₦airaland Forum

EzeUche:
I have come to the conclusion that Kobojunkie is an Igbo.

Since she has traveled widely through Nigeria and know all three of the major languages, only an Igbo is capable of this.

Believe me, from the way Kobojunkie reasons, there is NO WAY she is Igbo. In fact she is as Igbo as you are Zulu!

I have never seen any Igbo reason like her; ever!  

I also sense a certain urgency on her part to level all parts of Nigeria as same.

As a typical son of the soil, I know that there is a difference between a kite and an eagle. No true Igbo fails to see that difference. No pun intended.

Of course Enugu airport has never been an international airport. What are you talking about? Did you misunderstand me? I said that Enugu has never been an international airport hence the agitation by the south east to make it one.

Where did I say private projects failed in the East?

Kobojunkie:
I refuse to give you a list because I don't know what good it will do this discussion when you yourself have agreed to the fact that the country is littered with them. The same patterns exist in ALL parts of that nation. Only some days ago, you knew it when you were discussing the Eko Atlantic issue. To suddenly feign ignorance of this . . . I do not think I want to indulge you in that one.

Kobojunkie! Will you ever change? 

Where did I ever say that such project has failed in the EAST before? The problem I had with Eko Atlantic was that of geology -the land will be reclaimed from the sea- and the cost (thought the cost was too low). No one showed me how the sea will not submerge even the whole of Lagos one day, talk less of a tiny part reclaimed from the sea. I know you are back to your ways, but I reject your baits. You have FAILED to show me a private development that failed IN THE EAST.

I also haven't seen a shop in a good location in the east that is empty. There just aren't any, and I don't care how many you build, people will snap them up. Commerce is the main stay of Igbo life.

Kobojunkie:
Now you are offering up the same gibberish the the Lagos state touts offer up on other threads on viability of massive projects in Lagos. Wake up already!! Viability is not measured in terms of how many rich people live in an area. It is measured in the number of these so called rich people who can actually afford and patronize such. There is such a thing as market research. It is there for a reason. I have lived in the same Enugu and it will be a bold faced lie to claim that the rich outnumber the poor in that same city or any other in Nigeria. Do you then build a massive project like this one just for the rich in the area, many of whom probably will continue to go abroad to vacation and do their shopping still? Or do you make sure you have a general populace(note Not just the 0.5% or less rich) that can buy some of what you have to offer?

Here's how I'm looking at it: I'm thinking that from what I've seen recently in Enugu state, development-wise, this mall will be viable. I don't know how beautiful it will be at the end,  that might help determine its patronage.
I also hope that hotels and amusement centers spring up in this city. Already Nollywood has a healthy presence there as well. The city has the best climate in the East (no too much rain). If the project is integrated into a greater city tourism and entertainment plan, it will be viable.
This is one of those cities where people spend undue amounts just to have fun. The city is more elitist than other Eastern cities. Some of the residents travel annually overseas for fun (I know some have visited me here). So don't worry about viability, and I doubt private investors would throw away their money.
I challenged you to show me a private project in the east that failed, you could not identify any. So try from another angle. 

To those who still think this mall may not be viable, I say you don't know Enugu at all. The moment you see this town as an Enugu state city, you fail it.
This city is THE CITY in the East. Every top Igbo elite: Ojukwus, Ekwuemes, Nwabuezes etc have a home in Enugu. This is the Eastern capital. Those of us emerging Igbo youths will own homes in Enugu. So this town is thicker than almost any other town in the East. Any mall here will thrive. The only thing that can negate this is if the International Airport fails to materialize.  This mall is a product of good foresight. I just hope they do a good job of it.

GAR3TH:
there are pleantly of investors in nigeria and even more shoppers

but all this is good if the price is right. Not to be negative [b]it feels kinda cheap N3.5 billion($23 million). . .while africa's largest mall Canal walk cost R1.3billion($175 miilion). . .expect the price to increase, maybe with an extra zero. . .other than that the project is well. cant wait to go shopping.

it will go nicely with the polo park mall currently being built  [/b]

thepoloparkmall.com

lol. I thought no one would notice that. You are spot on with the cost estimate. The developers said they are good at low cost development. I hope they don't reduce the quality of the construction just to do this on the cheap.

Kobojunkie:
As always I am hopeful, but I just hope we start with the small, succeed and then go for the BIGGEST and the LARGEST, and the Longest etc when we prove ourselves good at the small. I remember wondering some years ago why we even bother starting projects when we are not even sure how it will end.  And this is no way limited to government projects. The Eastern part of the country definitely has its share of some abandoned 'massive' private projects . .  I always wonder what happens at that point.

Kobo could you please list some of those "massive private projects" that failed in the east?

