Asaba for many tourists hosts warm memories. For many fun seekers looking perhaps for peace and serenity from the daily hassles of life, this glamorous capital of Delta state may perhaps offer the best deal. In terms of historical monuments however, it is held in high esteem by both local and foreign visitors. It is historically recorded that Asaba was one of the best points of call for the foreign invaders that eventually colonised Nigeria. Till date it still hosts many of the remarkable impressions of the sojourn of the British into the heartland of Africa in search of raw human and material resources to power their growing civilisation.
A tourist to the ‘Gig Heart’ may settle for a short visit to the gangling edifice called the Mungo Park House reputed to be named after the enigmatic explorer who deployed all his resources to finding the mouth of the river Niger. Reflection on life could also be done at any one of the numerous destinations Delta state offers such as the mammoth River Niger Bridge, Falcorp Mangrove Park, the Turf, Abraka; Ethiope River Source, Umuaja, Warri Kingdom Royal Cemetary and the ageless Chief Nana Palace Living History museum.
But what prods the imagination for most first time visitors to the state is the urge to pay a visit to one site that brings in thousands of tourists yearly and offers a glimpse into the pre-colonial era and the concerted efforts of the British to open up Africa via the Niger River in order to facilitate trade along the unending borders. Today the Lander Brothers Anchorage and Monument sites including the Expatriate Burial Ground are a Mecca of sorts for historians, students, tourists and researchers.
The anchorage overlooks the massive Niger River. From the low fence surrounding the museum one can have an awesome and unrestricted view of the slowly moving waters and also the magnificent bridge built across it. In the forecourt of the building the final resting place of many missionaries that came along immediately after the sordid reign of slave trade can be found amazingly in top condition.
The missionaries six feet below these grounds unlike the Lander brothers who were adventurous freaks, came with messages of eternal salvation for the black race and made efforts to educate the natives in Western culture. They were successful to a large extent in their mission but many of them succumbed finally to the cold hands of death through debilitating illnesses their bodies were ill equipped to handle. Today their burial site is visited by many across the globe in an effort to pay their last respects to these messengers of peace. Buried here also is the former Governor of Asaba Prison, Reginald Eric Duncan Campbell, Royal Irish Fusilliers aged 42. He was the son of the Queen Victoria’s Sergeant -at -Arms Sir Alexander Campbell. Alongside his grave are those of 16 others who played different roles in the controversial interactions between two opposing cultures.
A peep into the past
Richard Lander has a prominent place in the nation’s pre colonial history aptly immortalized by the monument built in his rememberence in this ancient town. He was the son of a Truro inn keeper born in the Daniell Arms. Online records have it that Lander’s explorations began as an assistant to the Scottish explorer Hugh Clapperton initially on an expedition to Western Africa in 1825. Clapperton later died in April 1827 near Sokoto leaving Lander as the only surviving European member of the expedition. He proceeded southeast before returning to Britain in July 1828. He later returned to West Africa in 1830, accompanied by his younger brother John. They landed at Badagri on 22 March, 1830 and followed the lower River Niger from Bussa to the sea. After exploring about 160 kilometres of the River Niger upstream, they returned to explore the River Benue and Niger Delta. They travelled back to Britain in 1831.
Wikipediaonline has more on the adventures of the duo. It says inter alia that, ‘in 1832, Lander returned to Africa as leader of an expedition organised by Macgregor Laird and other Liverpudlian merchants, with the intention of founding a trading settlement at the junction of the Niger and Benue rivers.
However, the expedition encountered difficulties, many personnel died from fever and it failed to reach Bussa. While journeying upstream in a canoe, Lander was attacked by African tribesmen and wounded by a musket ball in his thigh. He managed to return to the coast, but died there from his injuries. In Truro, a monument to his memory by Cornish sculptor Neville Northey Burnard stands at the top of Lemon Street and one of the local secondary schools is named in his honour.
In 1832 he became the first winner of the Royal Geographical Society Founder’s Medal, “for important services in determining the course and termination of the Niger”. To mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of Richard Lander and celebrate the Lander brothers’ remarkable achievements an ‘Expedition of Goodwill’ was sent in November 2004 to retrace their historic river journey. Following the positive relationship developed with the Emir of Bussa during the recce, starting at New Bussa in the north of Nigeria, the team traversed nearly 500 miles of the river using canoes and local boats, to terminate at Asaba in the south of the country.’
A monument in honour of Lander victory
According to tourism sources, the anchorage was commissioned in 2002 and was essentially built in memory of the Lander Brothers Richard and John. The complex has a rich museum, which houses, among others, the boat that was used by the two brothers’, artworks and writings detailing their numerous exploits in Africa.
There is a belief in certain quarters that the Asaba anchorage is however not the original one but a replica of the actual monument built in their honour. The original one is said to be at Aboh. The present Anchorage has a restaurant which is not in operation at present and also an information centre which visitors are to report to before being allowed access to the burial site and of course the museum which has as one of its best attractions the boat used by the Lander brothers during their historic voyage.
On this cool Friday morning the anchorage appears empty. The gates are unlocked giving a potential tourist hope that someone might just be available to respond to enquiries. A few short steps inside and a young man approaches obviously surprised that visitors could make the pilgrimage down to the site this early. The ground is filled with buses donated by corporate organisations and the tourism ministries but they appear not to have been put to use for quite a while going by their unkempt appearance. The hostile stare of the young man makes further observation difficult as he appears to be fazed by the early intrusion.
