Ikeja is an outer-ring suburb of the city of
Lagos Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
and capital of
Lagos StateLagos State is an administrative division of Nigeria, located in the southwestern part of the country. The smallest in area of Nigeria's states, Lagos State is the most populous state in Nigeria and arguably the most economically important state of the country and west Africa, containing Lagos, the...
. It is also one of
Nigeria'sNigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
774 Local Government Areas (LGAs). The
Murtala Mohammed International AirportMurtala Muhammed International Airport is an international airport located in Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria, and is the major airport serving the city of Lagos, southwestern Nigeria and the entire nation. Originally known as Lagos International Airport, it was renamed midway during construction...
is located there. Prior to the emergence of military rule in the early 1980s, Ikeja was a well planned, clean and quiet residential environment with shopping malls, pharmacies and government reservation areas. Ikeja is also home to the
Femi KutiOlufela Olufemi Anikulapo Kuti popularly known as Femi Kuti, is a Nigerian musician and the eldest son of afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti....
's Africa Shrine and
LagbajaLagbaja is a Nigerian Afrobeat musician.-Name and mask:According to Lagbaja, his mask is used as an icon of man’s facelessness. Lagbaja is a Yoruba word that means "nobody in particular". It depicts the anonymity of the so-called “common man”. The mask and the name symbolize the faceless, the...
's Motherlan', both live music venues.
History
Ikeja was founded by an
AworiThe Awori are a tribe of the Yoruba people speaking a distinct dialect of the Yoruba language.Traditionally, Awori are found in Ogun State and Lagos State, Nigeria. The Awori people migrated from Ile Ife and occupy present day Lagos state, with a comsiderable section of the Awori clan occupying...
hunter named Akeja Onigorun, after whom the area is named. To this day, the majority of residents in Ikeja are Awori.
An
explosion in the Lagos Army BarracksThe Lagos armoury explosion was the accidental detonation of a large stock of military high explosives at a storage facility in the city of Lagos, Nigeria on 27 January 2002. The fires created by the debris from this explosion burnt down a large section of Northern Lagos, and created a panic that...
on 27 January 2002 caused fires. Many fleeing people drowned in a canal which was covered by hyacinth (common water weed). The official death toll was 600 people. Much of Ikeja was kept intact, however.
A disaster fund was created to provide for those displaced in the tragedy. The government provided food, clothing, shelter and health care. The official number of displaced people was put at 20,000.
Ikeja, like other Lagos municipalities, has suffered from neglect, a lack of planning and over-concentration of disorganized commercial activities (which include street trading).
Government and infrastructure
The
Federal Airports Authority of NigeriaFederal Airport Authority of Nigeria is a service organization statutorily charged to manage all Commercial Airports in Nigeria and provide service to both passenger and airlines. Generally, to create conditions for the development in the most economic and efficient manner of air transport and the...
has its headquarters on the grounds of Murtala Muhammad Airport. The
Accident Investigation BureauThe Accident Investigation Bureau investigates aircraft accidents and incidents in Nigeria. It is headquartered on the grounds of Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos State.-External links:*...
of the Nigerian government is headquartered in Ikeja. The
Nigerian Civil Aviation AuthorityThe Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority is the civil aviation authority of Nigeria. It has its head office on the grounds of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, and its Lagos office is in Aviation House on the grounds of Murtala Muhammed Airport in Ikeja, Lagos State.The current Director...
(NCAA) has its
Lagos Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
office in Aviation House on the grounds of the airport.
Economy
Several airlines have their head offices in Ikeja.
Arik AirArik Air is a Nigerian airline operating a domestic, regional and international flight network. It is also the national carrier of Sierra Leone. It operates mainly from two hubs at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja...
's head office is in the Arik Air Aviation Center on the grounds of Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja. Air Nigeria's (formerly Nigerian Eagle and Virgin Nigeria Airways) head office is located on the 9th Floor of Etiebets Place in Ikeja.
Aero ContractorsAero Contractors Company of Nigeria Ltd, knwon as Aero Contractors or simply "Aero", is a Nigerian airline based at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria...
has its head office on the grounds of Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
Overland AirwaysOverland Airways is an airline based in Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria. It operates domestic services from Lagos and Ibadan. Its main base is Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, with a hub at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.-History:...
has its head office in Ikeja. Other airlines with head offices in Ikeja include
Associated AviationAssociated Aviation is an airline based in Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria. It was established in 1996 and operates passenger and cargo services within Nigeria and in West Africa...
and
Dana Air-Destinations:*Nigeria**Abuja **Kano **Lagos **Uyo -Fleet:...
.
In addition, Virgin Atlantic has its Nigeria office in "The Place" in Ikeja.
Prior to its disestablishment
Afrijet AirlinesAfrijet Airlines was an airline with its head office in the NAHCO Building on the grounds of Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Nigeria. It was established and started regional cargo operations in 1999...
had its head office in the NAHCO Building on the grounds of the airport. Bellview Airlines had its headquarters in the Bellview Plaza in Ikeja. Other disestablished airlines with head offices in Ikeja include
Nigeria AirwaysNigeria Airways Ltd., more commonly known as Nigeria Airways, is a defunct Nigerian airline. The company was founded in 1958 after the dissolution of West African Airways Corporation. It was wholly owned by the Government of Nigeria, and served as the country's flag carrier. The airline was...
,
Sosoliso Airlines was a scheduled, domestic, passenger airline. For much of its existence it had its head office in Ikeja, Lagos State. Originally its head office was on the grounds of Enugu Airport in Enugu.-History:...
, and
ADC AirlinesADC Airlines was a Nigerian airline owned by Aviation Development Company plc and headquartered in Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria. It operated domestic scheduled services and regional charter flights. It had applied to be designated on international routes...
.
Communities
Communities in the area include:
- Oregun
- Ojodu
- Opebi
- Akiode
- Alausa
Alawusa is a locality in Ikeja local government of Lagos State, Nigeria. It is the seat of the Lagos State Secretariat and offices of the Governor and Deputy-Governor of Lagos State. Alawusa also has a vibrant and growing Central Business District with several multinational business concerns like...
- Agidingbi
- Ikeja
- Ogba
Ogba are an indigenous group in Rivers State, Nigeria. They are located in the southwest of the Igbo area in Nigeria. They speak the Ogba language.Aligu-Alinso okanu is an ogba speaking clan....
- Maryland
- Government Residence Area, Ikeja
Computer Village
Ikeja is home to a large computer
marketA market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
. Begun in 1997 as a small market of only 10 shops, the current market now has well over 800. While most vendors provide the expected computer sales and repair services, it is also possible to find sales and repair services for various types of office equipment and electronic devices.
As the market is unplanned, it has experienced growing pains. Some local residents are upset at the expanding market. Traffic around the area has become very congested, and it can be almost impossible to find a place to park. The electrical
infrastructureInfrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...
, already overloaded and unreliable, has become highly stressed with the new market. Computer and electronics stores require power to work on computers and demonstrate their products to potential customers, and this added load has made the supply erratic.
External links