The biggest private project I know in the east is the brewery at Ama near Enugu (cost over $400 million).

Please list some for us.

That international airport is the key.

Kobojunkie:
Rubbish . .  Enugu has been an international airport with customs and clearance to handle international flights for a long time. Please do not even think you are speaking to someone who has no clue here.

The issue with these projects is viability, simple and straight. . . nothing more!! You cannot say because a place has rich people means building expensive things there will work. We see how that did not work in Calabar, or even port harcourt and AkwaIbom. Enugu suffers from the very same.


The country, including the East is littered with hundreds of abandoned PRIVATE projects . . . projects that promised heaven and earth only to fail when it came to delivering simply because people made silly assumptions, without really studying the people in these areas.

You have a point there, though I disagree that Enugu airport has always been an International Airport. It has not. It is currently being upgraded and work is going on there now. If it has always been an international airport, why is it one of the demands of the south east (Ohanaeze and S/E governors)? Why can't I land there?
We've had this argument before and I won't repeat it.

About this project, I hope they did their home work well as per the design. Enugu is PERFECT for something like this.

I know, because I lived in Enugu for many years.

mens dept:
Enugu is the former regional headquarters of Eastern Nigeria. You can build a Tinapa in Calabar and it wont do the East any good. What you could have done there was a seaport thats world class.

Spot on!

Kobojunkie:
The same enugu big 'boys' that have not been able to carry the Airport to greater heights, will definitely carry this one? Come on now!! That the 1% or so rich yearn for stuff like this does not mean all of Enugu is ready for and able to pay for this though. I am glad it is a private project though. At least that way, if things go wrong, the owners can act to fix things or let it rot like is the case in many parts of the country.

Kobo, you are wrong on that point. Mind you they are hoping for the [b]Enugu International Airport [/b]before completing this project. It means that they are hoping for "foreigners" like us to hit town too, and it will happen for sure!
Give me that Airport and that mall and I will be at home in the East.

Enugu is home to all Easterners and Nigerians. So don't underestimate Enugu at all.

Kobojunkie:
Isn't this the same company that worked on the mall that collapsed a couple of years ago in Abuja?

Housing units are nothing near the same as commercial units. For one, housing units make 100 times more sense than malls in Nigeria if you ask me.

I don't know o! I'm just reading this and thinking about how great such mall would be. I am still holding out for more info.
No to fly by nights!

Kobojunkie:
There is currently a huge mall out in Tinapa for you to do all that presently. Problem is that mall is sucking government dry still  . . .   With Aba not too far, you would expect it to be the success we were promised.

I honestly don't think you can compare Enugu with Calabar when it comes to affordability issues. Enugu guys carry dough somehow. I remember eating at one of the wayside joints in Enugu in 2007. It set me back about N5,000 just for food.

Enugu really yearns for stuff like this, and guys from Awka, Nsukka and even Onitsha will hit that mall bad bad.

They need a place to spend money within their "catchment area".

You better believe that before you see my red cent, I must see that detailed development plan. Apparently they've done some big projects before in Abuja:

For instance, we have completed all the 1,500 housing units in Abuja and handed over to the subscribers and everybody is happy.”

The project will take off as soon as the government provides the Certificate of Occupancy, as he assured that the financiers are ready. “The upgrade of the Enugu Airport will be an added advantage because people who are coming from various places can easily have a place to do comfortable shopping”, he noted.

Ileke-IdI:
From Enugu to Ekiti and Ekiti to Enugu is how much? Just to buy a #500 dress?

Anywayz, I guess that this is a good thing. Let's wait and see the outcome. Imagine, a mall like SawGrass Lakes Mall and Belks in Nigeria, awesome!
The problem is how this mall will be maintained. . . . Imagine trying on a shirt in the fitting room and all of a sudden; POWER'S OUT!

You go take lantern finish am! lmao!

Anyway make the mall come first, we go find power join am. No shaking.

Kobojunkie:
We still haven't gotten West Africa's biggest FTZ to work -- what with the mall and all down there, we are already proposing another big "mall" project will save the day? Sigh!

And Kobo joins the fray! 

I share your skepticism. Prayerfully hoping. . .

Obiechina revealed: “The mall is strategically located [/b]to enhance the concept of the project, which includes the immediate sale of spaces. The great potential of this project is that it enhances commerce and seriously reduces inconveniences in buying and selling of goods. Indeed, [b]we want to redefine shopping in Enugu by introducing a style powered by ultra modern facilities in contrast with the traditional markets common in Nigeria. What we are doing is like a transformation of business concept in this clime.”

This mall should form part of a regional development Masterplan which should certainly nexus with other nodes in the East.

Ileke-IdI:
So I have to travel to Enugu just to shop?

Odikwa serious.

