₦airaland Forum

Nigeria experienced two disastrous economic decline, first was during the Babangida regime and off recent with the present Tinubu regime.
Don't argue thrash with me...

PigTormentor:
How is this better than today?
Do you know that the vast majority of Nigerians couldn't buy anything in those stores back then, most don't even have access to them.
Most only visit during Christmas. I still remember going there with my parents and one of my aunties was the manager of one of the departments back then. She came back from England and was given the job.
Life seem better back then, but for a few privileged ones.
Now most people can walk into a supermarket and buy whatever they want, it didn't used to be like that.
And I think there was only one in Lagos island on Marina before another was built in Surulere in the 80s. Their main competitor was Leventis at that time.

Sorry to tell you that you are not correct.
Infact, contrary to what you said, everyone could walk into the stores and make their purchases. Products were well priced and affordable for everyone. The difference was that shoppets could shop with ease and convenience, far from what obtained at Balogun, Ajegunle, waterside, Mushin, Yaba, lawanson markets. All Nigerians could purchase all that they wanted, and aside from purchasing items, they also could snap pictures, window shop, eat inside the then Kingsway rendezvous and have fun. You could spend the whole day inside Kingsway and jump up and down the escalator. Salaries were at 130 per month and with that people could fend for themselves and families. Infact a bottle of coke cost 6 kobo in Kingsway. In the 70s and 80s, a bottle of Gulder was at between 70 kobo and 90 kobo, while a plate of cow tail pepper soup was at one naira.

The only branch was at Apapa. That place is now occupied by Cash and Carry. It was Leventis stores that had a branch in Surulere, at No. 1 James Robertson street. UTC in the present UBA Apongbon. It was there before that Apongbon bridge was built and had its only branch opposite Kingsway Apapa and adjacent to Leventis, in that same Apapa.

My brother, if you want to talk of affordability, please do not compare those periods and now. Nigerians are presently in big distress.

AngelahFlo:
Hello Guys,
For our Retro walk I wanna take those of us Gen X into a time in our childhood when innocence was real and true. Kingsway Stores which was the first indegenous departmental stores that first opened to the public in 1948 alongside Leventis Stores. It was unique in every way by bringing a feel of London's West End to Nigeria.

At the store you can buy imported items at affordable prices and there're so many fond memories of that era. My fondest memories was of my dad coming home with goodies for us like toy cars and water balls. It was the Shop rite and Ebeano Stores of the time.

What led to its decline was the oil price of the mid 80s and the SAP sanction of '86 which led to a ban on imported goods. It's really a sad story filled with nostalgia. Let the images below speak for themselves and you'll see Future CO of Silverbird empire as a 7 year old kid on the lap of Santa Claus in Kingsway Store.

Nothing at Kingsway was affordable. Items on their shelves were so expensive, the term "Kingsway" as a metaphor for costliness entered the lingo.

I remembered my Xmas dress that my mum bought for me in the 70s

I wore the dress for years and was always walking tall.

Leventis and Bhojson at oyingbo. We buy ice cream,chocolates etc

Also comics from abroad weekly
Bestie bunther
Archie
Etc

Wish to relive that era

It is well with Nigeria

nairalanda1:
Not exactly. A strong economy is one that is bringing in dollars from exporting manufactured goods and services.

Nigeria relies on resources. Whose prices we don't set. That means that when prices of whatever resource we sell are too low, which is most of the time, the economy is too too weak. If the price is high enough, there is a boom economy which discourages domestic manufacturing and leads to overimportation. And loss of dollars. Once prices crash again, we take loans to sustain the importation until it becomes impossible

Same for most subsaharan African countries.

While export manufacturing is the major way for a poor country to become rich, export or import levels doesn’t tell the whole story.

Take America for instance. US is the worlds largest customer, always having trade deficits. So how is America still rich?

Reason is because Americas internal economy is so strong that the currency stays very high and thus the purchasing power of the average American can buy a lot of foreign goods. Of course this will still lead to exports cause of the quality of America’s goods but it doesn’t matter if imports are higher.

If you’ve been following the US dollar you will notice it’s been dropping recently. Reason is not a decline in exports but a decline in jobs. Because the dollar is mostly dependent on the internal economy and not exports.

The issue with Nigeria is that it doesn’t have a diversified economy and thus operates like a small country that is export dependent and vulnerable to to global shocks as you have described in the rest of your comment.

