BEFORE YOU SAY “YES!” TO THAT HOUSE

There are a lot of things to consider when choosing a house or neighbourhood in the suburbs. We all have what we look out for and the truth remains that you can never have it all. There are however, certain basic things one should never overlook when making a choice within the suburbs:

Security

It is very important to choose a suburb, neighbourhood or compound that’s relatively safe, especially for couples with children. When my hubby and I were looking for a house, though we had in mind our budget limits, a secure neighbourhood was top on our list. We were particular about a house with controlled access (fence and ate). You wouldn’t want to see your kids riding their bikes or playing in the streets but in an enclosed compound. There are some suburb neighborhoods that are just not safe, especially for a young family with little children, so you would want to consider this seriously before making that choice.

                                                         

Clean Environment

Never underestimate the importance of a relatively clean environment. It will keep you and your family away from the hospital for a long time. While searching for a house, we were taken to this very lovely house, but we rejected the house because of the environment. The road leading to the house had all kinds of waste spilling out from different sewage pipes; it was such a huge mess. When we spoke to some of the occupants of the compound, they advised us not to risk it, as majority of them were on the verge of parking out of the vicinity. We were informed that in the evenings/nights, the smell around was very offensive. You would not want to find yourself in such an unhealthy environment so make your findings properly.

Accessibility

Especially for car owners, you don’t want to stay in an area where you would have to be visiting the mechanic every day or a place where your visitors have to park their cars miles away and trek/take a bike just to get to your doorstep….lol. The roads don’t have to be like the express way, but it should be motorable enough for easy passage. You don’t even want a place where cars or keke or bikes stop entering at certain hours of the day or a neighbourhood where it could be a herculean task getting any means of transportation. You also don’t want to live in a neighbourhood that is very lonely. We have this family friend that got this very beautiful house in a very lonely street, somewhere in Kubwa axis of Abuja. It was really lonely; in fact, they shared boundary with a thick bush and rock. In less than 6months armed robbers stated harassing the neighbourhood and they were forced to pack out even before the expiration of the term of their lease.

Availability of Water.

There is nothing like a house with water. I mean, if an area doesn’t have light, one can always use generator, but a house that doesn’t have water is not to be considered at all because life can really be miserable. Without water, everything is at a standstill. You can’t cook, wash plates or clothes, clean the house, flush the toilet or even have a bath. Water indeed is life. Before you say “yes” to that house, make sure there is constant water running especially for a family. I have had my fair share of experiences of living in a house without water, trust me, its not something you wish for even your worst enemy. It can really be frustrating having to depend on water vendors (Mai Ruwas’…as they are popularly called). Ask questions and verify answers given by agents, because most of agents are just after their agency fee, leaving you to face the reality on ground. Water is life, don’t compromise this.

Affordability

Some houses even in the suburb are just so ridiculously expensive. When you hear the amount, you just wonder if the house is built with precious stones. Don’t be in such a hurry to settle for a house that’s expensive because you are desperate. Take your time, you will definitely find something affordable and just perfect. I am talking out of experience. Especially for young couples who are about getting married and desperately need a house…RELAX! The truth is, it’s not just about paying the rent now, its about RENEWING IT! When we were "house-hunting", w found this very lovely house. Hubby was already getting frustrated and wanted to settle for it but I didn’t bulge. He tried to convince me but the price just didn’t make sense to me as it was way beyond our budget. Finally, we got to find another house that was just what we wanted for a much lesser amount. Don’t be in a hurry; don’t let any agent confuse you. Know and stick to what you want!  Shine your eye! LOL.

The House Itself

We all know how some landlords/builders are just out to make money, so the finishing of the house is not of importance to them. Some houses are just badly built; the tiles are poorly fixed, the walls are soaking water, no provision for adequate ventilation, the plumbing and electrical works are badly done, everything is just not right. Please, don’t be in a hurry to pay for that house. Carry out proper inspection, view things for yourself, point out any aspect which requires extra attention before you make payment and move in. Some agents will mount pressure on you to close the deal so they can get their fees. Never make that mistake cos more often than not, once you move in, you are absolutely on your own…lol.

