尼日利亚人口最多的城市拉各斯正在以惊人的速度增长。这意味着许多历史悠久的建筑受到新的城市发展的威胁。尽管已经花费数百万美元来修复这些建筑, 若没有采取相应措施，它们可能会永远失去，而时间正在敲响警钟。

Nigeria's most populous city, Lagos, is expanding at a phenomenal speed. This means many historic buildings are under threat by new urban developments. Though it will take millions of dollars to repair them, they may be lost forever if no action is taken and the clock is ticking.
The United Nations projects that by 2015 the population of Lagos will be over 12 million, making the city the most populous in Africa.
However, as the city is running at full speed toward the future, some people are concerned about preserving its past.
John Godwin has spent his career designing some of Nigeria's most iconic buildings. But now he's concerned about the city's historic buildings.
John Godwin said, "We use to have building bylaws. And you have to say that in many areas of Lagos, those building bylaws have been totally ignored."
The Old Secretariat is one of a handful of old buildings that are being neglected. Thought to have been built at the end of the 19th century, it is evidence of Britain's colonial rule in Nigeria.
In addition to its rich history, the design of the building is surprisingly eco-friendly by today's standards.
Desmond Majekodunmi, activist, said, "In this age now when we are looking for carbon friendly buildings, some of these old British colonial structures were about the most carbon neutral buildings you would ever find anywhere."
So it seems, if these buildings are allowed to crumble, Nigerians may not just miss out on the history, but also lessons on energy conservation too.