of the powerful railway union, Sir Adeyemo Alakija and many others who all served time due to the political activism. But arguably the most infamous inmate of the Broad Street Prison was 22 year old Esther Johnson (nee Ada Ocha Ntu) who was jailed for stabbing her British husband Mark Hall. It was a tragic crime of passion and the case became the ‘cause celebre’ of the 1950s. Not only had Esther discovered Hall with another woman in her house, but he had borrowed a large sum of money from her which he used to start another English wife in business in England. Esther was sentenced to death – the last woman to be so sentenced in Nigeria – but was later pardoned on a wave of public sympathy. She was ultimately released by Royal Prerogative on the recommendation of the then Governor General of Lagos Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe.
The old Broad Street prison was at the time it was in use considered to be ‘the finest in West Africa and featured a hospital’. In fact homeless people routinely tried to get in among the work-release prisoners, just so they could get a decent meal and a place to lay their heads overnight! The site remained derelict from the time of its closure until very recently when Lagos State as part of its Central Business District renewal program to commemorate Nigeria’s 50 Independence, decided to restore some of the islands historical sites at the time of Independence.
The new Freedom Park is located on the site of the colonial prison where prominent Nigerians had their jail terms during the colonial era. The park, which is now a peaceful place for individual and collective contemplation and interaction is open to public daily.
Located in Lagos Island, Lagos, the park is a brainchild of a Lagos-born architect and visionary, Theo Lawson, who had a vision to transform the colonial prison to a symbol of freedom.
This prison was used by the British colonial masters to torture, imprison and hang in the gallows those that opposed colonial rule of Nigeria.
Freedom Park is a memorial leisure park dedicated to the preserving the Lagos colonial heritage and history of the Old Broad Street prison. Today, freedom park provides venues for events and recreational entertainment.
Features:
The park provides venues and grounds for events and recreational entertainment, with relevant facilities like :
•Open Air Stage
•Amphi-theatre
•Pergola Cell (internet booths)
•Skeletal Cells
•Food Court
•Ponds and Fountains
•Historical Statues
•Museum Complex
•Historical displays
•Souvenir shops
•Resource centre
•Court yard
•Cells Units
•Wole Soyinka Art Gallery and of course
• Oxygen Super-fast Wi-fi internet services.