A Serene Neighborhood Devoid of “Drama”

As much as possible, avoid a compound/area that is noisy and "African Magic" drama-free. How would you know you may ask? There are some compounds you enter and the body language of the existing occupants will not just seem right.  Do your own background checks and assessment…ask questions from other neighbours, I assure you, somehow you should be able to gather one or two information about the compound and neigbourhood.

You want to live in a suburb/neigbourhood where you come home after a hard days job and relax and possibly interact with friendly and lovely neighbours. You can achieve this. 

I hope you find these practical points useful in making that choice of your dream neighbourhood/suburb.  

GALADIMAWA - THE CENTRAL SUBURB

There is everything good about Galadimawa Village (as it is popularly called). Okay, I know this name sounds funny too but lets just move on #wink. It is situated in Lokogoma District. It’s major landmark description point is the Galadimawa roundabout which feeds into Lokogoma (Sun City, Sunny Valle, Apo Mechanic Village etc), Area 1/Games village, Airport Road/Mbora district and Galadimawa village itself. Galadimawa is one of the Gbagyi villages in Abuja originally inhabited by the Gbagyi locals. It is one of the most strategically positioned satellite villages in Abuja, with just approximately 10 minutes’ drive to Area 1 and 35 minutes drive to the Nnamdi Azikiwe Int'l Airport. It’s the most central suburb as its very close to the heart of the town and you can access any part of town from this place in few minutes. As a bachelor, my hubby and his friend lived here for years and they always recount good memories living in this suburb. 

Galadimawa is among the few suburbs that enjoy a relatively steady supply of electricity. My hubby used to boast that they were on the same grid with The State House…could you just imagine…loool! There is no pipe borne water in the suburb but there are bore-holes at strategic positions and Mai Ruwa’s (Water vendors) available to supply water to your doorstep. Presently, most of the new houses springing up are going out of their way to sink boreholes. The roads or streets are not tarred, they are earth roads, but they are not bumpy, just okay and very motorable. From time to time, the roads are graded, this keeps them relatively smooth most of the time. There are no drainages but the inhabitants have devised alternative ways of managing the floods particularly during heaving falls.

The suburb shares boundary with two major estates in the district. Crime rate here is very low and as with most suburbs, there is a Police Post. In addition, there is a Police Patrol Van permanently stationed at the entrance and they patrol the suburb on routine basis day and night. There is also a Vigilantee Group that compliments the work of the Police,they mount guard from 11.30pm till dawn.  Apart from being a good residential area, it is also a very active commercial hub with nightlife.

There is almost nothing that cannot be found or gotten in Galadimawa, ranging from household/daily needs shops, to restaurants/bars, wine shops, confectioneries, viewing centres, electronics mart, spare parts shops, etc. Funny as it seems, one of the most delicious fried rice I tasted in any fast food, was in a new restaurant way back 2014.

Galadimawa has a government primary and a nearby govt secondary school, for parents who cannot afford private schools. There are also private schools in the area, in fact, it boasts of a private school called Harvard School…..looool. You need to visit this suburb to see for yourself. There is also a mini market, where one can easily get anything. At the entrance of the suburb, just by the roundabout, is a purpose-built government controlled motor park. Here, you can board taxis or buses to major parts of the town (save yourself the palava of “one chance”). Transportation inside the village is not a challenge, as there are commercial motorbikes that convey people in and out of the suburb…and at an affordable fee of  just N50. 

I would strongly recommend this neighbourhood for newlyweds and young urban professionals who work in town and have to get to the office very early. You really don’t have to wake up as early as 5am just to avoid traffic, also considering the fact that its major access road to Area 1 terminal is currently under expansion construction… drive through and see for yourself. This suburb is also very good for business. I have done business here….my dear, the market is here for your products and services. 

This suburb still remains my favourite, at least until I find another which beats the record…lool and I call it The Central Suburb!

