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.