Raheem Akingbolu writes that recent inauguration of the multipurpose plaza of the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) in Lagos, will serve as a tool for the promotion of trade and investment in Nigeria, Africa, and across the world.

As a former colony of Britain, Nigeria surely occupies a very important socio-economic position among the countries of the world that deal with Britain in the area of international business and education. After Nigeria got her independence in 1960, the relationship continued because of many developmental ties the two countries shared, especially in the area of education and commerce.

In 1977, the Nigerian- British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) was established to promote trade and investment between Nigeria and Britain. NBCC currently has about 400 members spanning all sectors of the economy made up of Nigerian and British businesspeople. Headquartered in Lagos, NBCC maintains an NBCC-UK Network in London and is developing a network of local branches across Nigeria.

Recently, the bilateral organisation recorded a landmark achievement with the inauguration of a new multipurpose plaza in Lagos. The story behind the successful completion and the concrete existence of the plaza was said to be embalmed in purpose, mission, and destiny. The NBCC Plaza, which is the first of its kind amongst Chambers in Nigeria, is a record to reckon with, especially as it is targeted to be a tool for the promotion of trade and investment in Nigeria, Arica, and across the world.

The British Deputy High Commissioner, Ben Llwellyn-Jones, who spoke at the event commended the Chamber for this lofty achievement. He said: “We see this very much as both a practical building but also a symbol of the excellent trade-investment cooperation that exists between Nigeria and the UK. From our side at the British Deputy High Commission, I reaffirm that commitment, I reaffirm the commitment of the British Government to not simply supporting the chamber, but to bring in new business into Nigeria, and to supporting our two-way trade and investment.”

For Chairman, Coscharis Group and a member of the NBCC and major donor to the Plaza, Dr. Cosmas Maduka, “Today is a great day for us. We are here in honour of all Past Presidents of the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce, and you can see that these are men of honour, who believed deeply in their goals; and this edifice would not have been possible without their commitment. They worked hard to ensure this became a reality.”

For the Chamber, creativity has been a culture that is intrinsically embedded at its core. Little wonder NBCC always weaves great, inspiring stories around its activities and the success of its members. This goal has always pushed the team to discard long-standing limitations, generally accepted notions, and norms to create success stories that truly inspire.

In all spheres of human activities, there are two types of players: those who dictate the pace of the game and those who simply follow its upheavals. It is obvious that NBCC, with its trailblazing efforts, is clearly the former.

To commemorate the achievement, a unique gathering of major stakeholders in Nigeria’s trade and investment sector rolled out the red carpet to celebrate the accomplishment that started with the dream of the late Past President and Patron of NBCC, Chief Amzat Beyioku Adebowale tenure (1993 – 1997). Chief Adebowale strongly believed that the Chamber deserved to have its own permanent building, and he took steps towards securing a piece of land for the project in 1994. Fortunately, the finger of posterity drew the heart of the former Governor of Lagos State, Col. Olagunsoye Oyinlola to approve the chamber’s original request for the allocation of land in the Central Business District in Alausa, Ikeja.

However, the consensus of council members was that the secretariat should be located in Lekki, hence the former Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, graciously approved the allocation of a new land on Olubunmi Owa Street, Lekki Phase 1 in 2000, where the Multipurpose Plaza is presently located.

The achievement of becoming the first bilateral chamber to have its own building indeed became a reality through the Chamber’s culture and belief in the intrinsic transformation of minds to their highest level of performance. Great ideas are processed at the speed of thought, based on imaginative and virtuous values that propel noble thinking to flourish and manifest in concrete actions. That is the story of the NBCC Plaza – obviously achieved largely through the deployment and re-enforcement of the core values of responsibility, tenacity, integrity, and excellence.

In all, it has simply been demonstrated that where tenacity plays, ambition fosters unrestrained. This is the case with the NBCC plaza. Indeed, the President and Chairman of the Chamber Council, Kayode Falowo, revealed this in his address when he said: “It took us several years and over nine tenures of Past Presidents and Patrons to achieve this milestone.” Most probably, successive cerebral leaders of the Chamber must have taken the good counsel from popular billionaire TV celebrity, Oprah Winfrey, who admonished that to achieve requires that we “Create the highest, grandest vision possible for your life, because you become what you believe.”

Looking at the NBCC edifice, one would need to turn the table of imagination and shift one’s gaze for an optimal experience. It has a good dose of youthful appeal for its highly passionate people. The Plaza is indeed not just a building to house the Secretariat of the Chamber, it is a multi-purpose hub featuring facilities such as a Business Incubator, the British Trade Center, a Seminar Room, Members’ Lounge, Training Suites, a Digital Library and meeting rooms for its members and the general public in Nigeria and the United Kingdom. Most of these facilities will be income-generating and will ensure the financial sustainability and independence of the Chamber. The various activities that will take place in these facilities will also reinforce the position of NBCC as the clear leader amongst the bilateral Chambers in Nigeria.

Speaking at the landmark event, the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu thanked the President of the Chamber, Kayode Falowo, for the invitation and honour extended to him to commission the Plaza. He said: “It is gratifying to note that, the President on his assumption to the office, promised to complete this edifice, and he fulfilled his promise. Kayode is truly a goal-getter, and we are all very proud of him in Ondo. I also applaud him and his team for their commitment to achieve this great goal at this time of economic challenges in Nigeria, and across the world. We know that if availed with more resources they will do more.”

He also commended the entire Chamber and Council for a great achievement in delivering NBCC office Plaza as promised.

Earlier in his address at the formal unveiling of the plaza, the Immediate Past President and Chairman, Council of NBCC, Mr. Kayode Falowo, acknowledged that the event was not really an occasion for long speeches, but about celebrating the emergence of an excellent dream. He expressed profound gratitude to all the organisations who partnered with the Chamber to ensure seamless execution. In Falowo’s words: “The actualisation of the Plaza project in the last two years could not have been successful without the support and dedication from the Council, the Executive Committee, and the hardworking Secretariat of the Chamber. I am pleased to convey our special thanks to the Plaza Committee headed by Past President and Patron Asiwaju (Dr) Michael Olawale-Cole, CON, MFR, and actively supported by several distinguished members of the Chamber. I thank you all for making today a reality.”

Describing the plaza as an ‘edifice’, Falowo expressed thanks to the Governor of Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, who commissioned the building, for his consistent support to the Chamber, while pledging to work closely with the Ondo State Government in the process of making the State a strategic hub for commercial investments. The new NBCC Plaza was designed and built by a number of construction firms including Pyramid Plc, Stretford Hills Limited, Case Projex and Construction Kaiser Limited, The major sponsors of the project are Otunba ‘Tunji Durosinmi-Etti, Access Bank Plc, Dangote Group, Coscharis Group, Greenwich Merchant Bank Limited, Shell Petroleum Development Co., Chicason Group, Lead Capital Plc, Chief Olusegun Osunkeye, CON, OFR, FCA, MOC Consulting Limited, DCSL Corporate Services, ANAP Foundation and Custodian Investment Plc.

Applauding the milestone achieved by the construction of this edifice, Asiwaju (Dr) Michael Olawale-Cole, Past President and Patron, Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce said, “Everybody played a role or the other in the success of this project. I think the ultimate role was played by Kayode Falowo for completing the building. It can’t be said to be the legacy of one person because different people did different things to bring it to where it is. This building will be very useful to underscore the importance of our relationship with Britain, and also further solidify our togetherness as those coming from Britain can come to the Chamber to learn about doing business in Nigeria.

Wow.

Really.


Who cares?


Didn't read the extract, too long