Ikoyi

Ikoyi is the most affluent neighborhood of Lagos, located in Eti-Osa Local Government Area. It lies to the northeast of Obalende and adjoins Lagos Island to the west, and at the edge of the Lagos Lagoon. Popular with the extreme upper class residents of Nigerian society, Ikoyi is arguably one of the wealthiest communities within Nigeria.

The area that makes up Ikoyi was originally a continuous land mass with Lagos Island, until it was separated from by MacGregor canal, a narrow waterway that was dug by the British colonial government. This canal has now been built over or filled so that the island is fused with Lagos Island once again. It has been called in derogatory terms as the "Beverly Hills by the slum" or the Belgravia of Lagos.

History

During the colonial era, the island was developed as a residential cantonment for the expatriate British community and still retains many of the large colonial residences built between 1900 and 1950.

In the 1950s, about 250 acres of land within South West Ikoyi and Obalende were reclaimed and redeveloped. The scheme also led to the redevelopment of a road to connect Onikan with Bourdillon Rd.

Upmarket residential properties continued to be built after the colonial period, and the Island and its Dodan Barracks became the residence of some of Nigeria's military rulers. Ikoyi now contains many other government buildings as well as businesses, hotels, schools, the famous social club Ikoyi Club, and Ikoyi Golf Club.

Notable Sites and Infrastructure

• Google Nigeria is headquartered in Ikoyi.
• The Lagos Jet Ski Riders Club, an elite club for the wealthiest of Nigerians is located in Ikoyi.
• Ikoyi Golf Club
• The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) is headquartered in Ikoyi.
• The World Health Organisation (WHO) has its Lagos office in Ikoyi.
• The Nigerian Government Presidential Secretariat is headquartered in Ikoyi.
• The Deputy-Governor of Lagos State lives in Ikoyi.
• All of Nigeria's Billionaires maintain property in Ikoyi.

Courtesy of Wikipedia