JohnBullMySon:
While export manufacturing is the major way for a poor country to become rich, export or import levels doesn’t tell the whole story.

Take America for instance. US is the worlds largest customer, always having trade deficits. So how is America still rich?

Reason is because Americas internal economy is so strong that the currency stays very high and thus the purchasing power of the average American can buy a lot of foreign goods. Of course this will still lead to exports cause of the quality of America’s goods but it doesn’t matter if imports are higher.

If you’ve been following the US dollar you will notice it’s been dropping recently. Reason is not a decline in exports but a decline in jobs. Because the dollar is mostly dependent on the internal economy and not exports.

The issue with Nigeria is that it doesn’t have a diversified economy and thus operates like a small country that is export dependent and vulnerable to to global shocks as you have described in the rest of your comment.

USA was built on , has built and still has a strong manufacturing sector and industrial sector

ElevationD:
Kingsway stores. Waoh. Good to remember. Just like UTC and Leventis stores then it Lagos. There was Chellarams too just before Kingsway. They were more than Shoprite. It was facing what was they known as Quay side or “key side” as everyone pronounced the entire front facing Lagos lagoon. It had very huge shopping floors with mostly foreign goods. You could purchase everything from groceries to food to household equipments, clothes, bicycles and the now famous Mr. Biggs situated on the ground floor at a time was known as Kingsway rendezvous! Kingsway was a branch of UAC and very well organized until horrible leaderships ensured that such stores as mentioned were shut down. People took off their shoes and slippers as they walked into the place believing that it was the rule. Security personnel at the doors would ask them to please wear their shoes and slippers. Na people from Mushin, Maroko and Ajegunle dey comot shoe for leg enter Kingsway, Leventis and UTC. They were considered bush people!

Each time you get to Marina, in front of Oando before CMS bus stop, you cannot but take a look at the building, where Kingsway was housed. The entire stretch of the road between Marina and Broad street right in front of Oando was Kingsway stores. Immediately you cross Apongbon under the bridge, it was Kingsway rendezvous by the left. Chop meat pie there and you no go chop am finish. There was the regular meatpie and the peppered meatpie. Lagos too sweet before abeg. The big building by the foot of Ojota bridge was Kingsway rendezvous. The next Kingsway rendezvous was at Niger motors bus stop, Apapa wharf. Lagos was good, not because it was beautiful, but the peace and too many places to visit. Kingsway stores had the only other Lagos showroom at Apapa, where you have the present Cash and carry stores. Infact the whole of that area is called “Kingsway” because of that Kingsway stores there. Right opposite them was UTC and adjacent to UTC was the then Leventis. That building was shared between Leventis stores and the defunct Roxy cinema. The floor containing Roxy cinema now is owned by RCCG, who I think bought it in the early 2000s. Those who lived in Apapa should know that. Leventis stores had a branch in Surulere at James Robertson. It was situated at the junction enroute through Akerele to what was and still as known as bus corner bus stop. Those who live around Ogunlana, Shitta, Masha, Randle Avenue, Lawsnson, etc should know the popular bus corner bus stop. Lagos too sweet and peaceful, before until politicians came in 1999 and brought divisions.

With this knowledge of Lagos... baba you suppose don be ward Councillor, walahi.

nairalanda1:
USA was built on , has built and still has a strong manufacturing sector and industrial sector

Yes but that isn’t the point. I never said the opposite sir.

I was talking about internal economy vs exports aka global economy.

ruzell86:
With this knowledge of Lagos... baba you suppose don be ward Councillor, walahi.

I don pass councillor tay tay. How we go come do an na?

nairalanda1:
ShopRite is pulling out of all it's Africa branches. They want to focus on south Africa only.

You blame SAP for the other ones but the ones Tinubu bad policies have closed you want to blame something else

ElevationD:
Kingsway stores. Waoh. Good to remember. Just like UTC and Leventis stores then it Lagos. There was Chellarams too just before Kingsway. They were more than Shoprite. It was facing what was they known as Quay side or “key side” as everyone pronounced the entire front facing Lagos lagoon. It had very huge shopping floors with mostly foreign goods. You could purchase everything from groceries to food to household equipments, clothes, bicycles and the now famous Mr. Biggs situated on the ground floor at a time was known as Kingsway rendezvous! Kingsway was a branch of UAC and very well organized until horrible leaderships ensured that such stores as mentioned were shut down. People took off their shoes and slippers as they walked into the place believing that it was the rule. Security personnel at the doors would ask them to please wear their shoes and slippers. Na people from Mushin, Maroko and Ajegunle dey comot shoe for leg enter Kingsway, Leventis and UTC. They were considered bush people!

