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.