The British Colonial Secretary, Mr. Alan Lennox-Boyd, is pictured in this classic image sitting prominently between two of Nigeria’s most powerful men: Mr. A.O. Lawson, the President of the Lagos Council, and Oba Adeniji Adele, the acclaimed Oba of Lagos. The image was captured on Mr. Lennox-goodwill Boyd’s tour to Nigeria, which was a part of Britain’s continued efforts to oversee the political change in its colonies. This visit was significant since it took place at a time when Nigeria was progressively becoming a self-governing nation and aspirations for independence were growing all over the nation.
General G.H. Inglis, the General Officer Commanding (G.O.C.) of Nigeria, is seated to the left of the Oba of Lagos, signifying the presence of the British military in the colony. His presence highlights the strict control that the British continued to exercise over the military and administrative operations of the colony, despite the increasing involvement of political figures and traditional leaders such as Oba Adeniji Adele in the government of their people. This group of well-known people, caught in a single frame, represents the intricate relationship between traditional authority, colonial power, and developing local governance in Nigeria in the middle of the 20th century.
The photograph captures a crucial juncture in Nigeria’s quest for independence and documents not only a particular incident but also the delicate power dynamics between the indigenous leadership and the colonial authority.
