...bags Alakoso- Adeen title
Members of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), friends, family members, religious leaders, traditional rulers, political associates and other well-wishers on Sunday gathered in Ikorodu, Lagos, to celebrate with the association’s Special Assistant on Media, Ayokunle Sulaimon, as he officially commissioned his multi-billion-naira Sula Royal Premium Complex Limited.
The event, which marked a double celebration for Sulaimon, also featured the conferment of the traditional religious title of Allakoso Adeen of Igbogbo Central Mosque on him during an earlier ceremony at the mosque in Ikorodu.
The Sula Royal Premium Complex is a multi-purpose hospitality, wellness and recreational facility designed to provide a range of services, including events, fitness, relaxation and family entertainment.
The complex comprises three major sections. The Sula Royal Hall, which serves as the main event centre, has a seating capacity of 1,000 guests, including a VVIP section for distinguished guests.
The Sula Royal Premium section offers hospitality and wellness services, including a modern gym, spa, kitchen and grill and office facilities while the Sula Funcity section provides recreational and entertainment facilities for adults and children, including games, a swimming pool and an outdoor bar.
The facility is also supported by dedicated power infrastructure, including a transformer, commercial standby generator and industrial inverter backup system, as well as extensive parking facilities.
The commissioning attracted an array of dignitaries, including the King of Igbogbo Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Oba Semiudeen Orimadegun Kasali; a member of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) in Lagos State, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe; Executive Chairman of Igbogbo/Baiyeku Local Council Development Area, James Olalekan Aroyewumi; ANLCA President, Sir Emenike Nwokeoji; Chairman of the association’s Board of Trustees, Taiwo Mustapha; Vice President, Prince Segun Oduntan; ANLCA patron, Chief Taiwo Oyeniyi; and President of Oodua Logistics, Oye Ariyo, among other dignitaries.
In their goodwill messages, speakers took turns to commend Sulaimon for his entrepreneurial achievement, describing him as a passionate, humane and down-to-earth individual whose commitment to development and community advancement deserved recognition.
In his remarks, Nwokeoji congratulated Sulaimon on the achievement, describing the commissioning as a source of pride for the association and an example of the possibilities available to members who embrace investment and business diversification.
Also speaking, Vice President Oduntan, who also hails from Ikorodu, commended Sulaimon for contributing to the development of the community through the establishment of the modern facility.
He acknowledged the support and encouragement of the traditional ruler, noting that the project would create employment opportunities and provide valuable services to residents.
Speaking on the motivation behind the investment, Sulaimon, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Sula Marine Services Limited, a licensed customs agency specialising in freight forwarding, customs clearance and supply-chain services, said the project was driven by the need to diversify his business interests and create additional sources of income.
He explained that the nature of customs brokerage, like other businesses, comes with periods of high and low activity, making diversification necessary for long-term business sustainability.
According to him, the decision to establish the complex was also informed by the need to provide wellness and recreational facilities, particularly for members whose jobs often involve demanding field operations.
He said the complex was conceived to provide services that were previously lacking in the community.
“During our business visibility study we discovered that what the community need were not present. There has never been any modern facility like this, a gymnastic point attached to a swimming pool because by the time you register as a gymnastic person here, you have a potential of swimming twice in a week. Because swimming is aerobic.
“Then our SPA is top notch. So bringing all of them together in the same complex exists no where in Ikorodu. We went into that visbility study to discover the need of the people. And that is what we have done, ” he said.
Sulaimon disclosed that the project, which commenced shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, encountered several challenges, including regulatory difficulties and rising construction costs.
He, however, said the encouragement and intervention of the traditional ruler of the kingdom, helped the project overcome some of the challenges.
He also disclosed that the facility currently has more than 200 staff positions projected, with 45 employees engaged in the first phase of operations.
He said the second phase of recruitment was ongoing, adding that the business had plans for further expansion.
According to him, there are plans to establish similar facilities in Apapa, around the airport and in Port Harcourt, noting that expansion remained a major part of the company’s vision.
More to read
CVFF: Stakeholders seek NIMASA audit over dollar- naira conversion dispute
Ex- NIMASA DG Omatseye defends CVFF conversion, says N52bn in fixed deposit
Port modernisation, revenue leakages top agenda as maritime journalists hold Unity Conference Nov. 13