By Debo Oladimeji

IT is one thing to have access to affordable luxury, it is another to own a piece of this affordable luxury in a community where you can relate and further grow with people in your class.

To achieve the above without going bankrupt is one of Sir Chigozie Chukwudi Okafor’s intrepid game plans by year 2027. In fact, Dynatech City, together with the past and ongoing projects, is a $billion value chain in context, which people can explore in flexible dimensions.

  Moving on from il Palazzi, the Dynatech team structurally nailed two birds with one stone, as it activates the construction of el Magnifico and Dynatech Heights at the same time.

Dynatech Heights feature a series of two bedroom flats and mini-flats, otherwise known as one-bedroom apartments. These will come in a contemporary structure on four floors, including the ground floor.

El Magnifico, however, explores a different trajectory. Rooted in classic Victoria Island, one is tempted to say it’s the island equivalent of il Palazzi, but it’s actually a couple steps ahead.

Eleven units of duplexes against 10, with a swimming pool, and with the inclusion of premium, private swimming pools for each unit, it is glorious enough to believe that someone built a heavenly residence for the 12 disciples, minus Judas Iscariot.

This is one of Dynatech’s premium projects meant to transform the real estate sector in Nigeria.

  While the duplexes of el Magnifico would have to be bought for the public to gain access and use, Dynatech Heights has a different arrangement. Some flats in it would be available for purchase, while others would be for short-let; hence presenting the public with multiple routes of enjoying the luxuries they seek.

  The goal is to give average income earners an opportunity to own a piece of luxury long-term or short-term in an environment decent enough for their mental health.

Also, high networth individuals who prefer the company of progressive neighbours and neighbourhoods to solitary dwelling will find Dynatech Heights a soothing match for their taste.

  While working on this project, Okafor and his team at Dynatech Homes learnt that inasmuch as Nigerian customers would readily grab standard housing designs, they are even more eager to own contemporary designs.

This startling feedback would urge Okafor’s team to attempt to bring in designs reminiscent of what Nigerians see in Hollywood movies, social media and from their international travels.

  To give them this standard without having to break their bank balances was the next goal, and it culminated in another grand experiment in 2018.

  Following critical acclaim from industry maestros and encouraging feedback from the brand’s patrons, Okafor’s Dynatech Homes launched a mission to deliver housing in unusual fashion and designs.

The roofless top, appetising geometric spacing and canny choice of construction materials led to the creation of White House by Dynatech, whose construction commenced in April 2018 and exactly 10 months later, (three units of five-bedroom duplexes on three floors) were commercially available for eager home owners.

  It was in this era, some sublime five years ago, that Okafor realised that he had indeed mastered the intricacies of delivering luxury at friendly costs, and this would  lead him to even more audacious projects.

  In many ways, the Corporation Estate resembles Dynatech’s White House. To begin with, each of the four units of its duplexes consists of five bedrooms on three floors, a theme that has become another hallmark of Dynatech’s architectural creations.

  Also noticeable is the fact that the buildings feature a flat roofless top that is devoid of the typical slant of traditional metallic roofing sheets, a trend that would continue in subsequent ventures.

  Still focused on the original inspiration of delivering affordable luxury to Nigerians, Okafor resumed developmental activities with il Palazzi, aptly named to portray the concept behind it. Il Palazzi features 10fully detached duplexes groomed to palatial proportions. First of all, it is located in one of the most peaceful and quiet estates in the mainland of Lagos.  On each of the duplexes’ three floors, the team redefines housing taste in five bedrooms.   

Interesting as the project seems, it is its location that gets people’s eyes wide more often. Amuwo-Odofin GRA is one of the most elite places to stay on the mainland of Lagos and the people who are aiming to own a piece of il Palazzi know this.

NOLLYWOOD actor, Yul Edochie, has reportedly lost his first son, Kambilichukwu, on Thursday morning.

Kambilichukwu’s death occurred about two months after Yule celebrated his 16th birthday with his wife, Mary.

Yul had on January 4, this year, celebrated his Kambilichukwu’s birthday via his verified Instagram handle, saying: “A very happy 16th birthday to my first son, Kambilichukwu Leo Yul-Edochie. May God lead and protect you always. With many more happy years. Daddy loves you.”

