Surulere neatly connects Victoria island in lagos via a bridge and it’s strategic position has attracted a lot of high end and hardworking professionals but also people with passion and talent.
Most parts of surulere developed between the late 60s and the 70s.It was the first relocation camp for people that had to leave olowogowo in lagos island due to the construction of the new end of the carter bridge. Some will argue that it’s proximity to Victoria island has been a great advantage for the area but it has also become a condensation for many Billionaires in Nigeria.
During the rapid urbanization of Lagos, the city expanded to the west of its lagoon, which included present-day Surulere. Families from different regions of the country have historically settled in Surulere. In addition to the local settlers of Lagos, during the nineteenth century, various emancipated African Brazilians and Cubans, who were referred to as Aguda or Saros, settled in Surulere. Nigerians from the Northern region initially ended at Idi-Araba, while many people from the eastern part were in various quarters but predominantly at Obele, Ikate, and Aguda areas. Residents of Lagos Island who bought or leased land from the government and Aworis settled in New Lagos. In contrast, others lived in the neighborhoods of Itire, Lawanson, Ojuelegba, Animashaun, and Shitta. The New Lagos neighborhood, also known as the Surulere Re-Housing Estate, is among the first public housing projects in Nigeria] Itire, one of the quarters in Surulere has a recognized traditional authority in the Onitire of Itire.
Today surulere boasts two stadiums and enough arterial roads to connect most parts of the island.
It would also interest you to know that most billionaires and top captains of industry in Nigeria all lived in surulere at a point from Aliko dangote to Mrs Alakija.I did an empirical survey and I discovered that most people that own property in Victoria island and ikoyi once lived in surulere. By my estimation over 60 percent of them.Surulere in the 70s and 80s was the melting pot for culture and this young brains bursting with effervescent ideas to change their country and in all areas of development they did change their country.I once interviewed a fair amount of these people and they have always talked fondly of the impact and the role surulere played in their emergence and how they make lasting friendships that helped them in life
The story of surulere as a transit camp for billionaires is an inspiration to many youngsters living in surulere today with little or no hope for the future.It is just a reminder that your Environment doesn’t determine your destiny and you can only strive harder to achieve success.