GISHIRI - THE PROXIMAL SUBURB

I bring to you another suburb, Gishiri. Okay, I hear someone say…what a name? It sounds funny or so not tush, right? #lol. Okay, so that’s one thing with Abuja surburbian names… so not urban #lool. One would expect that fro an area so close to town, in fact one which shares boundary with one of the high brow areas (Maitama), there would be just a slight variation from the  norm.

Gishiri is a densely populated settlement situated opposite Maitama (Ministers Hill Axis). Its very close to Maitama Extension, just approximately 5mins drive to the heart of the city. It has only one central access road, just opposite Nicon Junction (by the pedestrian bride) which residents also call Gishiri Junction. I got to know about Gishiri suburb in 2014 from a former colleague of mine, when I was looking for a shop for my business. He told me residential and commercial accommodation were relatively cheap and that he was paying just N50, 000.00 annually for his self-contained apartment…I was so amazed and sought to find out for my self.

The suburb is what I can describe as a settlement. It’s visibly unplanned and a true example of what one could call a shanty. Buildings are scattered round everywhere with no visible plan. Majority of the resident of this area are young men and women. It has a very active night life, in fact life begins at night in Gishiri because during the day, a greater percentage of residents go out to work and return in the evening. If you drive into Gishiri at midnight, you will be greeted with loud sound of music blasting from different corners of the area, especially a night bar/club called “LAS VEGAS”. Las Vegas is the “Transcorp Hilton” of the area, meant for the “big boys and girls” #lool. It has a bar, game/gamble spot, restaurant, barbing saloon, palm wine joint, wine shop, confectionery corner, and general goods shop.

Residents enjoy a relatively steady power supply, even more than most areas in the metropolis. Basic commodities are also very affordable at the little market. I once bought the big lap of goat meat for just N1, 000. You needed to see the giant lap (no exaggeration) for such ridiculously cheap price. #lol.  Most residences of Maitama Extension come here to buy food stuff.

Gishiri has few suburbian facilities. It has a Police Post right at the heart of the suburb, a public primary school, few private nursery/primary schools, churches, mosques, orphanage homes, medical laboratory centre, etc. There are also very good beauty shops and huge presence of artisans and thriving entrepreneurs doing their very best to proffer solution to every need. So even if you cannot live here, you can at least do business here. A little night market is also gradually gaining momentum at the entrance to the suburb and items sold here are relatively cheap. The roads are not so good but motorable.

There’s however, incidences of petty crime within the suburbs like fights, burglary, petty theft, but the police are doing a good job in putting these issue under check though. It is not a quiet place and I do not recommend the area for a young couple in need of a place to settle down a raise a family. Young (single) professionals who are just starting out and trying to find their feet can cope in this area. A lot of corper members stay here because the accommodation is quite affordable.

A major selling point of this suburb is its proximity to the city centre. You can easily find you way to any part of Abuja from this axis and transportation within is also cheap. You can find you way into Gishiri via bike/okada or keke napep for just N50.

I have done business here since 2014 and can authoritatively say the market for any business is here. So if you are scouting for a place start that business, I recommend this suburb to you. For the hustlers, looking for a place to perch until the breakthrough comes, this place is an option. 

FIX MY SHOES…Abuja’s Finest Shoe Cobbling Company!

Okay! Today is Entrepreneurial Monday where we bring to you the best of Abujasuburb entrepreneurs. Now I had promised that Abujasuburbs will help you discover the best of services at affordable prices and also bring to you, practical success stories of entrepreneurs who have been able to push their businesses to limelight from the suburbs.

We all love shoes or at least we all wear shoes. And if you are like my husband, you will readily agree that there are some shoes that you just have this “sentimental attachment” to, even to the point where it becomes so difficult to let them go, no matter how bad they get. I have discovered a solution provider who can bring those shoes of yours from the land of the dead. He is no other than: MR UCHE MBA, CEO of Fix My Shoes!

