On Thursday,9th February 2023, I was among the distinguished Nigerians invited by the ODU’A INVESTMENT COMPANY LIMITED to the commissioning of the WESTLINK ICONIC VILLA, Alakia, Ibadan, Oyo State, by the Vice-President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, GCON.
The WESTLINK ICONIC VILLA is a joint venture between ODU’A INVESTMENT COMPANY LIMITED and a UK-based private investment group, CHAPTER 4 ESTATE MANAGEMENT LIMITED.
As I sat at the impressive ceremony, my mind went to Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola vide my post of Tuesday,7th February, this year titled: “Re: THE GROWING BOND BETWEEN ODU’A AND WAPCO”, a re-run of my article of the same title published in the Nigerian Tribune newspaper,32 years ago,in February 1991.
In the said article,I recalled how Chief Awolowo, then the Premier of the now-defunct Western Region of Nigeria(WRN), had led his government delegation on a five-week economic mission(March/April 1956) to London, Washington, New York, Ottawa, Montreal and Toronto.
Before the overseas tour in search of foreign investors/technical partners, Awolowo had established the Western Region Production Development Board, later called the Western Nigeria Development Corporation(WNDC), later the Investment Industrial Credit Corporation(IICC)which has transformed to today’s ODU’A INVESTMENT COMPANY LIMITED(OICL), which started business on 1st October 1976, sequel to the creation of Oyo, Ogun and Ondo States out of the old Western State of Nigeria.
From what the public was told yesterday at the WESTLINK ICONIC VILLA commissioning ceremony, Vice-President Osinbajo, during the Federal Government’s first tenure, had paid a business visit to the United Kingdom,in search of investors, particularly Nigerians, who would partner with the Federal and states governments in creating local employment and wealth.
Chapter 4 Estate Management Limited was one of the groups of investors who met with the Vice-President’s Team in London, UK.
Meetings thereafter, in Ibadan, Abuja and London between OICL and Chapter 4 were held, culminating in the commissioning of the WESTLINK ICONIC VILLA in Ibadan yesterday.
In his speech, the Chairman of OICL, Otunba Bimbo Asiru said, inter alia, “The Joint Venture development between ODU’A INVESTMENT, and Chapter 4 Estates Management Ltd is on a land measuring about 3.8 hectares. Phase 1which is being commissioned today has improved the value of an entire land significantly.
The WESTLINK ICONIC VILLA, Alakia Project demonstrates our resolve and commitment to working with the best partners in the industry to deliver high-quality real estate projects. Phase 1 is made up of sixty-seven residential units of 3-bedroom apartments,4-bedroom duplexes and 5-bedroom duplexes. The apartments are serviced with best-in-class facilities and amenities including streetlights, treated high-pressure pipe borne water, security and waste management facilities.”
As this post is titled:”LIKE AWO/SLA OF WRN, LIKE THE BIMBO ASHIRU-LED ODU’A BOARD OF TODAY”, both the late Chief Awolowo, the late Chief Akintola and other departed patriots of ours, will certainly be smiling in heaven at this turn of ODU’A fortunes to their glorious era in the 1950s/1960s.
While we commend our past and present heroes/heroines, we MUST not forget the saving grace roles for the survival of ODU’A INVESTMENT COMPANY LIMITED by the late Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, Otunba Mohammed Aliu Jobi-Fele and wait for this, my humble self. How come?
To capture the full story of how MKO and my humble self saved ODU’A INVESTMENT COMPANY LIMITED from the jaws of the self-styled military president of Nigeria, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (rtd), in 1990, kindly read the book: “THE EVOLUTION OF ODU’A INVESTMENT COMPANY LIMITED”, published by the Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi-led ODU’A BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
—-Written By Oloye Lekan Alabi
