Speeches

Commissioning Of The Oluwole Market

Apr 28, 2010 - Our convergence today fulfils a vision that is 59 years old.

As our Lagos began to attract, immigrants because of its commercial strategic position, slums began to develop in the Island and in 1951, the Colonial Government issued': an Acquisition Notice to acquire over 2,500 hectares of land with the intention of renewing it into an urban model of redevelopment.

With the acquisition by Government, it was clear that all legal title to the land had been extinguished and the right of the previous owners was to seek compensation.

The truth is that although compensation was paid to owners and occupiers, for various reasons they did not move out. While the project tasked previous administrations, the lack of continuity and stability in the polity made implementation elusive.

As the years wore on, Oluwole area assumed a notorious reputation not only as a slum, but as an enclave of criminals who specialize in forgeries and sophisticated crime such as international passport racketeering, credit card fraud, drug cartel, certificates, currency, visa forgeries among others.

That image of Oluwole is gone forever today. From the ashes of a den of forgers now emerges a building that testifies to the courage of Lagosians to change things they do not accept.

This building fulfils a dream of about 6 (six) decades for the urban renewal of Lagos.

The road to this glorious dawn started anew 10 (ten) years ago, when my predecessor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu re-visited the urban renewal challenge and reached an out of court agreement with the various parties involved in the litigations on Oluwole.

Consultations had opened with a private investor; Messrs ARM Properties Limited to raise funding to re-build the place into a modern market and designs has been completed. Our responsibility when we assumed office was to keep that process going.

We finalized terms with the developer, met with the families to explain our purpose, renegotiated compensation with them and provided 39 (thirty nine) flats for them to relocate in Shasha Housing Estate.

Other affected traders were also resettled within a shopping complex along Martins Street in anticipation of being relocated back after the completion of the Oluwole Shopping Complex.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, the negotiations were by no means easy. I had to chair several meetings with each of the leaders of the 39 different interest groups and I was assisted by members of the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, especially the Hon. Commissioner, TPL Franciso Abosede, the Ministry of Justice, led by the Hon. Attorney General, Mr. Supo Shasore, the Lagos State Development and Property Corporation led by Mr. Biodin Oki, the General Manager LASURA, Alhaji Sulaiman, and especially by Mr. Yemisi Coker who acted more as an arbitrator between the Government and the various family interests.

I thank Mr. Coker publicly, on behalf of Government and the people of Lagos. You have served your people diligently and strengthen my position that people do not need titles to serve.

In the course of the development, an unusual fire engulfed the site on the eve of the day when the contractor was to move to site but the officers and men of the Fire Service supported by the Police promptly moved in to put out the fire and protect the contractor.

In the course of building the complex, some persons applied to the Lagos High Court to get an injunction to stop the construction. To the credit of the Lagos Judiciary, they acted with the utmost dispatch and in a most investor friendly manner by refusing to stop the development as it is done in other commercially bustling capitals across the world and instead proceed to deal with the case on its merit.

These are but a summary of the twists and turns that have brought us this far to this glorious day.

Yet another public private partnership transaction concluded by the Lagos State Government, for the benefit of her people, taking benefit of democracy, continuity of policies and governance, and using private finance and capital for public good.

It demonstrates the capacity of this Government to negotiate complex and challenging transactions, it demonstrates the compassion of the Government to secure a better life for her people.

With the restoration of City Hall, the Campos Square Sports Complex and today, Oluwole Market, I can proudly say that the Lagos Urban

Renewal Project commenced in 1950s is now fully underway.

My predecessor has provided the road infrastructure by re-building the roads in the Central Business District, water supply is getting better. All that is left is the investment courage and capital of the private sector to re-develop old properties.

This model can be used to rebuild offices, create new flats and apartments for residential purposes in the Business District and we encourage families to do what we have done here whenever they can agree and pool their small parcels of land together to attract big investment support.

This is the way we can re-build Isake Eko, Ottin, Olowogbowo, Oke-Arin, Balogun, Ita Kose, Kakawa and so many other parts of our historic and beautiful island.

The Oluwole model now exists and we are willing to share experiences and all involved are advised to use the services of professionals suchas Architects, Estate Surveyors, Lawyers, Town Planners etc in order to ensure that the proper thing is done.

We are embarking on a total re-planning of the Island along with other parts of the State and I have often said, the Lagos of our dreams is daily getting within our reach.

We cannot look back now. We must live that dream.

It is to the glory of God and the development of enterprise and commerce in Lagos that I commission for the benefit of our people the Oluwole Market.

Thank you.

Eko o ni baje o!

Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN
Governor of Lagos State