Let me share my personal experience briefly. My husband has this brown easy shoe given to him by his eldest brother and he just loves this shoe. The shoe has passed through “trials, temptation, fire, rain, and storm”…you just name it. #LOL. But my husband refused to throw the shoe away. In fact, we have had to argue about this shoe because I couldn’t get why he just won’t let go, cause no shoe polish or cobbler could salvage the situation any longer. But when Mr. Fix My Shoes saw the shoes, he said there was something that could be done and indeed, he transformed the shoes and of course, at a very affordable price. We couldn’t believe our eyes when we received the shoes. 

This testimony is on the lips of so many who have presented their shoes for maintenance routine or had their seemingly irredeemable shoes revamped and brought “back to life” by Fix My Shoes. Here are the numbers to call below...place a call today and you 'll have me to thank later.

So I will be having Mr. Uche Mba of Fix My Shoes, as my guest next week to tell everyone the vision and drive behind Fix My Shoes…see you then and have a productive week!

DAWAKI – THE GLOWING SUBURB

Dawaki is that suburb in Abuja known to have constant power supply. I have always had tales of certain places with uninterrupted power supply and wondered how that was possible in this country considering the antecedents of our power authorities. Well, I moved into Dawaki suburb mid-last year and am in a good position to describe the experience firsthand, like the hunger in my stomach. #lol.

Dawaki is a fast growing and relatively new suburb in Abuja. It is situated along Kubwa express way, directly opposite the Gwarinpa axis. It’s about 40 minutes drive to the city centre and has a good transportation system to any part of the city. It is divided into 2 areas: The first part is Dawaki Village and the other part is Dawaki Extension. Dawaki Village is originally inhabited by the Gbagyi locals. It is quite unplanned with shanty buildings scattered all over. However, this part is a little bit more organized now with the implementation of proper housing by landlords and conscious efforts of inhabitants to make it more habitable and conducive for living. The other part, Dawaki Extension is relatively well planned, proper road layouts (with street names), master piece architectural modern buildings, serene environment, albeit with earth roads.

Another very striking feature of this place is that it is very peaceful and serene. You can hardly hear people engage in fights or other acts capable of disturbing the peace. One thing I find annoying, personally, is the fact that shop owners don’t open as early as they should and they close very early. For me, I think the major challenge I find in Dawaki is the road system, due to the poor drainage system.

Almost anything you need can be found in this neighbourhood. There is a mini market in the village area and things are very affordable (YEAH! one reason why we love our suburbs!). There are a plethora of shops that sell a wide range of items.

There are good schools in the neighbourhood, (both public and private). There is an Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) office in case you need to purchase electricity units or need to address other power related issues. Dawaki also has a police station for effective community policing. The crime rate is very low. No incidence of robbery or burglary has been recorded so far since I moved into this suburb.

Housing is relatively affordable here. A one bedroom flat falls within the price range of N250, 000.00 to N450, 000.00. The pricing however varies depending on the facilities and the type of accommodation you desire.

There is a booming night market at the main entrance (Galadima junction). The market begins at about 4pm and ends at 11pm or thereabout. Items ranging from clothes, shoes, bags, food items, etc are sold here at very affordable prices(you should give it a try).

Transportation in and out of Dawaki is not an issue. There are commercial motorcycles (Bike or Okada) stationed at the entrance or junction to take you to whatever part you want and a fixed rate of N50.00. Also you can get taxis from the junction to any part of Abuja city.

I recommend this place for anyone who loves a peaceful and quite neighbourhood. It’s a good place to raise a family and calm place to rest after a hard day’s job.

WHY WE LOVE OUR SUBURBS (2)

So last week, I gave 3 (three) reasons why suburbians will choose to remain in their respective neighbourhood. This week, we continue with the 2nd series of why we love our suburbs. Take a look…

Availability of Artisans (Service Providers):
It’s almost impossible for one to be stranded in the suburbs because a lot of artisans, cutting across virtually all vocations either stay or have their workshops in the suburbs. So you will always find one that can save the day. There are a plethora of hairdressers/hair stylists, cobblers, mechanics, spare parts merchant, tailors, food/fruit vendors, water vendors, electricians, vulcanizers, welders, panel beaters, dry cleaners, janitors, plumbers, masons/bricklayers, drivers, motor cyclists, cabmen, the list is just endless. You can easily locate them whenever the need to engage their services arise.

