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The Classic Car Club of Nigeria has marked its 10th anniversary with a celebration of vintage automobiles, memories and Nigeria’s motoring heritage at the Lagos Polo Club, Ikoyi.
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Tagged “Nostalgic Lagos,” the October 1 exhibition coincided with Nigeria’s Independence Day and brought together classic car collectors, enthusiasts, families and friends for a showcase centred on heritage and the stories attached to vintage vehicles.
Beyond the automobiles on display, the event offered a reminder of how certain cars have become part of the memories of different generations of Nigerians.
Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, a classic car collector and one of the event’s sponsors, said the emotional value of the vehicles often went beyond their mechanical features.
“For some of us, it’s nostalgic. We carry fond memories of some of those cars. Some of them took us to school, some of them were driven by our parents, some by our uncles, and some of them we owned when we started,” he said.
According to him, each vehicle carries a story that contributes to the preservation of history.
“You must treasure heritage, treasure tradition. There can’t be a future without a history. So this is the history that we carry here,” Badejo-Okusanya said.
He also pointed to his Mercedes-Benz, which he described as “Obokun”, recalling its significance during the period when the model was introduced in Nigeria.
For Dapo Otunla, Chairman and Co-founder of the Classic Car Club of Nigeria, the club has become a community for people who share an interest in classic automobiles, including enthusiasts who may not own vintage cars themselves.
“It’s the kind of thing where we come together with our cars, friends and affiliates. Even people who don’t own cars join us. We just enjoy the time, admire the cars and share experiences,” Otunla said.
Founded in 2016, the club has grown to more than 120 members and has organised classic car drives, exhibitions and social gatherings aimed at encouraging appreciation of vintage automobiles.
The anniversary celebration featured a classic car drive and showcase, alongside fashion, style and family activities.
For the club, however, the significance of classic motoring extends beyond ownership. Many of the vehicles were once familiar sights on Nigerian roads and remain connected to particular periods of the country’s social history.
The club has also advocated greater recognition of classic automobiles as part of Nigeria’s cultural and tourism offering, including the development of exhibitions and activities across Nigeria and the wider West African region.
As the Classic Car Club of Nigeria enters its second decade, its members hope to preserve not only the vehicles themselves but also the memories and stories they carry for future generations.
