Tafawa Balewa Square

Tafawa Balewa Square, known locally as TBS, is a large ceremonial ground in Onikan on Lagos Island, owned by the Lagos State Government and named after Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Nigeria's first prime minister. Its history goes back to 1859, when Oba Dosunmu gave the land to the colonial authorities and it became the Lagos Race Course. For a century the course was used for horse racing, football, cricket and Empire Day parades, and the site was redeveloped in 1960 to celebrate Nigeria's independence. The government of Yakubu Gowon cleared the track, and the present square opened in 1972.

The square covers about 14.5 hectares, bounded by Awolowo Road, Cable Street, Force Road and Catholic Mission Street. Its best-known feature is the entrance, guarded by sculptures of four white horses and seven red eagles, which represent strength and dignity and appear in countless photographs of Lagos. Inside, the Remembrance Arcade commemorates those who died in the First and Second World Wars and the Nigerian Civil War. Towering over one side is Independence House, a 26-storey office block completed in 1963 that was for many years the tallest building in Nigeria.

TBS is still used for national occasions such as Democracy Day, as well as large concerts, religious gatherings and exhibitions, and the grounds can hold tens of thousands of people. The Cricket Oval, regarded as the traditional home of cricket in Nigeria, was relaid with new turf strips and reopened in January 2022. Around the edges are shops, airline ticket offices, restaurants, a car park and a bus terminal, so the area is busy on working days.

For visitors, TBS is less a place to spend hours than a landmark to see as part of a Lagos Island day. Stop at the horse sculptures for photographs, walk to the Remembrance Arcade and look out over the parade ground. Fifteen to thirty minutes is usually enough unless an event is taking place. Access to the inner grounds can be restricted during ceremonies and private events, and you may be asked not to photograph security staff or official buildings, so follow any instructions on site.

The square sits at the eastern end of Lagos Island, close to the bridges from Ikoyi and Victoria Island, and is easy to reach by car or ride-hailing app. It is a short walk from the National Museum, the John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History and the MUSON Centre, which makes it simple to combine all four in one outing.