Communal Spirit:
I have lived both in the city centre and the suburb and I can tell you that one thing that residents of Abuja suburb enjoy that’s lacking to a large extent in neighbourhoods in the city centre is the communal life. In the suburbs, virtually everyone looks out for his neighbour and there is just a greater bond between residents. While leaving in the city centre, precisely Asokoro, I could count the number of times I even saw my next door neighbour and whenever we stumbled on each other, it was a very quick “Hi” or “Good morning”. In my present neighbourhood (a suburb of course), I can say that a brief daily chat with the neighbours is almost guaranteed. Two weeks ago, my neighbour knocked on my door to say hi. She expressed concern that she hasn’t seen me in two days and wanted to check up to be sure I was okay….I felt so loved. Now that’s communal life….sharing and loving.  There is a greater sense of responsibility to one another in the suburbs than in the city centre.

Affordability of Commodities/Services:
It just goes without saying, that things are much more affordable in the suburbs than in the city centre. Be it the cost of accommodation, school fees, articles/consumables, food items, transportation, etc. Just a few days ago, I bought a basket of fresh tomatoes for just N200. Honestly, I was scared when the seller told me the price, I had to ask him again, because I thought it was a slip of the tongue or I probably didn’t hear him correctly. But it turned out that was actually the price. He explained that he got a basket from the farmers directly who were scared it would go bad if they didn’t sell them all up.

Hear me, the suburb gives you value for your money.

Kindly share your comments or views on why you love your suburb. Cheers!

WHY WE LOVE OUR SUBURBS (1)

There are bucket load of reasons why Abuja residents love their suburb (yours truly inclusive…lol). There are just so many things around the suburb that make life in the suburb much easier and fun. We won’t be able to exhaust them today, so in this first part, we shall examine 3 (three) reasons why suburbians will choose to stay/remain in their respective neighbourhood: 

1.     Neighbourhood Mini Markets

Every suburb has its own neighbourhood market where one can quickly dash in to pick some fresh vegetables for soup, some groceries and spices stew/sauce, refill gas or even buy kerosene for the stove (when the gas runs out at odd hours) and get other ingredients or condiments for cooking….in a jiffy. It is highly unnecessary, driving miles to the big market to buy things, especially during emergencies. While living in the city centre, it was really inconveniencing and disappointing dashing to the mini-marts or supermarkets to get one or two items and not finding them. That automatically meant driving to the major market and you may as well go back home (without getting what you want) if it was already 6pm as these major markets close by 

6pm.

2.     Evening/Night Markets

I can authoritatively tell you every Abuja suburb has an evening market, located at strategic points especially at major junctions or entrances of the suburbs. These markets start building up as from 4pm and terminate at 10 - 11pm. Items mostly sold in these markets include clothing’s, shoes, handbags ( other accessories), phones (new and fairly used), fruits, food items, bed sheets, curtains , to mention but a few. One major reason why we love our evening markets is because quality items are sold there at ridiculously affordable prices, compared to shops, boutiques and the big markets. A lot of young urban professionals patronise these markets because most of them have time to shop only at evenings on their way from work. I patronize these markets too and I can gladly recommend same to you…in fact, the phone from which I am writing this was gotten from these evening markets #wink. So the next time you come into Abuja, don’t fail to check out our evening markets, you will be glad you did. And please, thank me later #wink.

3.     Neighbourhood Schools

Every suburb has its own public and private schools. You will find at least a public (government) junior secondary and/or a senior secondary school for parents who cannot afford the private schools. But there are also the very affordable private schools as well as the very expensive ones. It behoves on you to make your choice. The interesting thing is that parents do not have to travel miles just to send their kids to school. A lot of these schools are walking distances for parents and their children.

So, I urge you to take advantage of these benefits and don’t forget to thank me later.

Have a productive week ahead!

THE SPIRIT OF OUR PEOPLE!

