Banana Island is the home of the rich and the powerful. It is where billionaires like Mike Adenuga have their abode in Lagos. It is also where the ultra rich like Sayyu Dantata, Kola Abiola and and celebrities like Linda Ikeji call home.

Apart from being the playground of the rich, Banana Island also has the distinction of being the first man-made “island” in Nigeria. Though it is called an island, it is technically a peninsula because it is joined with Ikoyi which is the other abode of billionaires and the ultra rich. It remains one of the most expensive neighborhood in the country.

Banana Island started life as a project called Lagoon City. It was the brainchild of the Late Chief Adebayo Adeleke, a University of London trained Civil Engineer (MICE). This project was subsequently taken over by Lagos State and thereafter the Federal Government. The project was completed in its current banana shape by the Lebanese-Nigerian Chagoury Group in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing.

Fast forward to present days. There are more than ten man-made “island” projects currently at various level of completion or on the drawing board. This includes names like Orange Island, Periwinkle Island, Diamond Island, OSTIA Island etc with the father of them all, the Eko Atlantic. With these many Island and reclamation development within a short period of time, can it be said that Lagos Island is “going bananas”?

Even though one can argue that much of the affluent parts of Lagos Island like Lekki Phase 1, VGC, Northern Foreshore, Nicon Estate are also man-made because they rose from swamps that were sandfilled. We will however limit our discussions to the ones that are obviously man-made.

Is this the best we can get in urban development innovations? With the high price tags of land in these developments, what is the plan for the less affluent? As these are only accessible to the very rich, do these development leave space for the common-man to enjoy the beautiful sceneries of the lagoon fronts? All year round good weather and beautiful lagoon waterfronts are potential tourism money spinner. But what do we have in Lagos? We see that private developments have largely taken over these waterfronts. Essentially, the commonwealth in form of water sceneries are being privatized, so only the affluent and powerful can enjoy them in their privacy. What is the end-game for these developments?

Source:http://www.nigeriaconstructionjournal.com/2019/04/07/is-lagos-island-going-bananas/

Now, let us examine some of these developments.

Ilubirin Foreshore

Ilubirin is located just off the Third Mainland Bridge, on the northwest coast of Lagos Island over looking the lagoon. In 2014, the Ilubirin Housing Scheme initiative was conceived under the Lagos Home Ownership and Mortgage Scheme (LAGOSHOMS) and marked as a purely residential project but new designs released indicate it will accommodate live, work and play activities. According to the then Commisioner for Housing Gbolahan Lawal “design of the project will comprise 472 units of living space designed as studio apartments, 1, 2 and 3-bedroom flats, terraces and penthouses, while commercial units and recreational facilities, as well as child day care facilities, are also included in the plan. “The plan also includes a shopping mall, an eco-park, a waterfront with restaurants and bars. There would be something for everyone in Ilubirin”.

This construction of the multi storey housing units was commenced by the Governor Fashola administration. It was subsequently abandoned by his successor, Governor Ambode.

Source: http://www.nigeriaconstructionjournal.com/2019/04/07/is-lagos-island-going-bananas/

Diamond Island

This project was initiated by the Lagos State Government owned Ibile Holdings.

Source: http://www.nigeriaconstructionjournal.com/2019/04/07/is-lagos-island-going-bananas/

Interesting stuff... Lagos the pride of West africa

Lagoon city turn to Banana Island


It’s time to discover new island , this time it will be name peppery island or so i thought

Lagos is a country inside Nigeria state.

God bless the past and present leaders of Lagos.
God bless the SW of Nigeria
God bless Yoruba land
God bless Nigeria.

No.. lagos Island is going cucumba

Anyone living on a man made island in Nigeria is on his own. Believe me. Let them be building artificial island that will sink in 5 decades.

The nature made islands in Lagos are a time bomb less the artificial islands constructed by wacky Lebanese and outcast engineers from Europe.

Richdad

Those spots would have been good for tourism

I'm afraid I'm still frightened at the thought of actually living in Lagos, island or not.

I can only visit, tops - "two weeks and I'm out.

Kudos to those living in Lagos.

There is still more to the article right?

.........

Nice

Expensive stuff

Make money and you won't have time to examine other people's money.

Iyana oworo dey for poor man

Great piece

Wonderful piece

These areas will suffer d most if the country happen to experience an earth quake.

I call this SAND and SEA metamorphosis...

Lagos is fast turning into a modern city, because of their accommodating nature, where people can come from other states and become governors and commissioners in turn claim ownership. The real omo libes are not known very quiet.

slimdamatrix1:
I'm afraid I'm still frightened at the thought of actually living in Lagos, island or not.

I can only visit, tops - "two weeks and I'm out.

Kudos to those living in Lagos.

afraid of what?

This people sef, shey una no fit go clear the bush for Ijeododo, Ijagemo, iba to badagry, Ikorodu, ayobo etc to build Una exclusive abode ABI, Kontinu sending the water to we wey dey mainland ooo, water go return to Una one day.

Davido's dad is an amazing engineer

Ok

Lagos is still far behind Nairobi, Johannesburg and Cairo. It'll take another decade before we can even start competing with them

Can they suppress the water for so long that it will not overflow it's banks?

A country that cannot set her priority right. Sinking billions in ocean when the entire country cannot boast of 8 hours power supply daily.

Spit on the head of Nigerian leaders

As you're building banana, orange, mango etc islands for the rich, why not consider the poor too and build low-cost estates that we can afford just like Jakande did

stupidity:
afraid of what?

Transportation!

The fact that transportation is such a chore, regardless of if you have your own vehicle or not, makes living in Lagos rather hectic.

Oh water too. It is rather strange, that Lagos with all its water, experiences water shortages or sometimes dirty water - even on the island.

Abuja is where my heart is, as long as Nigeria is concerned.