Aso Villa

Aso Rock Presidential Villa
General information
Architectural style Neoclassical, Palladian
Location Yakubu Gowon Crescent, The Three Arms Zone, Asokoro, Abuja, FCT, Nigeria
Coordinates 9°3′25.6″N 7°31′29.2″E / 9.057111°N 7.524778°E / 9.057111; 7.524778Coordinates: 9°3′25.6″N 7°31′29.2″E / 9.057111°N 7.524778°E / 9.057111; 7.524778
Current tenants Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the First family
Construction started October 13, 1989 (1989-10-13)
Completed November 1, 1991 (1991-11-01)
Owner Federal Government of Nigeria
Website
www.statehouse.gov.ng
President Obasanjo hosts the then US First Lady Laura Bush at the Presidential Villa, 18 January 2006

Aso Villa (officially The Aso Rock Presidential Villa) is the workplace and official residence of the President of Nigeria since 1992, when Nigeria moved its capital from Lagos to Abuja. It is located at Yakubu Gowon Crescent, The Three Arms Zone, Asokoro, Abuja, FCT, Nigeria. Several names that are used for Aso Villa include: State House, The Rock and The Villa. The Aso Rock villa is the most protected presidential state house in Africa.[1][2]

History

The palatial residence was completed in 1991, the same year the military junta of Ibrahim Babangida relocated the national capital from Lagos to Abuja. Aso Villa encompasses the 400 meter monolith Aso Rock, located within the Three Arms Zone of Abuja metropolis. In 1976 the Military Government of Murtala Mohammed took the decision to relocate the Federal Capital from Lagos by a committee under the leadership of Justice Akinola Aguda which recommended the creation of a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the center of the country and its proclamation to this effect was issued on February 3, 1976. [3]


Akinola Aguda House (formally named on October 1, 1983) was originally conceived as a Presidential Lodge & Guest House Complex and hosted the first ever formal Cabinet Meeting held outside Lagos, only days after Abuja hosted Nigeria’s Independence Anniversary celebrations for the first time, in October 1982. President Ibrahim Babangida, who took office in 1985, commenced construction of a new Presidential residence and in 1991 the Aso Rock Presidential Villa was completed and President Babangida became the first Head of State to occupy it, in on December 12, 1991. Upon completion of the Aso Rock Presidential Villa the Aguda House became the Vice Presidential Complex, and has remained so till date — apart from the period between 1999 and 2007 when the Vice President lived in a Residence that has since been transferred to the Judiciary as Official Quarters for the Chief Justice of Nigeria. [4]


In 2010, construction of a new Vice Presidential Residence commenced. The Residence has yet to be completed the Buhari administration has said it is not a priority. Today the Presidential Complex, located in the Three Arms Zone of the Federal Capital Territory, consists of the Main Presidential Villa (Office and Residence of the President, and Offices of the Vice President and Wife of the President), the State House Conference Center, State House Annexe, and the Akinola Aguda House. The old Presidential Lodge in Marina, Lagos, was handed over to the Lagos State Government in 2017. [5]


References

  1. ↑ "Aso Rock Presidential Villa". Abuja News. Retrieved March 3, 2016.
  2. ↑ "11 Rare Inside Photos and Videos of Aso Rock Presidential Villa". Buzz Nigeria. Retrieved March 3, 2016.
  3. ↑ The State House. "The Villa". Aso Rock Villa. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  4. ↑ The State House. "The Villa". Aso Rock Villa. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  5. ↑ The State House. "The Villa". Aso Rock Villa. Retrieved 4 May 2018.


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