Two hours ago, Nigerian media space was filled with the news of a 21-storey building that was under construction on Gerald Road, Ikoyi, Lagos coming all the way down.
Several people have been reported to have been trapped under the debris and with the whereabouts of the owner, Olufemi Adegoke Osibona, unknown, there are fears that he may be too.
Osibona is one of those responsible for the changing landscape in Ikoyi at a time when it was thought that multi-storey buildings sprouting would deface its serene landscape.
The owner of 360 Degrees Towers and managing director of Fourscore Homes, Femi, planned three fine pieces of high-rise, real estate, being built on Gerald Road one of which came down today.
Fourscore Homes is a member of the NHBRC (National Home Builders Registration Council) in South Africa and Zurich Building Guarantee in Europe. The company specialises in the building of choice properties in different parts of the world.
“We have exhibited our expertise in property development in the United Kingdom, South Africa, the United States of America and Nigeria. Fourscore Homes possesses uncommon capabilities in redefining property development in any market we choose to play in,” Osibona once said.
Fourscore Homes has an enviable track record built by Osibona, better known as “Femi Fourscore”.
The company began its foray into real estate in the United Kingdom before branching out to South Africa and later Nigeria. In 2009, when Brig-General Buba Marwa (rtd) was the Nigerian High Commissioner in South Africa, Fourscore Homes built six luxury units called Fourscore Mansions in Waterkloof, a very expensive neighbourhood in Pretoria.
Osibona was also the first African developer to develop a seven-storey building in the United Kingdom. The property called Fourscore Mansion is located at 113, Albion Drive London Fields, E8, 4LZ, East London. Not only that, he was the first black developer of African origin to build other projects in the UK.
The company’s real estate business started in Hackney, London in 1997.
“I was one of the people whose real estate developments led to the growth of East London. I bought a house on New Cross Road and renovated it. I also bought a piece of land behind it and built two flats there, and that is what I will call my first real estate project. That was how I started building houses for sale. Renowned Juju music maestro, Ebenezer Obey visited the property when he was in London.”
Osibona said prior to making a foray into real estate, he sold clothes and shoes for a living in London. “I started selling shoes in July, 1991 after I finished my HND in the UK, and later sold suits but I stopped in 1998 and I started real estate development and purchase of property in 1997. The popular Pastor Ashimolowo never ceases to talk about the testimony and rise of Osibona. I also noticed that many Nigerians at that time were reluctant to go into construction but I believed anything was possible with God on my side.
“I built over 50 projects in London and Manchester and from there, went to South Africa where I built a number of estates.” After developing so many properties abroad, Osibona said he decided to come back to Nigeria to contribute positively to the nation’s real estate development.
Osibona also started building in Atlanta, Georgia, USA in 2016.
“In all the projects abroad, we buy land and develop and I am the builder, I don’t engage any builder. I was in Atlanta for only four months before I decided to buy land. It is the same procedure in housing development and if you have done it in one country, then you can do it in another because it is the same principle.”
As the world awaits with bated breath for Femi Fourscore and several others working on the site to emerge as all his three cellphone lines have switched off, Lagosians hope that relevant authorities would start paying more attention to quality control and effective rescue system.
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