Who will rescue this multi-million naira company?

         This multi-million naira company rotting away!

   Weeds everywhere both outside and inside the company .in fact weeds of all kinds had  taken over the manufacturing company. Some parts of  the  buildings have cracked . Some vehicles parked  outside are weather - beaten  and   now  serve as  dryers  for drying clothes and rugs. The engine rooms where  wooden boats are being manufactured have become empty while the wooden boats are just lying there as if waiting for passengers to enter. The  two  gigantic  boats are  lying there as reptiles of all kinds crawled around  the place. The whole  premises is  crying  and begging for  help.It is a big shame that  the once bubbling company to be in this state of comatose.

 This is the boatyard company in Epe, Lagos state which was  established by the late Obafemi Awolowo and Alhaji  Lateef Jakande in Lagos state had been abandoned for over 27years.

  Here is the abandoned multi million naira boatyard decaying. The Boat yard  was once a pride of Lagos state  when it  started but now opposite is the case!  

   A visit to the boatyard could make one shed tears. Inside the yard one could see  different sizes and shapes of abandoned , unfinished and rotting boats made of fiber and wood. Carcasses of vehicles that have been abandoned and  have become rustic  and irreparable in the garage, all  begging for evacuation!.

   The  environment is an eyesore ,irritating and disgusting !. The  Boatyard has no gate, no security. All the vehicles in the compound have become rustic .A Volkswagen Kombi Bus parked in the compound believed to belong to the company has  been turned to  a dunghill where dirt is deposited  and now used to dry rugs. .  Wet clothes are spread on it  to dry also.

One could see the already  finished and some near -completion boats while some boats  are under construction . A lot of  materials had been  abandoned and now  decaying. Wooden boats left outside the compound are  begging for attention .
  The fiber section of the boatyard industry have been abandoned while reptiles have turned it to their home as one could see them running around as if competing in a race .The environment is bushy , this shows that nobody comes there to cut the grass.

About three fiber – made boats under construction that could be seen rotting away .One could still see some fiber materials lying on the ground and wasting  here too.

One of  the buildings

Speaking about  the industry, Mr. Oyeyemi Ajayi described the company as a once thriving company that was very  busy and had employees of over 70per cent of local and foreign workers in Lagos .He said   ''we all remember how this Boat yard  industry was thriving then.

Mr.Samuel Abayomi Adeeko could not control his tears as he cried ''this place is enough to make someone weep.I cannot believe what I am seeing and I am sure Lagos State government is not aware of this place. How will this place that was flourishing in those days become a junkyard?. I am pained.”



   Speaking about the boatyard  Mr. Aderounmu  Agbomeji  a native  of Epe ,  and also an expert in Transportation lamented over the boatyard, he said ''this is part of Transportation business that can be generating revenue for Lagos, unfortunately it has been abandoned”. He went further to explain what could have been responsible  and said '' I believe it is the fault of some people who had  no idea about the business in the past government. And some of the reasons are our bad  attitude and corruption ''

The Oloja of Epe , Oba Kamorudeen  Animashaun decried the situation of the company that had provided jobs for the natives and non natives .The monarch said “these  giant industry provided employment not only for the indigenes but also for non indigenes , it is unfortunate seeing the company is  lying like this . I pray the Lagos government  will help us revive it.The boatyard was where they were constructing boats of all kinds like flying boat, speed boat and several other types .This is a lucrative business which had been abandoned years ago”.

Engineer  Agbomeji an expert in Transportation advise the Lagos State Government to quickly come and resuscitate the  giant company before   it is too late.

The   multi-million naira boat- making industry is heart rending , here was once a thriving  company   that  employed over  hundreds of both indigenes and non indigenes?.When will the government rescue this abandoned company?

Only time will tell.