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Back view of Hall 5
Prince Abraham Oluwatoyin Ololade ABRAHAM, is the chairman of the popular Rosellas Amusement Park and Events Centres, formerly situated along LASU/Igando Road but now located in the vastly improved Lagos International Trade Fair Complex (LIFTC), he recently spoke to newdawn on how he ventured into the business of leisure among other things. by the special grace of God .
What led you into the business of leisure and parks?
I give all glory honour, praise and thanksgiving to the Almighty God for His vision of Rosellas Amusement Park and Events Centres.
In a revelation in 1985, among many other things, the Lord instructed me to establish amusement and leisure centres where His children will relax, unwind, enjoy and commune with Him. So Rosellas Amusement Park is a ministry from God.
If we are not mistaking, Rosellas first started along Igando/LASU Road, is it still there?
You are quite apt. Rosellas Amusement Park first started along Idimu – Isheri-Igando-LASU Road, Rosellas Bus Stop, Igando , Lagos.
Rosellas Amusement Park is no longer there. We have closed down there completely due to over 11 years of LAWMA dumpsite beside us and the attendant carcinogenic stench, swarms of flies, schools of rats, scorpions, snakes etc and over 18 years of perennial devastating, unabated floods, which destroyed most of our facilities and equipment .
If no, why the move into LITFC?
I sincerely praise and bless God for the saving grace of God through the indefatigable, loving and caring lifter of heads with listening ears , Chief (Mrs.) Lucy Omosefe-Ajayi) the ED/ CEO of the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex management whom the Almighty God used to save the soul of Rosellas Amusement Park and Events Centres from going moribund. We had tried many private, Federal, Lagos and Ogun states lands to no avail especially highlighting our plights to subsequent Lagos State governments directly without any assistance to a foremost amusement park in this state where Tourism seems to be our watchword!
For many , many years, Rosellas was at the precipice of collapse before the eventual close down of our services.
If the Igando branch is still on, what is the reception like?
Already in three….. it has been closed in Igando
Why the choice of LITFC especially now that there is a new board and management?
We were allowed to host our customers for only one month in the Mini Stadium during last Christmas and New Year season. This thus showcased a little of our mettle which attracted all people. As there is a dearth of leisure facilities in this corridor, we consequently applied to the LITFC management, we were later interviewed which the ED/CEO approved . We were thus allocated Hall 5 .
We sincerely appreciate the new management and board for this great SOS to Rosellas Amusement Park and Events Centre to continue our services to generalities of Nigerians for Rosellas to join hands with this new, enviable management to bring back the glory of the LITFC and turn it to a great tourism, leisure and trade hub in the West African sub-region and beyond by the special grace of God.
What is the patronage like in LITFC?
We have just been allocated one of the moribund halls, which greatly require huge repairs and refurbishment to the roofs and almost every fabric of the halls, the heavily bushy environment because the properties have been abandoned for decades!
We have just opened to the public having completed the first
and second phases of repairs and refurbishments to host our dear customers.
Tell the world the programme you have for them on October 1, which is independence anniversary day?
By the grace of God, we have planned our great facilities and equipment including various bouncy castles, slides, swings, bumper cars, road train, electronic track trains, electronic Self Leveling , mountain climbers, swimming pools for children and separate swimming pools for adults, popular DJs, artistes and musicians of different genres, games , dancing and other entertaining competitions, free TV football competitions, Sumo wrestling competitions and several other attractions for the forthcoming Ileya, Independence day celebrations as well as the next Christmas and New Year festive seasons.
What other services do you offer aside the amusement park event.
We are into general leisure and recreation, and consultancies, film and theatre arts, food and general cuisine, etc. Like all over the world , every amusement park is a one stop shop of almost everything for the comfort of all customers from far and near.
Do Lagosians find time to relax and catch fun?
Unfortunately , not only Lagosians but most Nigerians generally are not leisure conscious. The main places you find most of us are beer palours and ‘joints’ etc
God is now using Rosellas Amusement Park and Events Centres to bell the cat, so to say, to introduce and enlighten Nigerians to the essence of and the import of recreation to our lives.etc and the enjoyment of good facilities and equipment in leisure.
We can only, archive these with the unflinching support of various organs of our governments and of the great and wonderful media houses, both print and electronic, to project Rosellas Amusement Park to the entire populace and beyond.
Is the bad internal roads in the complex not preventing people from patronising Rossellas?
Those of us Lagosians, Nigerians and foreigners who patronised and know the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex for Trade Fairs and the big and heavily stocked markets before the inception of the Lucy Omosefe-Ajayi led management will definitely testify to its harrowing experiences of the dilapidated and vehicle exhausts, engines and fenders ripping roads resulting in greater loss and untold traffic jam for hours on end human stress and agony.
The new Lagos International Trade Fair Complex Management under Chief ( Mrs ) Lucy Omosefe-Ajayi has transformed all the five kilometer roads with interlocking stones constructed by the construction giants, CCECC, to the envy of all Nigerians and Nigeria. We are only praying and hoping the Lagos-Badagry Expressway will be completed soon as promised by our able Gov. Sanwo-Olu.
Where do you want Rossellas to be in the next five years?
By His special grace and with the Almighty on our side and good patronage from all Nigerians and foreigners alike, Rosellas, will be a household name ranking far higher than most Amusement Parks of the world in Jesus Christ’s mighty name .