Each time you get to Marina, in front of Oando before CMS bus stop, you cannot but take a look at the building, where Kingsway was housed. The entire stretch of the road between Marina and Broad street right in front of Oando was Kingsway stores. Immediately you cross Apongbon under the bridge, it was Kingsway rendezvous by the left. Chop meat pie there and you no go chop am finish. There was the regular meatpie and the peppered meatpie. Lagos too sweet before abeg. The big building by the foot of Ojota bridge was Kingsway rendezvous. The next Kingsway rendezvous was at Niger motors bus stop, Apapa wharf. Lagos was good, not because it was beautiful, but the peace and too many places to visit. Kingsway stores had the only other Lagos showroom at Apapa, where you have the present Cash and carry stores. Infact the whole of that area is called “Kingsway” because of that Kingsway stores there. Right opposite them was UTC and adjacent to UTC was the then Leventis. That building was shared between Leventis stores and the defunct Roxy cinema. The floor containing Roxy cinema now is owned by RCCG, who I think bought it in the early 2000s. Those who lived in Apapa should know that. Leventis stores had a branch in Surulere at James Robertson. It was situated at the junction enroute through Akerele to what was and still as known as bus corner bus stop. Those who live around Ogunlana, Shitta, Masha, Randle Avenue, Lawsnson, etc should know the popular bus corner bus stop. Lagos too sweet and peaceful, before until politicians came in 1999 and brought divisions.

How old were you then?

Kingsway that year, the first big supermarket i ever entered in my life, always looking forward to go there that year even though we no dey buy anything, na only window shopping we dey do.

ElevationD:
Kingsway stores. Waoh. Good to remember. Just like UTC and Leventis stores then it Lagos. There was Chellarams too just before Kingsway. They were more than Shoprite. It was facing what was they known as Quay side or “key side” as everyone pronounced the entire front facing Lagos lagoon. It had very huge shopping floors with mostly foreign goods. You could purchase everything from groceries to food to household equipments, clothes, bicycles and the now famous Mr. Biggs situated on the ground floor at a time was known as Kingsway rendezvous! Kingsway was a branch of UAC and very well organized until horrible leaderships ensured that such stores as mentioned were shut down. People took off their shoes and slippers as they walked into the place believing that it was the rule. Security personnel at the doors would ask them to please wear their shoes and slippers. Na people from Mushin, Maroko and Ajegunle dey comot shoe for leg enter Kingsway, Leventis and UTC. They were considered bush people!

Each time you get to Marina, in front of Oando before CMS bus stop, you cannot but take a look at the building, where Kingsway was housed. The entire stretch of the road between Marina and Broad street right in front of Oando was Kingsway stores. Immediately you cross Apongbon under the bridge, it was Kingsway rendezvous by the left. Chop meat pie there and you no go chop am finish. There was the regular meatpie and the peppered meatpie. Lagos too sweet before abeg. The big building by the foot of Ojota bridge was Kingsway rendezvous. The next Kingsway rendezvous was at Niger motors bus stop, Apapa wharf. Lagos was good, not because it was beautiful, but the peace and too many places to visit. Kingsway stores had the only other Lagos showroom at Apapa, where you have the present Cash and carry stores. Infact the whole of that area is called “Kingsway” because of that Kingsway stores there. Right opposite them was UTC and adjacent to UTC was the then Leventis. That building was shared between Leventis stores and the defunct Roxy cinema. The floor containing Roxy cinema now is owned by RCCG, who I think bought it in the early 2000s. Those who lived in Apapa should know that. Leventis stores had a branch in Surulere at James Robertson. It was situated at the junction enroute through Akerele to what was and still as known as bus corner bus stop. Those who live around Ogunlana, Shitta, Masha, Randle Avenue, Lawsnson, etc should know the popular bus corner bus stop. Lagos too sweet and peaceful, before until politicians came in 1999 and brought divisions.

