The photograph was taken on the occasion of Lieutenant Commander James Rawe taking command of the Naval Base in Apapa, Lagos. Rawe, an expatriate officer who had been a member of the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve (RNVR), also served as the Principal Staff Officer, which was an alternative term for the Chief-of-Staff to the head of the Nigerian Navy.
Taken circa 1965, Lieutenant Commander Rawe is the bearded figure seated at centre in the front row. Among those in the second row are Lieutenant Hussaini Abdullahi (first from right), Lieutenant Michael Adelanwa (second from right) and Sub Lieutenant Emmanuel Makinde (fifth from right).
Photo Credit: The archive of Captain James Rawe.
© Adeyinka Makinde (2023).
Adeyinka Makinde is a writer based in London, England.