Chapter 2 of 14
John Godwin, 1953
GH: We went to Nigeria because John had been looking around for a job overseas, and I was willing to go overseas. The point was the conditions in the country at the time. The work at YRM was not particularly interesting, and we actually went away for Christmas, came back and I said I didn't want to go back to the office. So we went off to the AA for lunch, and Leo De Syllas was looking for somebody to go to Nigeria. So he came across the room, and asked John if he had ever thought of going to Nigeria, and John said no (but I think he knew where it was!). So John went back to ACP's office that afternoon, and was given a job as a resident partner in Lagos. It was as quick as that and within about six weeks...
JG: Yes, before I actually went out...
GH: Before you actually went out...
JG: Yes...
GH: And I followed about six weeks later.
JG: I remember I had to learn to drive - I did that, in I think, two weeks at the school of motoring. My first driving lesson I was out on the... by the Thames, and the chap said... gave me the keys and said right, you can drive back. And of course I was driving back via Trafalgar Square - can you imagine, first time driver, driving round Trafalgar Square! Anyway, we got round quite safely.
GH: Anyway, we went to Nigeria. Leo had found us a flat - it was one owned by a contractor, a standard PWD [Public Works Department] flat - which had scullery, pantry, kitchen, sitting, dining, one bedroom and a dressing room. And we lived there quite happily for eighteen months.
JG: And you remember where the flats were? They overlooked a beautiful open space, which was full of yellow birds, I seem to remember, and looked right out over towards the Lagos town itself. So this place was in a suburb of Lagos, in fact, a place called Ebute Metta.