Nothing like MC oluomo or the agbero thug and terrorist NURTW were not there killing civilians. Wish i was born during this good time.

If you say ShopRite, OK! But certainly, you cannot compare Ebeano with Kingsway back then.

SarkinYarki:
You blame SAP for the other ones but the ones Tinubu bad policies have closed you want to blame something else

I wish I was lying. Honestly, I wish I could blame tinubu for this one.

But I am actually telling the truth.

Stop assuming that everyone that does not agree with you is a tinubu supporter, PDP Man

Shoprite Holdings is calling it quits in Ghana and Malawi, marking its seventh exit from African markets outside its home base. The South African retail giant is now doubling down on what it knows best — its core operations back home. After years of trying to crack markets across the continent, the company is shifting focus to where it sees better profitability and control.

Shoprite had previously pulled out of Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, the DRC, and Madagascar. Now, it’s wrapping up operations in Malawi, pending regulatory approval, and has a serious buyer lined up for its stores and warehouse in Ghana. The company cited tough trading conditions, continuous losses, and rising operational costs for these moves.

SAUCE

AngelahFlo:
Hello Guys,
For our Retro walk I wanna take those of us Gen X into a time in our childhood when innocence was real and true. Kingsway Stores which was the first indegenous departmental stores that first opened to the public in 1948 alongside Leventis Stores. It was unique in every way by bringing a feel of London's West End to Nigeria.

At the store you can buy imported items at affordable prices and there're so many fond memories of that era. My fondest memories was of my dad coming home with goodies for us like toy cars and water balls. It was the Shop rite and Ebeano Stores of the time.

What led to its decline was the oil price of the mid 80s and the SAP sanction of '86 which led to a ban on imported goods. It's really a sad story filled with nostalgia. Let the images below speak for themselves and you'll see Future CO of Silverbird empire as a 7 year old kid on the lap of Santa Claus in Kingsway Store.

Xmas at Kingsway back in the day was every kids dream. I still dream of it sometimes.

AngelahFlo:
Hello Guys,
For our Retro walk I wanna take those of us Gen X into a time in our childhood when innocence was real and true. Kingsway Stores which was the first indegenous departmental stores that first opened to the public in 1948 alongside Leventis Stores. It was unique in every way by bringing a feel of London's West End to Nigeria.

At the store you can buy imported items at affordable prices and there're so many fond memories of that era. My fondest memories was of my dad coming home with goodies for us like toy cars and water balls. It was the Shop rite and Ebeano Stores of the time.

What led to its decline was the oil price of the mid 80s and the SAP sanction of '86 which led to a ban on imported goods. It's really a sad story filled with nostalgia. Let the images below speak for themselves and you'll see Future CO of Silverbird empire as a 7 year old kid on the lap of Santa Claus in Kingsway Store.

Then, it was Uncle Benz Rice that was king. It doesn't have a single stone

Rubber toy guns for boys and plastic baby dolls for girls.

LOL!

ElevationD:
Kingsway stores. Waoh. Good to remember. Just like UTC and Leventis stores then it Lagos. There was Chellarams too just before Kingsway. They were more than Shoprite. It was facing what was they known as Quay side or “key side” as everyone pronounced the entire front facing Lagos lagoon. It had very huge shopping floors with mostly foreign goods. You could purchase everything from groceries to food to household equipments, clothes, bicycles and the now famous Mr. Biggs situated on the ground floor at a time was known as Kingsway rendezvous! Kingsway was a branch of UAC and very well organized until horrible leaderships ensured that such stores as mentioned were shut down. People took off their shoes and slippers as they walked into the place believing that it was the rule. Security personnel at the doors would ask them to please wear their shoes and slippers. Na people from Mushin, Maroko and Ajegunle dey comot shoe for leg enter Kingsway, Leventis and UTC. They were considered bush people!

