The historic monument–Cocoa House, Ibadan–will ever remain relevant as one of the enduring legacies bequeathed on the Yoruba nation by the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and his compatriots.
Standing majestically at Dugbe Business District of the city centre, the magnificent 25-storey building was the tallest building in Nigeria when it was built. It was officially commissioned for use in August 1965.
The then Western Regional Government, headed by Chief Awolowo, came up with the idea of building the Cocoa House. The work was handled by Cappa and D’Alberto construction firm as the major contractor. In actualising the dream, the government had invested on the project the profit accruable from the cocoa produce emanating from the local farmers in the region. Cocoa was then the main source of government revenue in the Western Region.
Cocoa House is at present the property of Odu’a Investment Company Limited, jointly owned by the governments of Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti States. The building was gutted by fire on January 9, 1985. It was, however, rehabilitated for use in August 1992.
The Cocoa House was primarily conceived by the Western Regional Government as a morale-booster project for the teeming farmers in the region, hence its original name “Ile Awon Agbe”, that is “the House of Farmers” in Yoruba. It was to serve as incentive and common wealth of the Yoruba people who were predominantly cocoa farmers, thus showing them that their efforts were being justifiably invested by the government. It was also to further underscore the fact that cocoa produce was not only profitable but could also serve as a revenue generating investment.
Chief Awolowo served as Premier of Western Region from 1952 to 1959 when the baton was passed on to the erstwhile Deputy Premier, Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola, who doubled as the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland. It was Akintola who formally commissioned the Cocoa House on July 7, 1965.
At inception, Cocoa House served as the corporate headquarters for several investments of the then Western Regional Government which are today operating under a common conglomerate known as Odu’a Investment Company Limited. These include Wemabod Estates Limited, Cocoa Industries Limited, Askar Paints Limited, Odu’a Printing Press Limited, Epe Plywood Limited, Lagos Airport Hotel, Nigerite, among others. In addition, many leading private investors and organisations were proud to have offices within the Cocoa House.
Tragedy struck the Cocoa House on January 9, 1985 when the building was gutted by fire. It was obviously a setback for the fast growing conglomerate. It took the Odu’a States of Oyo, Ogun, Ondo and Osun a whole seven years to rehabilitate the edifice and restore it to its present position, after some modificiations. And by August 3, 1992, the rehabilitated Cocoa House was jointly commissioned by the ruling Odu’a state governors–Chief Kolapo Ishola (Oyo), Chief Bamidele Olumilua (Ondo), Chief Olusegun Osoba (Ogun) and Alhaji Isiaka Adeleke (Osun).
However, the economic reality of the moment has been taking its toll on Cocoa House. Unlike in those days when it was fully occupied with people and organisations eagerly seeking to be occupants of the high rise structure, the story is no longer the same presently.
Investigations by our correspondent revealed that only about half of the 25 floors are currently fully occupied. It was reliably gathered that many potential tenants are skeptical of going for high rise buildings, largely because of irregular electricity supply to power the lifts and other infrastructures.
From all indications, however, the investment drive by the present administration in Oyo State, led by Governor Abiola Ajimobi, seems to be getting positive response from stakeholders as manifested in the recent commissioning of Heritage and Cocoa Malls housing the duo of Shoprite and Mr. Price retail stores, a bold initiative which is part of the Property Re-development Programme (PRP) of Odu’a Conglomerate.
The economic outlook of Ibadan has started witnessing a visible change for the better since June 27, 2013 with the grand opening of the Cocoa Mall, strategically located beside the 25-storey Cocoa House. With the additional entry of Heritage Mall on October 31, more life has been injected into the scene with crowd of people of varied backgrounds trooping in and out of the malls daily, doing their shopping.
Even after the inauguration, the situation at the malls has not changed with the noticeable patronage of people in and out of the shopping complexes, filling up all the spaces within the stores. Aside from Shoprite and Mr. Price, other brands like PRP, Cash and Carry, Filmhouse Cinema and Lifemate Furniture have begun operations while other corporate organisations are trooping into the malls to commence business.
Speaking during the inauguration of the malls constructed at the cost of N3 billion, Governor Ajimobi promised to step up efforts at providing conducive environment that will attract both local and foreign investors to the state. Even though the Heritage Mall alone gulped N2 billion and was wholly financed by Odu’a conglomerate, the project was designed by Top Services Partners with L’Dalberto as the main contractor.
Addressing the crème de la crème of the society drawn from the entire South West, who thronged the commissioning ceremony, Ajimobi said his administration had already created the environment of peace as against what he met before taking over the mantle of leadership in the state.
At the forum were Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, represented by Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Taiwo Adeoluwa; Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi, represented by Mr. Ganiyu Owolabi; Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko, represented by the State Director of Commerce, Mr. Robert Adewole; and Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State; represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Legal Matters, Mr. Adebayo Salmon.
Daily trust
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