Banana Island, is an artificial island off the foreshore of Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria.
Architectural History
The original Banana Island construction project entitled Lagoon City was the brainchild of the Late Chief Adebayo Adeleke, a University of London trained Civil Engineer (MICE), and CEO of City Property Development Ltd.
Chief Adebayo Adeleke had originally commissioned a new urban development in
Maroko, Victoria Island, but that project had been 'acquired' by the Lagos State government with no financial consideration paid. Following a lengthy 10 year court case, Lagos State government offered other parcels of land as consideration for the Maroko development.
Many scoffed at Chief Adeleke's decision to select the Ikoyi Island perimeter, however they were unable to appreciate the foresight of the Chief, who promptly engaged the Westminster Dredging Company to dredge the foreshore, and create six interlinked and symmetrical islands.
Chief Adebayo Adeleke was an exceptional Nigerian visionary and philanthropist, unconcerned with the usual wealth acquisition of many of his contemporaries.
He wanted to create a development that would "Make Nigeria Proud", and engaged
Minoru Yamasaki the architect of Manhattan's Twin Towers, to design replica twin towers as the flagship iconic buildings on the main island.
Unfortunately for the Chief, as soon as he had reclaimed the land and the brilliance of the idea was unveiled, others were determined to wrestle the land from him, and the project was 'acquired' again with no consideration being paid to City Property Development Limited. The 'acquisition' is currently being challenged in various courts, and there are
Caveat Emptor warnings in place to warn prospective buyers that their investment could be at risk in future. There is also litigation pending in the UK and European courts regarding this matter.
The subsequent developers were principally interested in maximising the yield of the land at the expense of the aesthetic innovative design foreseen by Chief Adebayo Adeleke. Consequently the land was filled in to create a banana shaped island, which has resolutely failed to achieve any international iconic architectural acclaim, as it is now a residential scheme rather than the commercial development originally envisaged.
Banana Island, is an area of
Ikoyi,
Lagos,
Nigeria, 8.6 kilometres east of Tafawa Balewa Square. Part of the Lagos Local Government Area of
Eti-Osa in Central Lagos, it is known for its wealthy, multi-cultural community and has some of the most expensive real estate in Nigeria.
[1] Banana Island has one of the highest density of millionaires within its boundaries.
[2]
Design
Banana Island is a
man-made island in
Lagos State,
Nigeria that is slightly curved in shape – like a banana. It is located in the
Lagos Lagoon and is connected to
Ikoyi Island by a dedicated road which is linked to the existing road network near Parkview Estate. The island was constructed by the Lebanese-Nigerian Chagoury Group in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing
[3][4] and is considered to be on par with the Seventh Arrondissement in Paris, La Jolla in San Diego, and Tokyo’s Shibuya and Roppongi neighbourhoods.
[5]
It occupies a sand-filled area of approximately 1,630,000 square metres and is divided into 536 plots (of between 1000 and 4000 square metres in size) mainly arranged along
cul-de-sacs, so designed to enhance the historically residential nature of Ikoyi. Residents are provided with world class utilities including underground electrical systems (versus the overhead cabling common throughout Lagos), an underground water supply network, a central sewage system and treatment plant, and street lighting and satellite telecommunications networks.
[6]
The Island is a planned, mixed development with dedicated areas for residential, commercial and recreational activities. On the residential side of the Island, planning permission is not granted for dwellings over 3 storeys high. The developers also intend to develop a main
piazza, a club-house, a primary and secondary
school, a fire and police station and a medical clinic. They are also negotiating to build a
5-star hotel on the island, along with an array of smaller Guest Houses.
Composition
Banana Island hosts several high end residential developments such as Ocean Parade Towers
[7] - a series of 14 luxury tower blocks strategically situated at one end of the island to take advantage of 180 degree panoramic views overlooking the lagoon. Similar to many of the developments on the island, it has dedicated leisure facilities such as a private health club - with tennis courts, squash courts and a swimming pool surrounded by extensive gardens.
[8] At launch flats in Ocean Parade sold for over US$400,000.
[9]
Several leading Nigerian and International corporates such as - Etisalat Nigeria,
[10] Airtel Nigeria,
[11] Ford Foundation Nigeria
[12] and Olaniwun Ajayi & Co
[13] - are also based on Banana Island.
Notable Residents
Mike Adenuga - Billionaire owner of
Globacom - Nigeria’s second-largest telecom operator and oil exploration firm Conoil.
[14]
Iyabo Obasanjo - Daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Oluremi Obasanjo, Elected to the Nigerian Senate representing Ogun Central Senatorial District of Ogun State, Senior Fellow at Harvard's Advanced Leadership Initiative.
Saayu Dantata - Son of
Alhassan Dantata - the wealthiest man in West Africa at the time of his death in 1955.
Kola Abiola - son of
MKO Abiola - prominent businessman, publisher and politician. He is widely regarded as the presumed winner of the 1993 presidential elections.
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