Ikeja facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Ikeja
Municipality
Ikeja Local Government Area

Ikeja shown within the State of Lagos
Ikeja Location in Nigeria
Country	Nigeria
State	Lagos State
LGA(s)	Ikeja
Area
• Total	49.92 km² (19.27 sq mi)
• Land	49.92 km² (19.27 sq mi)
Elevation	39 m (128 ft)
Population (2022 estimate)
• Total	470,200
• Density	9,419.1/km² (24,395/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (WAT)
Climate	Aw

Ikeja is the capital city of Lagos State in southwestern Nigeria. In 2006, its population was about 313,196 people. Before the 1980s, Ikeja was a well-organized and peaceful town. It had many shops, pharmacies, and special government areas.

Ikeja is located about 17 kilometers (10.5 miles) northwest of Lagos city. The Murtala Muhammed International Airport, a major airport, is found here. Ikeja is also famous for its live music spots, like Femi Kuti's Africa Shrine and Lagbaja's Motherland. The Ikeja City Mall is the biggest shopping center on the Lagos State mainland. Ikeja even has its own radio stations, Eko FM (in English) and Radio Lagos (in Yoruba).

History
Economy
Tourism
Climate
Environment
Communities
Tourist Centres
Images for kids
See also

History

Ikeja was first called "Akeja." It got its name from a special spirit of the Awori people from Ota. The Awori people were the first to live here. For a long time, people were taken from this area as slaves, until the mid-1800s.

In the early 1900s, Ikeja became an important farming area for Lagos. When the Lagos-Ibadan railway opened in 1901, and Lagos grew as a port city, Ikeja changed. It became a place where people lived and where factories were built, serving Lagos. In the mid-1960s, a large industrial area was created. Then, in 1976, Ikeja became the capital of Lagos state.

Economy

Airlines

Many airlines have their main offices in Ikeja. For example, Arik Air's main office is at the Murtala Muhammed Airport. Aero Contractors also has its main office there. Other airlines like Overland Airways, Air Peace, Associated Aviation, and Dana Air are based in Ikeja. Even Virgin Atlantic has its Nigerian office in Ikeja.

In the past, Nigeria Airways had its main office in Ikeja. Other airlines that used to be in Ikeja include Afrijet Airlines, Bellview Airlines, and Air Nigeria.

Television Studios

Ikeja is home to some of Nigeria's most important television studios. These include Channels TV and African Independent TV. Many advertising companies that work with these studios are also located nearby.

Computer Village

Ikeja has a very large computer market known as Otigba, or "Computer Village." It started in 1997 with just 10 shops. Today, it has more than 3,000 shops! You can find many computer sales and repair services here. You can also find services for other office and electronic devices.

Over the years, the small shops in Computer Village have grown into big shopping malls. Many single-floor buildings are now multi-story buildings. These buildings house many shops that sell and fix mobile phones, laptops, printers, and other electronics. Most major Nigerian banks have branches near the market.

Because the market grew so quickly without much planning, it has faced some challenges. Traffic in the area can be very bad, and finding a parking spot is almost impossible. Also, the electricity system, which wasn't always reliable, has become very busy. This is because the market needs a lot of electricity to show customers that computers and other products are working.

Brewery

"Malt-based soft drink" from Ikeja

The Guinness brewery in Ikeja makes its famous drinks. The brewery also produces non-alcoholic malt drinks. These drinks are a popular part of life in Lagos.

Pharmaceutical Industry

Nigeria makes a lot of medicines, and about 60% of West Africa's medicine production happens in Nigeria. Most Nigerian medicine makers have their main factories in Ikeja. This includes May & Baker, which is one of the biggest medicine makers.

Diverse Businesses

Ikeja also has a main market area called Oba Momodu Illo (Obada) market in Ipodo. This market has many shops and stalls. Merchants sell fresh food, meat, fish, grains, and other groceries here.

Tourism

Museums

Kalakuta Museum

The Kalakuta Museum celebrates the famous musician Fela Kuti. He was a very important person in Nigeria's music history. The building was Fela's second home in Lagos. After he passed away, the house was fixed up and opened as a museum in 2012. Fela Kuti's grave is right next to the museum.

Inside the museum, you can see many old photos, posters, paintings, and newspaper clippings. Some of Fela's musical instruments are on display, including his colorful saxophone. His clothes, like his shoes, shirts, and fur coat, are also shown. There's a cafe on the roof, and visitors can even stay overnight in rooms with air conditioning.

Parks and Squares

Jhalobia Recreation Park

Jhalobia Recreation Park and Gardens is a beautiful park. It is owned by Mrs. Veronica Adepoju and her two daughters, who are all trained in landscape design. They show off their amazing skills on almost one hectare of land. The park is very pretty and is often used for weddings and other celebrations. When there are no events, Jhalobia is known as a peaceful place in the busy city of Lagos.

Music Pub

New Afrika Shrine

The New Afrika Shrine in Ikeja is a music club. It is run by the children of Fela Kuti. This place is especially fun when live music is playing. It was built by Fela's family, led by his oldest daughter Yeni and oldest son Femi. They wanted to honor Fela and the important role the Shrine played in the community and in Africa.

Most events at the New Afrika Shrine are free. Femi Kuti performs with his band, The Positive Force, every Thursday and Sunday when he is not traveling. His younger brother, Seun, performs with Egypt 80 on the last Saturday of each month. The new club is much bigger than the old one and can hold two thousand five hundred people. They earn money by selling food, drinks, and merchandise. The club also has a small library, pool tables, and relaxing areas. It also organizes educational activities for the community.

Climate

Ikeja has a tropical monsoon climate. This means it gets a lot of rain for most of the year. There is a short dry season, but it doesn't change the overall weather much. The average temperature in Ikeja is about 26.4 °C (79.5 °F). Around 1645 mm (64.8 inches) of rain falls here each year.

Because Ikeja is close to the equator, its summers don't have clear beginnings or ends. The best times to visit are usually in January, July, August, September, October, November, and December.

Environment

It's important to take care of our environment. Sometimes, things like fuel leaks can cause water pollution. This can affect the safety of drinking water for people living nearby. Efforts are made to ensure clean water for everyone.

Communities

Some of the districts in Ikeja include:

Anifowose
Oregun
Ojodu
Opebi
Akiode
Alausa
Agidingbi
Ogba
Magodo
Maryland
Onigbongbo
Government Reserved Area (GRA) Ikeja

Tourist Centres

Isheri/River Ogun – This is where the Awori people and the original people of Lagos came from.
Lagos State Government Secretariat Ikeja House, Alausa, Ikeja
Lagos State House of Assembly Complex [Parliament Building], Alausa, Ikeja
Lagos State Records and Archives Bureau, PSSDC Road, Magodo, Kosofe
Lagos Television and Radio Lagos/Eko F.M, Agidingbi, Ikeja
LASU Ethnography Museum, Oba Ogunji Road, Ogba, Agege
Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja [A major airport in West Africa]
Statue of Lagos Idejo Chiefs – Statues of the traditional land owners of the big city.
Third Mainland Bridge/Outer Ring Road Complex.