Ikeja

Ikeja
Municipality
Ikeja Local Government Area

Ikeja shown within the State of Lagos
Ikeja
Location in Nigeria
Coordinates: 6°36′N 3°21′E / 6.60°N 3.35°E / 6.60; 3.35Coordinates: 6°36′N 3°21′E / 6.60°N 3.35°E / 6.60; 3.35
Country  Nigeria
State Lagos State
LGA(s) Ikeja
Area
 • Total 49.92 km2 (19.27 sq mi)
 • Land 49.92 km2 (19.27 sq mi)
Elevation 39 m (128 ft)
Population (2015 estimate)[1]
 • Total 861,300
 • Density 17,254/km2 (44,690/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+1 (WAT)
Climate Aw

Ikeja is the capital of Lagos State. Prior to the emergence of military rule in the early 1980s, Ikeja was a well planned, clean and quiet residential and commercial town with shopping malls, pharmacies and government reservation areas. The Murtala Mohammed International Airport is located in Ikeja. Ikeja is also home to the Femi Kuti's Africa Shrine and Lagbaja's Motherlan'; both venues for live music. It now boasts a shopping mall, Ikeja City Mall, which is the largest mall in the Mainland of Lagos State and also has a cinema.

History

Ikeja was originally settled by the Yoruba people, the locality was raided for slaves until the mid-19th century. Early in the 20th century it became an agricultural hinterland for Lagos; kola nuts were first grown in Nigeria in this area. The opening of the Lagos-Ibadan railway in 1901 and the growth of Lagos as a port transformed Ikeja into a residential and industrial suburb of that city. In the mid-1960s an industrial estate was established, and in 1976 Ikeja became the capital of the Lagos state.[2]

Government and infrastructure

The Local Government administrative headquarters of Ikeja is located within the Ikeja Local Government premises. The Chairman (Mayor) of Ikeja local government is Mr. Wale Odunlami. Under his tenure, Ikeja has witnessed significant infrastructural and educational development.

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has its headquarters in Ikeja on the grounds of Murtala Muhammad Airport.[3] The Accident Investigation Bureau of the Nigerian government is headquartered in Ikeja.[4] The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has its Lagos office in Aviation House on the grounds of the airport.[5]

Economy

Several airlines have their head offices situated in Ikeja. Arik Air's head office is in the Arik Air Aviation Centre on the grounds of Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja.[6] Aero Contractors has its head office on the grounds of Murtala Muhammed International Airport.[7][8] Overland Airways has its head office in Ikeja.[9] Other airlines with head offices in Ikeja include Associated Aviation and Dana Air.[10][11]

In addition, Virgin Atlantic has its Nigerian office in "The Place" in Ikeja.[12]

At one time Nigeria Airways had its head office in Airways House.[13][14][15] Prior to its disestablishment Afrijet Airlines had its head office in the NAHCO Building on the grounds of the airport.[16] Bellview Airlines had its headquarters in the Bellview Plaza.[17] Other disestablished airlines with head offices in Ikeja include Air Nigeria (formerly Nigerian Eagle and Virgin Nigeria Airways), on the 9th Floor of Etiebets Place;[18] Sosoliso Airlines;[19] and ADC Airlines.[20]

A slum in Ikeja was recently selected by C.J. Obasi as a production location for his upcoming Nollywood thriller, Ojuju.[21]

Communities

Districts in the city include:

  • Oregun
  • Ojodu
  • Opebi
  • Akiode
  • Alausa
  • Agidingbi
  • Magodo
  • Ogba
  • Maryland
  • Government Residence Area, Ikeja

Computer Village

Computer Megacity
Computer Village

Ikeja is home to a large computer market, popularly known as Otigba. Begun in 1997 as a small market of only 10 shops, the current market now has well over 3000. While most vendors provide the expected computer sales and repair services, it is also possible to find sales and repair services for various types of office equipment and electronic devices.