Each time you get to Marina, in front of Oando before CMS bus stop, you cannot but take a look at the building, where Kingsway was housed. The entire stretch of the road between Marina and Broad street right in front of Oando was Kingsway stores. Immediately you cross Apongbon under the bridge, it was Kingsway rendezvous by the left. Chop meat pie there and you no go chop am finish. There was the regular meatpie and the peppered meatpie. Lagos too sweet before abeg. The big building by the foot of Ojota bridge was Kingsway rendezvous. The next Kingsway rendezvous was at Niger motors bus stop, Apapa wharf. Lagos was good, not because it was beautiful, but the peace and too many places to visit. Kingsway stores had the only other Lagos showroom at Apapa, where you have the present Cash and carry stores. Infact the whole of that area is called “Kingsway” because of that Kingsway stores there. Right opposite them was UTC and adjacent to UTC was the then Leventis. That building was shared between Leventis stores and the defunct Roxy cinema. The floor containing Roxy cinema now is owned by RCCG, who I think bought it in the early 2000s. Those who lived in Apapa should know that. Leventis stores had a branch in Surulere at James Robertson. It was situated at the junction enroute through Akerele to what was and still as known as bus corner bus stop. Those who live around Ogunlana, Shitta, Masha, Randle Avenue, Lawsnson, etc should know the popular bus corner bus stop. Lagos too sweet and peaceful, before until politicians came in 1999 and brought divisions.

Reading this, I could sense your nostalgia.

Deltavariant:
Nigeria experienced two disastrous economic decline, first was during the Babangida regime and off recent with the present Tinubu regime.
Don't argue thrash with me...

Nigeria experienced two disastrous govt

1 BUHARI 1983

2 Buhari 2015

The man destroys things so bad that anyone that comes after him become a villain

It was my first visit to Lagos in 1982 when my elder brother took me to the Kingsway and Leventis stores. We bought a VCR after I asked him why we didn't have movies at home like the ones displayed on the TVs in the mall. Until that day in December 1982, I had never known that a video player existed.

AngelahFlo:
Hello Guys,
For our Retro walk I wanna take those of us Gen X into a time in our childhood when innocence was real and true. Kingsway Stores which was the first indegenous departmental stores that first opened to the public in 1948 alongside Leventis Stores. It was unique in every way by bringing a feel of London's West End to Nigeria.

At the store you can buy imported items at affordable prices and there're so many fond memories of that era. My fondest memories was of my dad coming home with goodies for us like toy cars and water balls. It was the Shop rite and Ebeano Stores of the time.

What led to its decline was the oil price of the mid 80s and the SAP sanction of '86 which led to a ban on imported goods. It's really a sad story filled with nostalgia. Let the images below speak for themselves and you'll see Future CO of Silverbird empire as a 7 year old kid on the lap of Santa Claus in Kingsway Store.

Tinubu happened to them. So sad!

This brings to bare the good old days in Kaduna, stores like:
Kingsway
Leventis
Bhojson
Cash & Carry
Bata
Harmony Brothers
Challarams
Lennards
Lever Brothers
PZ
UTC
And many more.

AngelahFlo:
Hello Guys,

For our Retro walk I wanna take those of us Gen X into a time in our childhood when innocence was real and true. Kingsway Stores which was the first indegenous departmental stores that first opened to the public in 1948 alongside Leventis Stores. It was unique in every way by bringing a feel of London's West End to Nigeria.

At the store you can buy imported items at affordable prices and there're so many fond memories of that era. My fondest memories was of my dad coming home with goodies for us like toy cars and water balls. It was the Shop rite and Ebeano Stores of the time.

What led to its decline was the oil price of the mid 80s and the SAP sanction of '86 which led to a ban on imported goods. It's really a sad story filled with nostalgia. Let the images below speak for themselves and you'll see Future CO of Silverbird empire as a 7 year old kid on the lap of Santa Claus in Kingsway Store.

Yeah! The last paragraph is succinct. Those of us who belong to the generation of Baby-boomers and Gen X can relate with this thread because we were deeply immersed in outings and purchases especially from the oil boom years of the 1970s to the iconic Kingsway Stores, Leventis Stores, UTC, Chellarams, Bhojson, Cash & Carry, etc, right in the major commercial cities of Lagos, Kano, etc.

The decline in the global oil price, U.S. high interest rate hikes all happened from the early 1980s and IBBs Structural Adjustment Program added more fire into the mix and the economy went south. The fantastic foreign expats and academics from Jamaica, Ghana, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, the United Kingdom, the United States, etc, who I knew back then as family buddies from the oil boom years of the 1970s leading right into the 1980s began to leave Nigeria from 1985 to the late 1980s with their families for greener pastures in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Saudi Arabia, etc.