When will malls like this be built in Ekit State? 

Actually you can just hop onto one of the local flights, hit Enugu within minutes, do your shopping and head back to Lagos same day. That airport is the key.

As for the viability of the mall, I can certainly say that it will be very viable. My experience in Enugu recently is that the town yearns hungrily for something like this.

Ileke-IdI:
Where will  the mall be located? Enugu? Abuja?

Onlytruth:
After successfully constructing the biggest private housing estate in Abuja - the Aco-Hitech/AMAC Estate, with over 1,500 housing units along Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport road, Aco-Hiteck is about to start a most ambitious shopping mall in Africa.

The mall will be executed under a public/private agreement with the Enugu State government. It will be located within the premises of the old Eastern Nigeria Industrial Estate along Zik Avenue, Uwani, Enugu.
Under the agreement, the estate developers would fund the project and recoup through the sale of shops to interested individuals and organizations while the state government would provide land, security and enabling environment for the successful execution and management of the plaza. The project will be completed in two and half years at a budget of N3.5 billion.

The Managing Director of Aco-Hiteck, Dr. Alex Obiechina, told Saturday Sun: “The idea is to replicate the type of shopping malls you see in advanced economies like America and Europe. We want our people to shop with comfort as against shopping in tears or pains as obtains today. Our aim is for people to do their shopping in an air-conditioned environment, where there will be elevators, banks, parking lots and security. Indeed, everything will be readily available within the premises”.

There you have it.

I've always advocated for something like this in the East. This is why the Enugu International Airport is key to the economic revival of the East. More of this is welcome.

[size=16pt]We’ll give Nigeria Africa’s biggest shopping mall –Obiechina, Aco-Hiteck MD
[/size]

By HENRY UMAHI
Saturday, July 24, 2010

After successfully constructing the biggest private housing estate in Abuja - the Aco-Hitech/AMAC Estate, with over 1,500 housing units along Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport road, Aco-Hiteck is about to start a most ambitious shopping mall in Africa.

The mall will be executed under a public/private agreement with the Enugu State government. It will be located within the premises of the old Eastern Nigeria Industrial Estate along Zik Avenue, Uwani, Enugu.
Under the agreement, the estate developers would fund the project and recoup through the sale of shops to interested individuals and organizations while the state government would provide land, security and enabling environment for the successful execution and management of the plaza. The project will be completed in two and half years at a budget of N3.5 billion.

The Managing Director of Aco-Hiteck, Dr. Alex Obiechina, told Saturday Sun: “The idea is to replicate the type of shopping malls you see in advanced economies like America and Europe. We want our people to shop with comfort as against shopping in tears or pains as obtains today. Our aim is for people to do their shopping in an air-conditioned environment, where there will be elevators, banks, parking lots and security. Indeed, everything will be readily available within the premises”.

Obiechina revealed: “The mall is strategically located to enhance the concept of the project, which includes the immediate sale of spaces. The great potential of this project is that it enhances commerce and seriously reduces inconveniences in buying and selling of goods. Indeed, we want to redefine shopping in Enugu by introducing a style powered by ultra modern facilities in contrast with the traditional markets common in Nigeria. What we are doing is like a transformation of business concept in this clime.”

From the words of the man behind the project, Aco-Hiteck has the manpower and financial strength to complete the project on schedule and according to specifications. Obiechina said that the company had proved its capability to handle ambitious projects by successfully completing the 1,500 housing units it jointly developed with Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).

He said: “The cost of the shops will be moderate and it is open to Nigerians and foreigners, who are interested. We will do business on first come first served basis. As an organization that markets integrity, we assure prospective buyers of shopping spaces that would be worthwhile investment because we deliver on promise. For instance, we have completed all the 1,500 housing units in Abuja and handed over to the subscribers and everybody is happy.”

The project will take off as soon as the government provides the Certificate of Occupancy, as he assured that the financiers are ready. “The upgrade of the Enugu Airport will be an added advantage because people who are coming from various places can easily have a place to do comfortable shopping”, he noted.

On the cutting edge of Aco-Hiteck as an estate developing firm, the MD said: “Our major area of advantage is the ability to construct cheap, qualitaty buildings. We have made reputation in Abuja because of the quality of houses we build at a very low cost. Building affordable houses is our hallmark and we want to replicate it in Enugu. Wherever we go, the challenge is to build affordable quality houses. In other words, we give quality to money.


http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/enterprise/2010/july/24/enterprise-24-07-2010-002.htm

As a Christian, I know I've prayed a particular "dangerous" prayer one time in my life, and the result is remarkable.

That prayer is simple: Oh lord break and remold me to your glory.

God is a glorious God, and anything that does not glorify cannot be ascribed to him. Africa needs to be broken and remolded to glorify God. Africa "as is" brings shame to God.

