Ikeja

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Ikeja
Municipality
Ikeja Local Government Area
2013 airport Ikeja Lagos Nigeria 12999337914.jpg
Ikeja shown within the State of Lagos
Ikeja shown within the State of Lagos
Ikeja is located in Nigeria
Ikeja
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
StateLagos State
LGA(s)Ikeja
Area
 • Total49.92 km2 (19.27 sq mi)
 • Land49.92 km2 (19.27 sq mi)
Elevation
39 m (128 ft)
Population
 (2006 census)[1]
 • Total313,196
 • Density6,300/km2 (16,000/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (WAT)
ClimateAw

Ikeja is the capital of Lagos State in southwestern Nigeria. Its population, as of the 2006 census, is 313,196. 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 Muhammed International Airport is located in Ikeja. Ikeja is also home to Femi Kuti's Africa Shrine and Lagbaja's Motherland, both venues for live music. Its Ikeja City Mall is the largest mall on the Lagos State mainland. Ikeja also has its own radio station, broadcasting both in English (Eko FM) and in Yoruba (Radio Lagos).

History[]

Ikeja, which was formally called "Akeja" was named after a deity of the Awori people of Ota.[2] It was originally settled by the Awori people, and the area was raided for slaves until the mid-19th century. Early in the 20th century it became an agricultural hinterland for Lagos. 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 Lagos state.[3]

Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria

Government and infrastructure[]

The local government administrative headquarters of Ikeja is located within the Ikeja Local Government premises. As of June 2019, the Chairman (Mayor) of Ikeja's local government is Engr. Mojeed Balogun.[4]

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has its headquarters in Ikeja on the grounds of Murtala Muhammad Airport.[5] The Accident Investigation Bureau of the Nigerian government is headquartered in Ikeja.[6] The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has its head office in Aviation House on the grounds of the airport;[7] this was formerly just the Lagos office.[8]

Economy[]

Several airlines have their head offices located in Ikeja. Arik Air's head office is in the Arik Air Aviation Centre on the grounds of Murtala Muhammed Airport.[9] Aero Contractors has its head office on the grounds of Murtala Muhammed Airport.[10][11] Other airlines with Ikeja head offices include Overland Airways,[12] Air Peace,[13]Associated Aviation,[14] and Dana Air.[15] In addition, Virgin Atlantic has its Nigerian office in "The Place" in Ikeja.[16]

At one point, Nigeria Airways had its head office in Airways House.[17][18][19] Before it was dissolved, Afrijet Airlines had its head office in the NAHCO Building on the grounds of the airport.[20] Bellview Airlines had its headquarters in the Bellview Plaza.[21] Other now-defunct airlines with head offices in Ikeja include Air Nigeria (formerly Nigerian Eagle and Virgin Nigeria Airways), on the 9th Floor of Etiebets Place,[22] Sosoliso Airlines,[23] and ADC Airlines.[24]

A slum in Ikeja was selected by C. J. Obasi as a production location for the 2014 Nollywood thriller, Ojuju.[25]

Ikeja also has a main market area called Ipodo Market. This market contains many shops and makeshift stalls where merchants display and sell produce, meat, fish, grains, and other groceries.

Communities[]

Districts in the city include:

  • Anifowose.
  • Oregun.
  • Ojodu.
  • Opebi.
  • Akiode.
  • Alausa.
  • Agidingbi.
  • Ogba.
  • Magodo.
  • Maryland.
  • Onigbongbo.
  • Government Reserved Area,(GRA) 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.[26]

By 2019, the little shops at Computer Village had grown to multiple-storey shopping malls. Many of the single-floor buildings have been developed into larger buildings, housing several shops that distribute and repair mobile phones, laptops, printers and other electronic devices. Nearly all the major Nigerian banks have branches around the market.

As the market is unplanned, it has experienced difficulties in its growth, with some local residents expressing frustration at the market's expansion. Traffic around the area has become very congested, and it can be almost impossible to find a place to park. Furthermore, the electrical infrastructure, which was already unreliable, has become overloaded by the new market, which requires significant amounts of electricity to demonstrate working computer products to potential customers.[27]

Tourist centres[]

Gallery[]

  • Independence tunnel, Maryland

  • Indeoendence Tunnel, MAryland

  • Maryland Express

  • Maryland Lane

  • Maryland mall

  • Maryland tunnel view

  • Maryland Unity Status

  • Simbiat Abiola way, Ikeja

  • Simbiat Abiola way, Ikeja

  • Simbiat Abiola way, Ikeja

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA : 2006 Population Census" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 March 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  2. ^ Peters, Ifeoma (8 June 2017). "The origin of the word "Ikeja"". DNL legal & style blog.
  3. ^ The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica (14 January 2015). "Ikeja". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  4. ^ "Full list of Chairmen, Vice-Chairmen elected in Saturday's LG poll in Lagos State". The Eagle Online.
  5. ^ "Contact Information Archived 26 May 2010 at the Wayback Machine." Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria. Retrieved on 8 September 2010.
  6. ^ "Contact Us Archived 9 June 2009 at archive.today." Accident Investigation Bureau. Retrieved on 9 June 2009.
  7. ^ "Contact". Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority. Retrieved 21 June 2020. Visit our office AVIATION HOUSE P.M.B. 21029, 21038 Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria
  8. ^ "Contact Us Archived 24 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine." Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority. Retrieved on 9 September 2010.
  9. ^ "New aircraft to make arik air the largest commercial carrier in nigeria arik air reflects on six months of flying “the new experience” Archived 15 October 2010 at the Wayback Machine." 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."
  10. ^ "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."
  11. ^ "Offices & Phone Numbers Archived 9 September 2010 at the Wayback Machine." Aero Contractors. Retrieved on 8 September 2010.
  12. ^ "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."
  13. ^ "About Us". Air Peace. Retrieved 20 March 2021. Head Office: 25, Sobo Arobiodu Street GRA, Ikeja, Lagos.
  14. ^ "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."
  15. ^ "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."
  16. ^ "Nigeria Office." Virgin Atlantic. Retrieved on 14 December 2009.
  17. ^ "World Airline Directory." Flight International. 29 March 1986. 108. "Head Office: PO Box 136, Airways House, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria."
  18. ^ "World Airline Directory – Nigeria Airways" (pdf). Flight International: 114. 14 March 2003 – 7 April 2003. Retrieved 17 June 2011. PO Box 136 Airways House, Ikeja Lagos Nigeria 22646
  19. ^ Ketefe, Kayode. "Firm acquires Airways HQ for N950m[permanent dead link]." The Punch. Wednesday 1 February 2006. Retrieved on 20 September 2009.
  20. ^ "Directory:World airlines." Flight International. 16–22 March 2004. 53.
  21. ^ "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"
  22. ^ "AN Registered Offices Archived 9 January 2010 at the Wayback Machine." Air Nigeria. Retrieved on 28 June 2010.
  23. ^ "Contact us." Sosoliso Airlines. 3 December 2003. Retrieved on 3 October 2009.
  24. ^ World Airline Directory. Flight International. 3–9 April 1996. - 0772.html 36. Retrieved on 3 October 2009.
  25. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  26. ^ "Computer Village: what you probably didn't know about Africa's biggest gadget market". Pulse Nigeria.
  27. ^ Focus on the Ikeja Computer Village, Lagos Archived 20 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine, NigeriaBusinessInfo.com, 2 September 2002. Retrieved 11 April 2008
  28. ^ "About Lagos". Lagos State Government. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
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