A family member confirmed that Kambilichukwu died on Thursday, saying: “After his exam in school, he joined his mates to play football and he developed a seizure and was rushed to the Mother and Child Hospital.   

“All efforts by the doctors to resuscitate him proved abortive.”

THE Lagos State Government, on Wednesday, March 29, arraigned Chrisland Schools Limited and four of its staff before a Lagos High Court in Ikeja over the death of 12-year-old student, Whitney Omodesola Adeniran,  during the school’s inter-house sports in Agege, Lagos.

The defendants- Ademoye Adewale, Kuku Fatai, Belinda Amao and Nwatu Victoria were arraigned before Justice Oyindamola Ogala on a two-count charge for alleged involuntary manslaughter, reckless and negligent manner that endangered life of Whitney.

The offences contravened Sections 224 and 251 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

At the trial, the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), asked the court to accept the information filed against the defendants and allow them to take their plea.

The accused all pleaded not guilty to all the counts.

Following their plea, Onigbanjo told the court that the state had lined up 17 witnesses to testify during trial and prayed for a date to open the trial.

However, the Defence Counsel informed the court of their bail applications dated March 29, 2023.

The Counsel were Mrs. Bimpe Ajegbomojon (first defendant), Mr. Richard Ahonarougho (SAN)  (second defendant), Olukayode Enitan (SAN), (third defendant), Mr. Ademola Animashaun (fourth defendant)  and Mr. Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN) (fifth defendant), while Mrs. Oluwatodimu Ige held a brief for the deceased’s family.

The defence, while moving their various bail applications, urged the court to grant bail to their clients in liberal terms and self-recognisance.

Ruling on the bail applications, which were not opposed, Justice Ogala said she had carefully perused the applications and therefore admitted them to bail.

The Judge granted the first and second defendants bail to the sum of N10million each, with two sureties in like sum.

But the third and fourth defendants were admitted bail to the sum of  N20 million each, with two sureties in like sum.

Justice Ogala ordered that all the sureties must be gainfully employed, have credible and verified evidence of financial status and residents within the jurisdiction of the court.

She also ordered that the sureties must have made two years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government and must submit their international passports to the Chief Registrar of the State High Court.

The Judge further directed the defence counsel to write an undertaking for the defendants to be released to them before the perfection of their bail conditions and adjourned the case until May 25, 2023 for commencement of trial.

THE aviation workers’ unions have reiterated their earlier vow to resist the Federal Government’s plan to demolish office complexes of aviation agencies in Lagos State to make way for a new airport city project.

The aviation workers, under the aegis of National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), at a rally in Lagos, on Thursday, March 30, said the Aerotropolis (airport city) initiative was not in public interest, criticising the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, for performing abysmally for over seven years in office.

The workers’ verdict, contrary to the pass mark Sirika awarded himself a week ago in Abuja, was against the 2016 aviation roadmap initiative the minister promised to deliver, which deliverables included a new national carrier, concession of airports for efficiency, Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility, aircraft leasing company and creation of metropolis at major airports.

Beside the Lagos, Abuja and Kano airports that last year got designated concessionaires, none of the other deliverables has been implemented.

The workers said details of the concession plan and airport city project showed a “self-serving” agenda; hence should be rejected by all, adding that they would continue to resist the planned demolition of the office complexes, because “aviation agencies’ offices should not be for sale.”

General Secretary of ATSSSAN, Frances Akinjole, said there was no reason for the planned demolition of the former headquarters of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), noting that the current administration had barely two months to exit, “yet demolition of aviation agencies still tops the list. Why?”

He lamented that almost three years after the first batch of aviation workers were forcefully relocated from Lagos to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, “their relocation allowances were yet to be paid and most of those agencies, including FAAN, still have no offices in Abuja.”

Akinjole observed that over 75 per cent of aviation activities happen in Lagos and wondered how the agencies would operate without office complexes in the state, adding: “They want to demolish in public interest, but they will now be the beneficiaries of these property. But this is our common patrimony and we will fight it out. We all know the challenges members of staff of other agencies who were relocated to Abuja are facing.

“For instance, workers of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) that are in Abuja do not have offices of their own, while those in NSIB were told to be working from home, here in Lagos. FAAN does not have its own office in Abuja, yet they want to push everyone to where there is no accommodation for workers.”

The union leaders, however, assured that the unions would frustrate every move by some people in government to convert public property into personal assets.

