Inside ‘the Cotonou’ in Ondo



THE spectacle is breathtaking. On display, a sea of vehicles of different brands. There is virtually no brand of vehicle that you don’t find there. The vehicles range from cars to the sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and trucks. One striking feature of the sight is that there is no haphazard arrangement of vehicles. The environment is sparkling neat and you are tempted to think you are not out of Nigeria. But this is not only Nigeria but also a site along the Ilesha-Owo Road in Akure, Ondo State.

Welcome to the Akure International Auto Market. In terms of the volume of vehicles on display for sale, it compares with the Cotonou, Benin Republic, auto market where many Nigerians find convenient to buy vehicles. The only difference is that whereas the Cotonou market is situated in the port, the Akure market is an ultra modern market along a busy highway, and complete with mind-boggling facilities.

On one side is the banking section; you also have the police and fire stations. The site is well lit and the taps run. Toilets are everywhere and well kept. There is a spare parts section where you can buy vehicle accessories. There is a mechanics section to get people to fix faults in vehicles. The auto mart did not just come into being. It is only a part of the urban renewal programme of the Dr. Olusegun Mimiko administration of Ondo State.The motive for building the auto market was two fold: removing the car sellers from the streets, in line with government urban renewal policy and making the car selling trade comfortable.

The urban renewal programme of the Mimiko government does not end with the removal of the auto sellers from the streets. Traders of all sorts are also being removed from the streets to purpose-built markets across Ondo State.

Continue here: http://tribune.com.ng/sun/more-features/7898-inside-the-cotonou-in-ondo

Very good concept from Ondo State governor, Mimiko.

I have been there before, it's a very nice place

Iroko with his initiative sha...gbasibe!

Iroko with his initiatives sha...gbasibe!

Really! Dats nice...... Fellow indigens of dis great state,if u care 2 insure ur car,both 3rd party n comprehensive @ affordable rates,pls contact me via dis e-mail;solaitan79@yahoo .com

IROKO noni.....great man great vision

One must commend this initiative but can the prices compare with Cotonou?if you think it worth the efforr post some prices

Fellow nairalander for ur comprehensive and third party insurance call ayodeji on 08023198878. He is a manager in mutual benefit assurance plc, be sure that u r dealing directly with a staff and nt an agent.

Emperoh: I passed thru this place on my way to Abuja last week and stopped over.
This is not even as big as Berger talkless of comparing it to Cotonou.
All media hype in my opinion!

You are quite on point. I passed through the place too and i can't define it more than you have done.

Nice move by Mimiko,but he should have considered vehicle manufacturing,that will get thousands of youths empoyed,and create multiple effects in the economy.Just selling,doesn't add value to the economy.Let's think production

This mimiko, ACN wil show him pepper

Do u want him to build a sea port in Akure? This is a car mart & so it is. Good & commendable initiative by d governor.

I hope they don't sell stolen vehicles there

Picture please!

Good initiative, I pray he wins in his re-election bid so as to sustain his other initiatives and programmes to make Ondo state great again.

It is time we vote PDP out of this country who say other parties are no working?

i have seen it too, it not to be compared with what we have in lagos,(bergar) in apapa...but the only difference in it is that it has helped to eradicated the showcasing of any car for sale on the motorway...nice development.

bobbyr: This mimiko ACN wil show him pepper someone that has not pay his contractors for seven months now. having uncompleted projects,some contractors got loan from banks.

Tseems you r sufferin frm puntuation defficiency syndrome.

I suspect that most of the stolen cars in lagos would be on sale here....just my thoughts....Nairaland is close to one million registered members and uncountable waka pass...

There's nuffin much there.na just media hype.imagine the newspaper dat carried it.TRIBUNE.they just gave him an award as the best gorvernor.they need to justify it na

9ija Car show...

Emperoh: I passed thru this place on my way to Abuja last week and stopped over.
This is not even as big as Berger talkless of comparing it to Cotonou.
All media hype in my opinion!

True talk, I seen it too, barely half as large as a football pitch, let alone cotonou. He tried sha

is it belgium(tokumbo) or new cars are they selling their?
How about their prices?

i see,another white elephant projects that was done with an inflated budget.

Naija pple don come again.....even if it is media hype.....they should over hype it....I'm in total support..... The quantity of what you engage in doesn't matter bt the way u carry it. All the info we see on internet and foreign stations abt the USA and Europe....most of it are extra over hyped. Its time for Africans to start carrying themselves in respectable way.....mtcheew...I'm tired of inferiority complex deluded guys. Atleast, this is better than another bomb blast news