A small aircraft was observed flying above Lagos, Nigeria, on May 30, 1926. The pilot was Mr. M. Landrich, and there was a passenger on board. It was a sunny Sunday afternoon. With the intention of flying directly to Cotonou, which is about 500 miles away, the aircraft took off from Elizabeth Vile in the Congo and landed at Duala.
However, due to a lack of fuel, the aircraft (AVRO 504) had to land at Nora Beach in Opobo. The aircraft immediately received a few liters of fuel from nearby merchants before departing for Warri.
The aircraft flew over the Race Course, which is now Tafawa Balewa Square, along the Marina at about 1000 feet in altitude. Although it was expected to fly over Lagos between 11 and 12 o’clock, the aircraft was not visible until about 5:20 p.m. The people in the area get a chance to see the aircraft as it took off for Cotonou, Senegal, and then on to Dakar, Senegal.
The incident was one of the first issues of The Nigerian Daily Times, which debuted two days later. The paper declared victory:
“It is remarkable that the first appearance of a flying machine in Lagos should almost coincide with the first issue of the Nigerian Daily Times.” “This is the first occasion in which an aero plane has been seen in Lagos.”