NUATE member, Safiya Araga, also accused the minister of maltreating the workers, while pursuing phantom projects in the industry, saying ideally, there should be adequate provisions for the workers before they are relocated outside present stations.

Araga urged the incoming administration to audit activities of the minister in the past eight years, alleging that the sector had been stagnant for about 10 years.

General Secretary of ANAP, Abdulrazaq Saidu, described the action of the minister in the last eight years as full of “illegalities.”

Saidu said Sirika’s failure to constitute Board of Directors in various agencies contravened the Acts setting up those agencies and the directive of the Presidency.

DYNATECH Homes is set to turn il Palazzi, a batch of 10 fully detached duplexes on three floors in one of Amuwo-Odofin’s serene estates in Lagos State, into a reality.

  With this, il Palazzi is set to be commercially available within the next four to five months, as with projects of its magnitude, it is already attending to enquiries leading up to purchase.

  According to the brain behind the project, Sir Chigozie Chukwudi Okafor, protecting wealth is a lot more difficult than building it. And in times of uncertain financial realities, like Nigeria and Nigerians faced since last year, it is perfectly understandable that people would want to choose the safest places to keep their money.

  He noted: “The real estate market in Nigeria, particularly the Lagos sector, is a decent place to keep your money. The sheer current demand, which is heavily based on population explosion, job losses and failing markets in some other sectors, has made real estate more attractive in recent years.

  “This is just one of the many commercial real estate projects sprouting across Nigeria and Africa at the moment. Given that the world is going through a recession heralded by massive layoffs and unemployment, it may come as a surprise to outsiders that real estate is still holding on strong. For industry players and keen investors, this is perhaps one of the best times to invest their money in properties.”

  Okafor recalled that the world has seen the cryptocurrency market experience and what is perhaps an unprecedented level of bloodbath this year. In addition to that, several global giants, such as Meta and Twitter, have laid off thousands of staff in a bid to stay afloat the turbulence of this year’s socioeconomic realities. Yet, somehow, real estate in Nigeria continues to thrive.

  He believed a number of factors are responsible for this. “Location is one. Lagos, for instance, is a huge selling point. It makes more sense if a residential project is located in a gated, serene, peaceful and classy environment.”

  For commercial projects, the cheeky veteran stated: “It could work in just about any part of Lagos. The busier the place, the higher the return on investment.

  “Again, there are rail lines under construction in Lagos as we speak. These attempts at decongesting traffic is already making the region more attractive to people.”

  Sources across the world suggest the population of Lagos State to be at least 20 million, with most residents typically migrating from other parts of the country and perhaps outside the country, who would need shelter and a place to work and would use the roads, malls, as well as a host of public and private facilities.

  Beyond the Lagos dispensation, the population explosion rocking Nigeria has led to a rise in the value of property in the country from empty low-lying lands to magnificent city skyscrapers. The housing problem is both a chronic national and continental challenge.

  It is fair to say that when the tumultuous waves of recession have floored everything else, the real estate market, as always, would be and remain the last one standing.

THE vice presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Datti Baba-Ahmed, on Friday, February 17, said comments made by Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-rufai on the naira redesign policy, following the nationwide broadcast of the President Muhammadu Buhari are treasonable.

  Recall that El-rufai, in a state broadcast on Thursday, February 16, faulted the President on his directive to re-introduce the old N200 banknote as part of measures to ease the cash crunch in the country, insisting the old N1, 000 and N500 were still legal tenders in his state and the naira redesign was aimed at scuttling the general elections to allow an interim government, to be led by a retired army General he declined to name.

  But at a press conference in Abuja, on Friday, Datti said the governor’s comment amounted to treason and wondered why the Presidency is silent.

  He argued that there was only one authority in Nigeria, which is the President, and wondered how a governor could counter the directive of the President, adding: “Anybody who commits this kind of indiscipline under our leadership, the full weight of the law should bear on him.

  “We have been more than bewildered at the failures we have witnessed in the past few days. However, it is more of an act of treason, so to say, it is an act of treason. If an elected governor of a constituent part of a sovereign country will give direct instructions to the contrary of what is the exclusive preserve of the federal government.

  “Why should, as a Commander-in-Chief, you give a clean executive constitutional order and a state governor goes out to say that you should continue to exchange those currencies? This is to say that there are two authorities in a country.”