Lord Lugard's Rest House
What To Bring
["Climbing gear if you prefer going on foot to the Rest House.","Camera to capture the adventures of the day and lovely sights"]
Reason For Loving Place
Once a refuge for locals and settlers, Lord Lugard had the area cleared of such refugees and built his rest house for both recreational and observational purposes. Built in the 20th century circa 1900, the rest house sits graciously on top of the mount overlooking Lokoja and its wonders.
Ways Of Travel
By car and motorbike
Reason To Recommend Place
The rest house has been preserved both by nature and government intervention to look as it was during Lord Lugard's days. It was built from locally sourced stones although its roof has been repaired using modern materials. There are two statures by the side. That of the two occupants of the rest house, Lord Lugard and his wife. There are also flags of Great Britain and Nigeria by the statures. It is seen as a mini-museum of colonial history and if you are on a tour, the tour guide is sure to give a brief view of live during the Lugard period. It is nice to take a time off your hiking and view this historic site given its significance.
Nice Things About Place
Legend has it that this is where Flora Shaw, the then fiancee of Lord Lugard coined the name Nigeria which she later used in her letters and articles that led to the official name of the country when the Northern and Southern protectorates were joined.