My interest in the life, sights and sounds of Abuja suburbs grew when I began searching for a shop in these places. Oh, I haven’t told you?…I am a  baker. I had just started my confectionery business and with my business plan, settling for the very high prices of shops in the city centre was just a big NO! NO!! for me. So, I had to search for a more affordable option, in a thickly populated suburb  that would be good for business. 

In the course of my voyage, I discovered a lot of villages (don’t be scared, ‘village’ is a common term for suburbs in Abuja…lol) I had never been to or even heard since my stay in the city. The uniqueness of each suburb triggered the desire to launch this blog; to share my discoveries with the people of Abuja, Nigeria, Africa and the world at large. There is so much of life going on in these places, so much to savor, so much to learn from and even much more to get you inspired.

One unique attribute I find common is the STRONG SPIRIT OF SURVIVAL expressed by every Nigerian living in these areas. I see this attribute in the tenacity of the ‘Okpa-girl’ living in Nyanya (a suburb), who with little or no education, wakes up as early as 3 am to prepare okpa (a yellowish coloured puddy made from the okpa plant, a food indigenous to the ibo tribe), sets out into the city centre as early as 5am, moving from Asokoro to Area 11 and even as far as Wuse 2 just to sell at a better price, in order to make ends meet and to SURVIVE. 

I see it in the akara woman (Mama Akara) in the heart of Galadimawa village, who fries akara in her zinc constructed hut, and from the proceeds, trains her five children through school (3 are graduates already). 

I also see it in the energy of Mallam Hassan, the water vendor (Mai Ruwa) who fetches water for almost every restaurant/shop in Gishiri, with his handmade wooden truck; he loads it with at least 12 jerry cans (25 litres each) of water and moves from shop to shop, always wearing a smile, the difficult nature of his daily routine notwithstanding.

I see this also in the young bank executive who lives in Kubwa but works in Central Business District and has to be up as early as 5.30am to catch a bus if he must be at work in time. 

These Nigerians all believe in the Nigerian dream; that through hard work, perseverance and determination, they can achieve all they desire to achieve.

The spirit of our people…a reflection of resilience, determination, ingenuity, patience, diligence!

Photo Credits: www.google.com

WELCOME TO THE 'OTHER SIDE' OF ABUJA…

When the name Abuja is mentioned, it elicits images of power, wealth, hardship, governance, e.t.c. There is this general notion that Abuja is a very tough and expensive city, meant for the high and mighty. I remember telling people that I was going to settle in Abuja after my National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and at every instance, I was seriously talked out of it.

What can I say? Yes! It is true that Abuja is the seat of power in Nigeria and that the powers that be and make things happen in this country all reside here. It is also true that Abuja could be a tough place to live in and maybe more expensive compared to other cities in the country (especially housing).

The above notion notwithstanding, I would like to introduce to you, another side of Abuja that a lot of people know little or nothing about. I would like to call it the “humane” side of Abuja. A side to Abuja which is beginner friendly, affordable and accommodating, no matter your level in life. I am here to introduce to you, ABUJA SUBURBS!

A lot has been said and written about the metropolitan city of Abuja, but not much about the suburbs. And even the little that has been written about the suburbs, paints the gloomy picture of negativity. Most of what you get to see is how these suburbs lack social amenities, proper planning, poor hygienic conditions, under constant fear of demolition by the housing authorities, to mention but a few. This blog is out to showcase that ‘other side’ of Abuja, to celebrate the sights and sounds of life in Abuja suburbs, to serve as a business guide to existing and prospective business entrepreneurs, proffer information on relatively affordable accommodation in peaceful suburbs to intending settlers/beginners, celebrate the resilience and success stories of persons who have been able to achieve a lot in business and career within these areas, and lots more.

The general notion is that the municipality enjoys more social amenities than the suburbs, but as we take you on this ride, you will discover that, that’s not always the case.

Every suburb tells its own story, radiates its own beauty and uniqueness, and presents it’s own surmountable challenges. There is just ‘something’ which makes every suburb stand out. I have and still live within this special category (wink) and have a lot to share.

I welcome you to excitement, I welcome you to adventure...welcome to ABUJA SUBURBS!

CHEERS!

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