Nigeria needs to be broken and remolded. Only a remolded Nigeria can glorify God.

I don talk my own o!

Ileke-IdI:
Okay, log off immediately and attend to your project. All the best of luck
Mind if I ask what the project is about?

How to rule the world. lmao!
Nah, just some consulting work.

@topic

I know that old parts of western Cameroon wants to secede (at least there was a time they made some noise), it all fizzled out.

If Africa has been advancing alongside other continents of the world, I'm sure this topic would not be so relevant. But, we have almost an arrested development. Even things we used to do before successfully like local community service and values cultivation have been lost in the giant cacophony that is Nigeria.

Even as a kid (I was born after the war), I still remember theater arts works by secondary schools in my area (all in Igbo). We had cultural singing competitions; there was peace and security and no mad rush for money. All of that is dead today, destroyed by the so called center of unity, more like center of evil, because every tribe is losing something in this conundrum. I am sure same thing is happening in some other African countries.

Ileke-IdI:
I hear you, oga.

Ya, I'm working on a project that must be ready by August 13th. Working day and night. Gotta gerrit ready by that date or I'll be sorry.

Ileke-IdI:
Well, nice to see you around again

You're welcome. Never left though. Just busy.

@Topic

I've seen really deep comments from some folks here. I've also seen comments from folks who are more panicky about a disintegrated Nigeria. Fear is the biggest killer of destiny. Once you become fearful, you've lost already.

One of the best comments here is from the guy who said that African people lack a measure of courage and fortitude necessary to bring about a successful self determination. It is not a tea party. It takes a lot of sweat, tears and blood.
Not to belittle Africans, but we are yet to witness a successful self determination struggle. I won't put this on foreign powers. This is an African thing.
If you want self determination for your people, well, go get it! 

ezeagu:
This topic, hmm.

Unfortunately for Africa, whenever someone brings up this topic they are called a selfish "tribalist". I remember posting maps of what ethnic countries carved out of Nigeria would look like, a poster actually equated the countries on the map to "concentration camps".

One of the problems is that African's lack imagination, better yet, the African imagination has been destroyed. A very good example of this is in the arts, look at the ancient Benin bronzes and compare them to the brass objects the people of Benin City make today. You may all know the reason for this demoralisation and loss of imagination. [size=5pt]Colonisation of the mind, body and worst of all, spirit.[/size]

There are many who want their own country where they have a national culture, but they're too scared to say it because it's not a popular aspiration. What can a Nigerian say is uniquely 'Nigerian', that is a unique characteristic that is national and not unique to only one culture in a section of the country? Jellof rice? No! Music? No, unless Hip-hop and ragga was created in Nigeria. Clothing? No! No national dress, as much as people try and push lace, different regions wear them differently. Language? No! I know what you may be asking, what about 'pigeon'? Pigeon is Sierra Leonean, yes it has Nigerian 'bits' in it, but those bits largely came from ex-slaves. Art? Architecture? Dance? Climate? Even common looks? All no! In Biafra they all had Ekpe, or a derivative, as a unifying factor like the Free Masons, they had art as a unifying factor, the 'Biafrans' all wore 'George', the 'Biafrans' all sang High life, the 'Biafrans' were intermixed and sometimes you couldn't tell where an ethnic boundary stopped or started because of the similarity yet diversity inside the groups themselves, the 'Biafrans' even before Biafra gelled together overseas during slavery, the 'Biafrans' had similar spirituality, the 'Biafrans' mostly spoke one language and the people who the dominant language was native to spoke the other Biafran languages a lot of the time, the 'Biafrans' knew in depth knowledge about each other's cultures and customs, the 'Biafrans' were even said to have a common descent.

I'm sorry I was going off on my "selfish tribalist" rant.

The fact is, if Nigeria was a European country, it would not exist. The popular reply to anyone with the opinion like that of this thread is "it is our leaders", which makes me wonder what juju were the leaders of Benin sworn under to create a city that is more than ten times sophisticated and uniquely Edo than the current Benin City. Another popular opinion now is to destroy our cultures that are thousands of years old to make way for a new 'Nigerian' identity, I say good luck to all of you.

One more feather  to that cap ezeagu. You're a true lion.

Ileke-IdI:
lol


Anywaz, where are posters like [b]OnlyTruth [/b]and Beaf?

Hi there Gators,

Very much around. Not seceding without taking you along.

yiboboy:
^^^ U 4got to mention I'm bk babe, didinrin.

You see, it never occurs to idiots like you that ANYONE can create ANY number of usernames here. Why do you think that only you can do it?
Cowardly and pathetic.

yiboboy:

You can create one million different usernames on nairaland. Same person. Same people.  Same message to you.