Legacy Nigeria Railway Museum – Retracing history of railways

Rail transportation in Nigeria has come of age now and has become quite modern. The history of railways in the country is quite unique and the manner in which it has helped Nigeria develop vastly is a telling story in itself. The Legacy Nigeria Railway Museum is the only place in the country which retraces its glorious past. To know all this and more, book your cheap flights to Lagos today and visit this historical museum.

The Legacy Nigeria Railway Museum has been able to come into existence because of the relentless efforts and initiative of a non-governmental organization. The vast complex of Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) in Lagos now houses the museum where you will get a fascinating glimpse into the obsolete machines and antiquated technology.

The Legacy Nigeria Railway Museum, which is also called Francis Jaekel House, will comprise of three sections. The museum is only the first part of this project and work on other two parts are currently underway. The museum has been named after Francis Jaekel, who was General Manager of Nigerian Railway Corporation during the British colonial era.

Jaekel, who served as the first GM of the government-owned Nigerian Railway Corporation from 1938 to 1965, had written 3 volumes on the history of railway in the country. He finally retired from services as a Chief Superintendent.

The NRC complex, which houses the museum, is spread in a vast area across Yaba to Ebute Meta. The museum presently houses documents, pictures, objects, and other materials related to the history of Nigerian railways. The idea of the railway museum in the 119-year-old NRC complex was conceived by an NGO called Legacy in 1995. The railway museum took shape under the leadership of Prof. John Godwin, a famous British-born architect based in Lagos.

As you enter the museum, a plaque placed outside the building provides a brief history tracing its establishment to 2010. The museum is home to some of the prominent attractions. These include being a Rail Car and a Pump Trolley. The two machines were commonly used during the past several decades when railway transportation network was being laid in Lagos. The Pump Trolley was even given a local name “Olomo Ku lya” (meaning, ‘Burdened Parenting’).

The two sections of the museum are still to take final shape. But visiting the first part, the Museum, offers a fascinating insight into the development of Nigerian railway.