03/09/2026
The House Where Nigeria Was Amalgamated
Imagine standing inside the building where the decision that created modern Nigeria was made… and finding it almost abandoned.
In Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State, there is a historic building known as Amalgamation House.
In 1914, the Northern and Southern Protectorates of Nigeria were amalgamated under British colonial rule. The building is associated with that historic event and was used for the meeting connected with the amalgamation.
But here's the shocking part...
More than a century later, the historic building was reported to be in a severely neglected condition. Its roof had deteriorated, windows and doors had fallen apart, and vegetation had taken over parts of the compound.
Think about that for a moment.
A place connected to one of the most important moments in Nigeria's history was slowly disappearing.
Ikot Abasi itself also has other important historical sites, including locations associated with the 1929 Women's War and the former slave trade. Yet many of these sites have struggled with preservation.
If a building connected to Nigeria's history is allowed to disappear, what happens to the history that comes with it?
