“Asaba, as the administrative headquarters, had the flag of the Royal Niger Company raised here at Asaba because the Royal Niger Company was in control of trade. However, when the British discovered that trade was flourishing, they took over all the businesses and lowered the flag of Royal Niger Company, raised the Union Jack and took over everything. As you can see, Mungo Park House is a storey building made up of strong wood and iron. And it could be said that this house at Asaba was the first Government House in Nigeria. From Asaba, the administrative headquarters of Southern Nigeria moved to Calabar. Eventually, Nigeria was born in 1914.”
Sylvester Asoya
Writing in Air Peace in-flight magazine – ALICE
It is important to also note that as Asaba was the capital of Southern Nigeria, Zungeru, in present day Niger State was the capital of Northern Nigeria. Today the equation has changed with Port-Harcourt as the economic heartbeat of the South and Kaduna for the North aside Lagos and Abuja.