There used to be a Kingsway Stores back in the day on Kingsway Road, on Ikoyi Island, Lagos State (renamed by the Lagos State Government of former Governor 'Bola Ahmed Tinubu after the iconic Itsekiri business mogul and one of NADECO's financier Chief Alfred Rewane who passed on after being assassinated by agents of the military dictatorship in the late 1990s).

Good to see another throwback photograph of Ben Murray-Bruce.

Nice thread.

Nor worry,you go soon do retro for ShopRite

Efuaye:
It was my first visit to Lagos in 1982 when my elder brother took me to the Kingsway and Leventis stores. We bought a VCR after I asked him why we didn't have movies at home like the ones displayed on the TVs in the mall. Until that day in December 1982, I had never known that a video player existed.

That must have been the "Betamax" Video Player you guys got in 1982, before the newer "VHS" Video Players replaced them in the 1980s. Life was mad cool back then in the early 1980s (1980-1982) [and Nigerian folks traveled regularly on business, leisure, and studies to London and New York via the iconic British Caledonian Airways, Nigeria Airways and PanAm from Lagos and Kano International Airports] before the United States sudden increased interest rates affected the global economy heavily with many African, Latin American and Asian countries defaulting in their foreign loan payments and contending with inflation and austerity measures due to the sudden U.S. interest rate hikes.

Black and white days. I somehow, sometimes still get the feel of the atmosphere back then. It's like the earth changed.


Baby Kingsway dem back then go don be grandma today.

ElevationD:
Kingsway stores. Waoh. Good to remember. Just like UTC and Leventis stores then it Lagos. There was Chellarams too just before Kingsway. They were more than Shoprite. It was facing what was they known as Quay side or “key side” as everyone pronounced the entire front facing Lagos lagoon. It had very huge shopping floors with mostly foreign goods. You could purchase everything from groceries to food to household equipments, clothes, bicycles and the now famous Mr. Biggs situated on the ground floor at a time was known as Kingsway rendezvous! Kingsway was a branch of UAC and very well organized until horrible leaderships ensured that such stores as mentioned were shut down. People took off their shoes and slippers as they walked into the place believing that it was the rule. Security personnel at the doors would ask them to please wear their shoes and slippers. Na people from Mushin, Maroko and Ajegunle dey comot shoe for leg enter Kingsway, Leventis and UTC. They were considered bush people!

Each time you get to Marina, in front of Oando before CMS bus stop, you cannot but take a look at the building, where Kingsway was housed. The entire stretch of the road between Marina and Broad street right in front of Oando was Kingsway stores. Immediately you cross Apongbon under the bridge, it was Kingsway rendezvous by the left. Chop meat pie there and you no go chop am finish. There was the regular meatpie and the peppered meatpie. Lagos too sweet before abeg. The big building by the foot of Ojota bridge was Kingsway rendezvous.

The next Kingsway rendezvous was at Niger motors bus stop, Apapa wharf. Lagos was good, not because it was beautiful, but the peace and too many places to visit. Kingsway stores had the only other Lagos showroom at Apapa, where you have the present Cash and carry stores. Infact the whole of that area is called “Kingsway” because of that Kingsway stores there. Right opposite them was UTC and adjacent to UTC was the then Leventis. That building was shared between Leventis stores and the defunct Roxy cinema. The floor containing Roxy cinema now is owned by RCCG, who I think bought it in the early 2000s. Those who lived in Apapa should know that.

Leventis stores had a branch in Surulere at James Robertson. It was situated at the junction enroute through Akerele to what was and still as known as bus corner bus stop. Those who live around Ogunlana, Shitta, Masha, Randle Avenue, Lawsnson, etc should know the popular bus corner bus stop. Lagos too sweet and peaceful, before until politicians came in 1999 and brought divisions.

True that.

You pretty much moved around the Lagos Kingsway hotspots back in the day. You have a strong memory recall of some events. The ambience, music, and fragrances that wafted through those Kingsway Stores, UTC Stores, Leventis, Chellarams Stores were way different from that experience from ShopRite outlets or other super stores located in malls that evolved after those iconic department stores wound down finally during the Nigerian Military dictatorship years of the 1980s and 1990s.

