Key Takeaways

1. Dodan Barracks was once a symbol of power and community life.
   Before the seat of power moved to Abuja, the barracks served as Nigeria’s political nerve centre while fostering close relationships between soldiers and civilians in neighbouring Obalende.
2. Residents remember a safer, more vibrant era.
   Former residents recalled enjoying reliable electricity, water, recreational facilities, and the lively Mammy Market, with many describing the area as more secure and socially connected than it is today.
3. Security has tightened as the barracks evolves.
   While the Nigerian Army says renovation and welfare improvements are ongoing, access to the barracks is now heavily restricted, reflecting changing security realities and marking a sharp contrast with its once open and welcoming atmosphere.

Dodan Barracks, located in Ikoyi, Lagos, played host to the former seat of power in Nigeria. But today, 35 years after, it seems to be something else entirely.

It was the residence of heads of state in Nigeria and headquarters of the defunct Supreme Military Council from 1966 until the nation’s capital was moved to Abuja in 1991.The name, “Dodan” originated from the site of a battle fought during World War II by the 82nd West African Division in Burma, which had a strong Nigerian contingent. Later on, and more famously, Dodan Barracks was one of the bases used by some military officers who attempted to overthrow Nigeria’s civilian government in January 1966 and it was also a key location seized in the April 1990 coup attempt by Major Gideon Orkar. One can imagine the grandeur and fortification of the once-powerful palace of the most powerful man in the land, but 35 years after the transfer of the seat of power, this seems to be waning.

Lasisi Sule, 60, who was born in Odo Street, Obalende, told Daily Trust that growing up in the area was a privilege for him and his siblings because of the exposure to certain things teenagers in other parts of Lagos lacked. He recalled how he related to the children of military personnel at the barracks and how those relationships grew into trust and harmony, even later in life. He added that the barracks was his second home, with frequent visits to play football, fetch water, pluck fruits and relax.

Sule said the mutual love played out during the 1990 Gideon Orkar coup when  soldiers loyal to the government spared the lives of civilians living in Obalende when fleeing dissident soldiers were trailed to the neighbourhood. No civilian, he added, was hurt by the soldiers during their search for the dissidents who took refuge  in the houses there in order to escape after the coup failed.

Sule also recalled how comfortable life was in the military base, compared to the surroundings. To him, the Mammy Market in those days was the centre of social life for soldiers and their civilian friends. He added that the nature of food and drinks served at the market made it unavoidable for both civilians and soldiers. “There was good food and drinks at the Mammy Market in those days which made the place lively and created an avenue for civilians and soldiers to deepen interaction,” he said.

Sule said the old Dodan Barracks gradually lost its originality while the free, convivial atmosphere has dwindled, apparently due to the increasing insecurity in the country, just as he added that the market is no longer as lively.

Abass, 50, lives at Ajeniya Street in Obalende. He said he once had what he called a  ‘privileged’ handshake with the then Head of State, General  Ibrahim Babangida after Juma’at prayers at the Dodan  Barracks Central mosque on a Friday. He said it is something he would forever remember as one of the privileges of residing at Obalende.

Abass said that singular act not only endeared him to the former military ruler, but also prepared him to look forward to occupying a position of authority in the country. He recalled how availability of water, electricity and recreational facilities at the barracks made him ‘abandon’ his residence to have a good feel of life in the military base.

“In those days, I had many friends who were children of soldiers. It enabled me to freely enter the barracks. Because there was no regular electricity and water in Obalende, I chose to frequent the barracks to fetch water and iron my clothes and even eat what I liked there. I also played football and enjoyed other recreational facilities at the barracks,” he added.

Abass said Dodan Barracks made Obalende very secure in those days and people about moved freely, even at night without fear of violence or armed robbery. He recalled that soldiers too went outside the barracks to have a ‘taste’ of Obalende and interacted with civilians, adding, “There was no dull moment in those days as civilians in Obalende and soldiers at the barracks cohabited without any rancour.’

Augustina Gambo, who sells alcoholic drinks at Ajeniya Street in Obalende, recalled how the business boomed before the relocation of the seat of power to the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. “My beer business boomed in those days because of increased patronage from soldiers who frequented here. There was no dull moment between civilians in Obalende and the soldiers who patronised me,” she added.

According to her, it was easy for her to enter the barracks to fetch water and see some of her friends there, unlike now that access is highly restricted.

To her, the sweet memories of the barracks are gradually fading as her beer business is no longer yielding the expected results. She, however, maintained that the proximity of the barracks to Obalende still shields the area from crime, as entering the barracks now subjects one to thorough search and interrogation. “One would be asked by soldiers to call one’s host before being allowed in,” she said, adding that soldiers at the barracks then were friendlier than those there now.

Anani Christopher, 45, who lives on Obalende Road, shares a similar experience with other residents, stating that it was a place where many youngsters had friends. He also told Daily Trust that he frequently visited the barracks to play football, eat at the Mammy Market, and so on.

The then spokesman of 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, Lt. Col. Olaolu Daudu, said there is an ongoing renovation of buildings at the barracks, in line with the welfare programme of the Chief of Army Staff. “Dodan Barracks is among the units and formations under the direct supervision of 81 Div. The barracks’ buildings, though not recent, are among the best in the Lagos area. The Division is responsible for both Ogun and Lagos states. Lifestyle in Dodan Barracks, like the one at any other barracks, is still what it was,” he said.