As the market is unplanned, it has experienced growing pains. Some local residents are upset at the expanding market. Traffic around the area has become very congested, and it can be almost impossible to find a place to park. The electrical infrastructure, already overloaded and unreliable, has become highly stressed with the new market. Computer and electronics stores require power to work on computers and demonstrate their products to potential customers, and this added load has made the supply erratic.[22]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Metro Lagos". City Population. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
  2. ↑ The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica (January 14, 2015). "Ikeja". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
  3. ↑ "Contact Information Archived 26 May 2010 at the Wayback Machine.." Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria. Retrieved on 8 September 2010.
  4. ↑ "Contact Us Archived 9 June 2009 at Archive.is." Accident Investigation Bureau. Retrieved on 9 June 2009.
  5. ↑ "Contact Us Archived 24 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine.." Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority. Retrieved on 9 September 2010.
  6. ↑ "New aircraft to make arik air the largest commercial carrier in nigeria arik air reflects on six months of flying “the new experience”." Arik Air. 28 March 2007. Retrieved on 8 September 2010. "For more information, please contact: Gbemiga Ogunieye, Head of Communications, Arik Air Ltd, Arik Air Aviation Centre, Murtula Muhammed Domestic Airport, PO Box 10468, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria."
  7. ↑ "Privacy Policy Archived 11 September 2010 at the Wayback Machine.." Aero Contractors. Retrieved on 8 September 2010. "Aero Contractors Company of Nigeria Limited, (Private Terminal), Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria."
  8. ↑ "Offices & Phone Numbers Archived 9 September 2010 at the Wayback Machine.." Aero Contractors. Retrieved on 8 September 2010.
  9. ↑ "Ticket Outlets Archived 15 December 2010 at the Wayback Machine.." Overland Airways. Retrieved on 27 November 2010. "Lagos (Head Office) Travel Centre Shop 17, Simbiat Abiola Road Off Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way Ikeja."
  10. ↑ "Contact Us Archived 25 September 2010 at the Wayback Machine.." Associated Aviation. Retrieved on 3 December 2010. "Associated Aviation’s headquarters is located at: 56 MKO Abiola Crescent off Toyin Street. Ikeja, Lagos Nigeria."
  11. ↑ "Contact us Archived 13 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine.." Dana Air. Retrieved on 27 November 2010. "(Administrative Office) 51, Allen Avenue Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria."
  12. ↑ "Nigeria Office." Virgin Atlantic Airways. Retrieved on 14 December 2009.
  13. ↑ "World Airline Directory." Flight International. 29 March 1986. 108. "Head Office: PO Box 136, Airways House, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria."
  14. ↑ "World Airline Directory – Nigeria Airways" (pdf). Flight International: 114. 14 March 1990 – 7 April 2003. Retrieved 17 June 2011. PO Box 136 Airways House, Ikeja Lagos Nigeria 22646
  15. ↑ Ketefe, Kayode. "Firm acquires Airways HQ for N950m." The Punch. Wednesday 1 February 2006. Retrieved on 20 September 2009.
  16. ↑ "Directory:World airlines." Flight International. 16–22 March 2004. 53.
  17. ↑ "Contacts." Bellview Airlines. 21 April 2008. Retrieved on 27 November 2010. "CORPORATE HEAD OFFICE Bellview Plaza 66b, Opebi Road, Ikeja P.M.B 21766, Ikeja, Lagos Nigeria"
  18. ↑ "AN Registered Offices Archived 9 January 2010 at the Wayback Machine.." Air Nigeria. Retrieved on 28 June 2010.
  19. ↑ "Contact us." Sosoliso Airlines. 3 December 2003. Retrieved on 3 October 2009.
  20. ↑ World Airline Directory. Flight International. 3–9 April 1996. - 0772.html 36. Retrieved on 3 October 2009.
  21. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  22. ↑ Focus on the Ikeja Computer Village, Lagos Archived 20 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine., NigeriaBusinessInfo.com, 2 September 2002. Retrieved 11 April 2008
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