Over the years, the city of Lagos has had its pride embedded in its ability to accommodate people from all ethnicities who have taken advantage of its vast resources and market potential. The city boasts of several budding marketplaces hence commonly referred to as the market hub of Nigeria.
Tejuosho market was popular for satisfying consumer’s insatiable needs, presenting buyers with different goods in order to meet their distinct wants and preferences. It became the central shopping hub of Lagos for both buyers and sellers of merchandise ranging from clothing to groceries and other live-in accessories, household and gift items, body and hair care products, furniture, car accessories, upholstery goods and other consumables.
As a result of the high traffic flow, Tejuosho market often had to battle with small shop spaces and insufficient parking which resulted in the traders moving their goods to the hallways/walkways and even into the streets thereby causing constant congestion with people shoving each other sometimes aggressively just to get their destination. Regardless of the discomfort to the customers, the good people of Lagos were relentless and remained loyal to Tejuosho market.
As a result of the overcrowding and congestion of the market, an inevitable disaster that shook the state occurred on the 17th of December 2007. Due to a faulty electrical system, a fire outburst spread rapidly through the shops engulfing everything in its way. Its reach was extensive as traders fought unsuccessfully, risking their lives trying to salvage the remainder of their goods.
Some years after a fire incident that destroyed most part of the market, the Lagos State Government, Stormberg Engineering Limited, and Firstbank of Nigeria in a public-private partnership reconstructed the market into a mega shopping plaza as part of plans to turn Lagos into a “Mega City”.
The new Tejuosho Market is an ultramodern market located along the Ojuelegba-Itire Road in Yaba, Lagos. The market which is divided into two phases (Phase I and Phase II) contains about 2,383 lock-up shops in a sprawling four-storey building and about 1,251 K-clamps units, banking spaces, 14 food court spaces, eight lifts, two escalators connecting the four floors, 600 parking lots and basic facilities like stable electricity and water supply, equipped fire station, two rams to assist the physically challenged and a crèche. Tejuosho holds a special place in the heart of Lagosians. Its legacy has endured for many generations. Devastated by fire in 2007, but energised by renewed optimism, preserving its heritage while peering into the future.
Today, Tejuosho rises out of the ashes, regaining its pride of place once again, as the icon of Lagos, to the delight of all.
