How was the popular Cairo Market now Abibatu Mogaji Shopping Complex in Oshodi, Lagos built?
Contrary to belief in certain quarters, it was not built by government, but by an individual.
The Babaloja of Oshodi, Alhaji Abdul Rasak Kolawole Sanni, has told The Nation how he sold his three houses in the United States (US) to build the market.
Popularly called Provida, Sanni said he also used his two houses in the country to obtain loan from FirstBank Plc to start the project.
He said negative comments by some people abroad about Oshodi made him to develop the market.
Sanni said: “Anytime I travel to London, Malaysia and other parts of the world and I see how beautiful the cities are, I have always vowed to ensure I am part of the development in Oshodi. Usually when I travel abroad and I introduce myself to my fellow Nigerians there that I am from Oshodi, I don’t like the expression I get from them. Their belief is that Oshodi is home for touts and hoodlums. And I wonder and tell myself how do I correct that perception.”
He thanked the late Iyaloja of Nigeria, Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, former Governor Babatunde Fashola and former Oshodi Local Government Chairman Afeez Ipesa-Balogun for the opportunity to turn the market into a modern complex.
The market leader hailed Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s desire to turn Oshodi into a model city.
According to him, the regeneration of Oshodi into a world class Central Business District (CBD) will put the city among the comity of developed communities in the world.
The project will feature multi-story bus terminals, pedestrian bridges, shopping malls, CCTVs, among others.
Imploring Ambode not to be distracted by remarks about the project, he said he faced similar situation while working on the market.
He said: “After Alhaja Mogaji gave me the go ahead on the project, I went back to the drawing board and designed what the market will look like. I went back to the US to sell three of my houses and then real estate was booming. I used two of my houses here in Nigeria to get a loan from FirstBank and started the project. When I started the project, some people went to the government to say all sorts of things, which made the government to lock it up for a month, but it was re opened. They were surprised that I am the only one doing the project. After it was opened, about nine commissioners came to inspect the project and I took them round. Later on, former Governor Fashola came to the site. He was surprised and was also happy. He said thank you for supporting my government, and I said your Excellency, thank you for giving me the opportunity…
“That was how I started. The saboteurs came they poured chemicals on the construction and two buildings collapsed out of 11 buildings and the place was locked up for like five months. After that happened, they did the material test and I was give 61 percent. I was later allowed to finish the construction.”
The decision to build the market, he said, pitched him against some politicians in Oshodi.
He said: “Some politicians and people in Oshodi don’t like me. They believe I am the one who brought the Lagos State Government to come and interfere in the affairs of Oshodi. As far as I am concerned, those are the people who only came to suck from the milk and success of Oshodi, they don’t want the success of this great market. And it’s because all the racket money they were making couldn’t be achieved again. All the area boys are not happy. They believe I brought in the government who demolished so many places where they make money from. They were making the money yet they are not putting it toward the success of the place.
“In the process, the then Babaloja died at the age of 100. Everybody was fighting to become the Babaloja. The late Alhaja Abibat Mogaji called me and also told others that there is this son of mine who did a good work in Oshodi, I want him to become the Babaloja of Oshodi and the rest is now history.”