PLANNED SALE OF EDO HOUSE IN LAGOS SPARKS CONTROVERSY

The plan by the Edo State Government to sell the Edo House, the state’s liaison office in Victoria Island, Lagos, has generated fresh controversy.

IT was gathered that there had been plans to sell the building by past state governments, but it did not scale through as stakeholders kicked against the move.

However, the current attempt has also been met with strong resistance, with indigenes warning that the move could deprive future generations of one of the state’s most strategic and historic public assets.

Findings indicate that plans to dispose of the property, located at 1225 Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, have reached an advanced stage, with the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo intending to channel proceeds from the sale into the construction of a new International Conference Centre at the Garrick Memorial School grounds in Benin City.

Confirming the decision, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, said the property had become a financial liability to the state.

Afegbua said the government spends huge resources maintaining the ageing building without generating revenue from it.

“Yes, we just have a building, and we are losing money. Even the rent, we are not collecting because the previous administration collected rents upfront for many years.

“We will sell it and use the proceeds to build an international conference centre at the Garrick Memorial School grounds in Benin City.

“The conference centre will create employment opportunities and generate revenue for the government. It will serve Edo people better,” he said.

The government’s position has, however, triggered strong reactions from political leaders, professionals and civil society organisations, many of whom insist that Edo House is far more than a government office.

Former Managing Director of the Edo Development and Property Agency, Dr Pedro Obaseki, urged Okpebholo to abandon the plan, describing Edo House as “a historic public inheritance” belonging to generations of Edo people.

“Edo House is not an ordinary property. It is one of Edo’s most valuable assets outside the state. Once sold, it can never be recovered. Government should explore ways of redeveloping and commercialising the property instead of disposing of it,” he said.

A concerned citizen of the state in Lagos, Linus Ojo, said selling the property to fund another project would amount to sacrificing a permanent asset for temporary financial gains.

“Strategic public assets should be preserved and made productive, not sold off. Government should seek alternative funding sources instead of disposing of one of Edo’s prime properties in Lagos,” he said.

Also, a member of the Edo Civil Society Organisations, who craved anonymity, warned that the sale could face stiff public resistance if carried out without broad consultation.

“This is a landmark that represents Edo’s history and identity in Nigeria’s commercial capital. Any attempt to sell it without engaging stakeholders will generate avoidable controversy,” he said.

Built during the administration of the late Brig Samuel Ogbemudia when the defunct Bendel State was under military rule, Edo House has long served as the state’s official presence in Lagos and is regarded by many as one of the enduring legacies of the Bendel era.

With Okpebholo’s administration now reviving the move to sell the property, pressure is mounting on the government to reconsider the decision amid fears that the state could permanently lose one of its most valuable public assets.

But Afegbua dismissed the criticisms, alleging that many of those opposed to the sale had benefitted from the previous arrangement surrounding the property.

“Those making noise about the sale are people who benefitted from the old order. Our responsibility is to take decisions that will deliver greater value and development for Edo people,” he said.

Despite the government’s assurances, opposition to the proposed sale continues to grow, with many stakeholders insisting that rather than dispose of Edo House, the state should redevelop the property into a modern commercial asset capable of generating sustainable revenue while preserving an important symbol of Edo’s history and identity.