However, the "decay" in Lagos infrastructure and that of the entire Nigeria economy in general started exponentially from the corrupt military dictatorship years of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (NOT even from the stern Muhammadu Buhari and 'Tunde Idiagbon Military Government like someone incorrectly stated on this thread), then the notoriously corrupt Sani Abacha who literally stole over 4 billion USD of Nigeria's money via the Central Bank of Nigeria into foreign offshore bank accounts in the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia in what is now internationally called the "Abacha LOOT" way before the politicians arrived in 1999.

oluxmondd2:
How can our throwback be better than our present? Naija which way?

it's just a shame

ElevationD:
Kingsway stores. Waoh. Good to remember. Just like UTC and Leventis stores then it Lagos. There was Chellarams too just before Kingsway. They were more than Shoprite. It was facing what was they known as Quay side or “key side” as everyone pronounced the entire front facing Lagos lagoon. It had very huge shopping floors with mostly foreign goods. You could purchase everything from groceries to food to household equipments, clothes, bicycles and the now famous Mr. Biggs situated on the ground floor at a time was known as Kingsway rendezvous! Kingsway was a branch of UAC and very well organized until horrible leaderships ensured that such stores as mentioned were shut down. People took off their shoes and slippers as they walked into the place believing that it was the rule. Security personnel at the doors would ask them to please wear their shoes and slippers. Na people from Mushin, Maroko and Ajegunle dey comot shoe for leg enter Kingsway, Leventis and UTC. They were considered bush people!

Each time you get to Marina, in front of Oando before CMS bus stop, you cannot but take a look at the building, where Kingsway was housed. The entire stretch of the road between Marina and Broad street right in front of Oando was Kingsway stores. Immediately you cross Apongbon under the bridge, it was Kingsway rendezvous by the left. Chop meat pie there and you no go chop am finish. There was the regular meatpie and the peppered meatpie. Lagos too sweet before abeg. The big building by the foot of Ojota bridge was Kingsway rendezvous. The next Kingsway rendezvous was at Niger motors bus stop, Apapa wharf. Lagos was good, not because it was beautiful, but the peace and too many places to visit. Kingsway stores had the only other Lagos showroom at Apapa, where you have the present Cash and carry stores. Infact the whole of that area is called “Kingsway” because of that Kingsway stores there. Right opposite them was UTC and adjacent to UTC was the then Leventis. That building was shared between Leventis stores and the defunct Roxy cinema. The floor containing Roxy cinema now is owned by RCCG, who I think bought it in the early 2000s. Those who lived in Apapa should know that. Leventis stores had a branch in Surulere at James Robertson. It was situated at the junction enroute through Akerele to what was and still as known as bus corner bus stop. Those who live around Ogunlana, Shitta, Masha, Randle Avenue, Lawsnson, etc should know the popular bus corner bus stop. Lagos too sweet and peaceful, before until politicians came in 1999 and brought divisions.

Wow I'm amazed you can remember all this. I was a kid in the late 80s and I vividly remember the Kingsway of those days in lagos. My dad used to work for John Holt. I really enjoyed my childhood in Nigeria I swear

PigTormentor:
How is this better than today?
Do you know that the vast majority of Nigerians couldn't buy anything in those stores back then, most don't even have access to them.

Most only visit during Christmas. I still remember going there with my parents and one of my aunties was the manager of one of the departments back then. She came back from England and was given the job.
Life seem better back then, but for a few privileged ones.

Now most people can walk into a supermarket and buy whatever they want, it didn't used to be like that.

And I think there was only one in Lagos island on Marina before another was built in Surulere in the 80s. Their main competitor was Leventis at that time.

You're NOT entirely correct with some of your submissions in the bolded right ABOVE. I lived through that period and many Nigerian folks in the oil boom years of the 1970s right into the early 1980s could afford visits and purchases at those Kingsway Stores, UTC Stores, Leventis Stores, etc. They were usually packed full with enthusiastic buyers especially in the evenings and weekends.

There was a vibrant Nigerian middle class and middle upper-class in Nigeria back in the day. However, just like you indicated, I can say here and now that NOT everyone visited to make purchases because we still had low-income folks living in low-income slum areas of Maroko (demolished in 1989 by Brigadier General Raji Rasaki of Lagos State, and Maroko is now known as Victoria Island Extension and parts of Lekki Phase 1), Ajegunle, slums in parts of Surulere, etc, which all housed struggling economic migrants from other Nigerian States and West Africa in general.

I hope that helps.