Lagos is the largest city in Nigeria, stretching from the Gulf of Guinea right across the Lagos Lagoon. In 1859 a small tract of land on Lagos Island was bequeathed by King Docemo of Lagos to the British Government principally for the recreation of the white settlers. It was on this land that the Lagos Racecourse was built, although this was only one of three designated uses of the land. The racecourse occupied the central part of the land, whilst to the south were cricket grounds nicknamed ‘Nigeria Oval’, while next to the cricket grounds there were football pitches.
On 24th February 1882 races were held on Lagos Racecourse as a celebration of the massive African Steamships steamer Winnetah safely crossing the Lagos Bay, anchoring in the Lagoon. She was by far and away the largest steamer to accomplish this feat.
The racecourse was still operational in the late 1950’s, as evidenced by the 1955 Stewards badge shown below, and by the fact that a group of 6 Nigerian Dancers, wearing feathered head dresses, performed on the racecourse in front of the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh on their royal tour of Nigeria in February 1956. However, by 1972 the racecourse had certainly closed and the 35.8 acre site became the ceremonial ground called Tafawa Balewa Square.
In June 1956 more than 30,000 people crammed into the horseshoe shaped Lagos Racecourse to witness Queen Elizabeth II present new colours to the Nigerian Regiment.
The Racecourse, being such a large area, was used frequently for important occasions. In mid-November 1960 representatives of more than 30 African countries attended the racecourse, along with a crowd in excess of 70,000, for the inauguration of Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe as governor-General of Nigeria, the first African Governor-General in the Commonwealth.