The young man Jibrin Ajaka who guards the site later turned out to be a welcoming host despite his initial aggression as he would offer invaluable insight into the historical monuments and the present challenges faced by them.
The information manager of the site is nowhere to be found today. According to the guard the ‘main oga’ who responds to requests from outsiders who want to access the site is on leave and without his consent no one could be allowed inside the premises. ‘You will need to get permission from him if you want to visit the burial site. And of course nobody would even allow you to visit the museum where artefacts of the Lander brothers are kept,’ he announces brusquely and makes to turn way.
After a few minutes of persuasive pleas intertwined with veiled threats from the reporter the young man thaws a bit and makes a sudden u turn. The burial site could be visited briefly but certainly not the museum as this was out of bounds this early. ‘Maybe when you come later in the day you may be lucky to find it open and all you will need to do is to pay a token of N200 before you will be allowed in. But you can go ahead to the burial ground to see whatever you want to see,’ he concedes somewhat reluctantly.
The Expatriates burial ground
It houses about 17 graves. A few are marked with vivid inscriptions still gleaming on perfectly crafted tombstones. These graves have in their depths bodies of men who embarked on missionary trips into the heart of the African continent. Many of the inscriptions however have become sun bleached so it is difficult to know what they say exactly. Here the serenity of the nearby flowing river Niger which can be seen clearly from the graveyard adds in no small measure to the tranquillity probably felt by the sojourners resting in eternal bliss.
Many of the sojourners bowed to the grim hands of death through locally contacted diseases such as malaria and diarrhoea. A few others probably died of other natural causes but today their efforts in bringing civilisation and renewed relationship between man and his maker is probably being commended by the monuments constructed in their honour and this prestige is further buoyed by the pleasantly neat and well kept premises of the graveyard. On daily basis the garden is mowed and the flowers pruned says Jibrin who has finally taken over the position of an unsolicited guide. He adds that the management of the site makes the cleanliness of the environment a priority as far as its administration is concerned.
A few of the legible inscriptions on the epitaphs give graphic descriptions of their occupants to prying eyes: Reginald Eric Duncan Campbell, late captain, Royal Irish Fusiliers, governor of Asaba Prison, second son of the late Sir Alexander Campbell of the Barcaldine, Sergeant at Arms to the Queen-Died July 21 1900 Aged 42 years; James Alexander Malcolm, Born 8th September, 1855, died 25th September 1888; Fredrick James Spink, who died at Asaba 2nd January 1894-this monument has been decorated by his friends in Niger…; In loving memory of Haric Simpson, who entered into rest 1896…
‘There are 17 graves here and they are all well preserved by us. We always ensure that the surroundings are well kept so that it would attract people rather than do the opposite,’ says my youthful guide who has suddenly materialised beside me as I ponder over the ancient graves.
In the distance the waters of the Niger Rivers flow silently almost with a solemn touch as if in wordless salutation to the heroes buried just a stone throw from its banks.
Memories and monuments of the Lander brothers
My guide was later to turn immensely useful and cooperative. In a matter of minutes perhaps after undergoing an emotional renaissance immediately after our short soulful discussion in the congregation of the dead, his initial opposition dissipates. He gladly allows passage into the hall hosting valuable memorials of the Lander brothers. But he insists that I am ‘lucky.’ ‘I am just doing this ‘man to man’ so don’t feel as if you deserve the favour but this is just for a few minutes,’ he quips.
The anchorage and museum is a behemoth hosting portraits graphically depicting the historic journeys of the explorers up the numerous waterways lading to the massive discovery of the mouth of the River Niger. It also pictorially shows their interaction with the natives- some fruitful, others hostile. Pictures of the Lander granddaughters who embarked on a trip to find the bodies of their father is also on display. There are also other paintings and works of arts showing the different tribes who lived on both sides of the Niger during the foray of the White man there.
But perhaps what catches the immediate attention of any visitor is the large boat sailed by the brothers when coasting up the river. The boat which has a large ‘don’t touch’ sign pasted on its body has been refurbished but interestingly still retains visible marks of much use no doubt by the Lander brothers and their crew members. Resting quietly on one of its sides are two oars apparently used to propel this historic craft up the river in an attempt to discover the river’s mouth.
On the walls numerous pictures of the young Landers, their granddaughters, their crew members, native chiefs of the era, the locals and emblems of the pre colonial era gaze down at visitors each perhaps wordlessly passing across tales and messages of the glorious but tempestuous era in which they existed.
Historic yet not fully exploited
My guide tells me that the site though visited constantly by natives and foreigners still remains vastly under exploited by the authorities. ‘Many people in the past visits on a daily basis but nowadays only come in trickles. With a token of N200 you can come in under the supervision of the management. As you can see the site is richly endowed especially the museum and it can be a real revenue spinner if it is upgraded.’
Another challenge he sees is the lack of recreational and entertainment facilities on the premises. ‘The restaurant has been closed for some time now. It used to be run by a man but he closed down for not making profit. For now nobody is operating it. The management is looking for people to manage it so that at least people will have a place to relax and enjoy the scene when they come to visit. Only the information centre is fully functional now. I know that if all is put in place to ensure that all facilities are on ground this place will be a place for all to visit when they come to Asaba.’
On how he feels being a guard over the remains of such historical figures he grimaces but later smiles, ‘it is nothing to me. I feel especially proud that the place is well kept by us. Even if they had been buried in their countries I am not sure they would receive better treatment than they got here…’
