- Property Developer, ALEX KEHINDE BANKOLE
Talk of Nigeria’s youngest and most successful real estate player, who has done several construction projects in and outside the country, and the name Alex Kehinde Bankole readily comes to mind. This young and highly talented housing developer, under 40, has done a lot.
He is the Founder/CEO of KAB Constructions, a leading real estate company. The real estate company has won a lot of awards, the most recent being at the 2017 City People Real Estate Awards, where the company won the Indigenous Housing Construction Company of the Year Award.
Presently, KAB Constructions is working on a new project that promises to “wow” Lagosians. This project is at the heart of Ikeja, precisely at 29, Ajao Road, off Awolowo Way, Ikeja, Lagos besides Timesquare Event Centre, Lagos. It is a shopping complex tagged “Lagos Silicon Mall” that is expected to take off soon.
The construction of this plaza will take off in about 3 weeks time and off plan sale has commenced, as subscribers are rushing to be partakers in the project. So juicy in the offer that with one million initial deposit, you can be a proud owner of a shop and you can spread the remaining balance of 6.5 million within a year.
This project has a lot of packages. It has a lot of shop units, office complex, 24 hours water supply/power supply, ample parking space, tight security and a whole lot more.
Last week, City People’s ISAAC ABIMBADE, visited the man behind project, Alex Kehinde Bankole, at Suru Express Hotel, in Ikeja GRA to have a chat with him on his new project. Excerpts of the interview.
We have not heard so much about KAB Constructions for a while now. What project are you presently working on?
We have been around! We have been doing what we know how to do best but there is an adage in Yoruba that says “Agbo to feyin rin, agbara lo lo mu wa”. We have been cooking something very big and that has actually taken us off the radar for a while. We had cause to also travel out of the country to put one or two things together; just to make sure that the soup we are cooking comes out tasteful and beautiful. That is what has kept us at bay but we are very much around; we are working. We have various projects we are working on, its just that this coming project we are working on has kept us under the radar for a while.
Lately, we saw some fliers flying across the internet (facebook) about your new project in the heart of Ikeja, Lagos. Tell us more about it?
Yeah, that is the project that has kept us busy for sometimes; it is Ajao project in Ikeja. It is about 2,000 shop units (10/10 square metre by each shop). It is a magnificent project. When you look at shops in Lagos and the way people key in to it, you just have to follow that direction. You can now have a beautiful shop in the heart of Ikeja. This project has ample parking space, serene environment and a whole lot.
It is about 2,000 shop units, located in the heart of Ikeja, precisely on Ajao road, Off Awolowo Way, Ikeja. It is very close to Wemabod Estate. That is the project we are working on now.
How can an average person be a partaker in this beautiful project?
An average Lagosian can be a partaker. If you look closely at every project KAB Constructions has been doing in the past, most of our projects are for the middle class and common Nigerians. The amount of money we sell each shop will even tell you more that we are very affordable. As much as we want to add value to the project we put up, we are still able to give to our customers what nobody has been able to give to them.
We are selling a unit at 7.5 million naira and with the initial deposit of one million naira you can become a shop owner within the shortest period of time. It is a very flexible payment, which we have given to all our clients and that is why people have been rushing the project despite the fact that we have not run adverts. People have been calling us from US, London, Australia and other parts of the world to be partakers in the project and most of them have made payment to show their level of commitment and seriousness. The project is going to take us just a year to complete. We are starting the project second week in the month of May and we have started preliminary work there. The real construction work starts in the first week of May.
What assurance are you giving some of your intending subscribers?
KAB Constructions is a known name. In fact, every hand on the project has credibility. Edelu is a known name when it comes to property development in Lagos. We have never failed our clients; our clients look up to us and we are not like other real estate companies that you will buy and you won’t get an allocation; your allocation follows on the receipt of payment.
Is this your first project on shopping complex?
No! We had course to build for Ajaga, on Lagos Island. We have built for many corporate and individuals and we have our hands on so many projects in Lagos and its environs.
Lately, you have been quite close to Ooni of Ife. Is he by any chance having anything to do with the project?
Well, anything I do, any project I do is related to ‘Baba’ because what we represent as Yoruba has a link to Ife and by the special grace of God he is our father today. Don’t forget that is our front runner in this business. Oonirisa is actively involved in all my day to day activities.
I go to Ife for prayers. He calls me almost every day. He just named my daughter; he gave my daughter a name, Adeitunu and that is the name we have been calling her. Ooni is more than a father to me. I can tell you that. After God, my mother, Ooni is the next person.
What are you giving to your intending subscribers who want to key into the new project on Ajao road in Ikeja?
They will enjoy the very beautiful parking space, 24 hours power supply, 100 percent security guarantee, Close Circuit Camera (everywhere), beautiful environment to do business. You can only find such designs with us at KAB Constructions.
What we are offering our subscribers is what they can’t get anywhere.
Why is it that cheap because you said with one million you can become a shop owner there?
We are so much interested in setting up a legacy that will outlive us. Where others make 20 naira, we are okay with 2 naira. We want to give back to the society. Let Nigeria be there infrastructurally. We just want people to realise that not all property players are money mongers. We are interested in making this project coming to life.
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