Freedom Park, Lagos

The new Freedom Park museum and exhibition hall

 The Freedom Park is a new public facility that rose out of the ruins of the old Broad Street Prisons, former home to some of Nigeria's most important politicians like Herbert Macaulay and Obafemi Awolowo. They were both incarcerated by the British government for their agitation for independence. After many years of being in ruins, architect Theo lawson, who I was lucky to meet and get a personal tale,  drew up a plan to rehabilitate the prison and turn it into public use. This beautiful new world class park is the outcome.

Photo of the old Broad Street Prisons on display in the museum

Nobel prize winner Wole Soyinka described it thus: ''An arena for the 'abandonment of hope', the Broad Street Prisons, now opens out to embrace the yells of a hopeful generation. Open sales stalls have replaced the dismal prison cells of colonial memory. A performance stage bestrides the very spot where the prison gallows once stood and performed their macabre ritual.''