LANDER BROTHERS ANCHORAGE,ASABA

This month is exactly 179 years since the death of Richard Lander, a British maverick traveller and explorer. He was killed on February 6, 1834 during his third exploratory trip on the lower Niger. Ironically, Richard Lander was also born in February.

In 2004, the Lander brothers marked 200 years of the death of the patriarch of their family, as part of the activities to celebrate the epoch. An expedition trip was organized to follow the same route that Richard Lander took. Richard Lander’s trip took off from Bussa where he presented a medal to the king of Bussa and in return he got the boat he needed to embark on his expedition.

After the trip, the team decided to donate the boat to the Asaba people. A museum was later built in memory of Richard Lander. The museum chronicles the voyage and activities of Lander. The boat formed the fulcrum of artifact museum.

The museum is located off the busy Nnebisi Road beside the colonial grave yard. In front of the museum is the imposing sculpted work anchorage. The Richard Lander Museum is appeal is the huge information on display, not just about the Richard Lander, but an insight into the complexion of the area in the 19 century when Europeans became unsatisfied with trading at the coast and became interested in hinterland. These are mostly in form of pictures and text materials. 
The six members of the Lander expedition trip made thier way from Bussa to Asaba just like their forebear. The boat used for the trip was called Goo-will. The team decided to donate the boat to the people of Asaba. This boat and other artifacts that have to do with the expedition and Europeans’ contacts with the people of Asaba are the artifacts one sees, while visiting the Richard Lander Museum.

It was built in memory of the Lander Brothers-Richard and John who anchored at about that spot of the River Niger during the expedition that they took over from Mungo Park. The erected anchorage is, however, not the original one but a replica; the original one is at Aboh. The Lander Brothers are credited with the discovery of the mouth of the River Niger. 

This led to the opening of the West African trade which eventually replaced slave trade. The anchorage has an information centre and a restaurant.

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