By Aoiri Obaigbo
Photographer, poet, author of The Wretched Billionaire.
This broken down building beside the bubbling Shoprite mall, used to be the cash cow of Ogun State.
A stroll from the old Sango Tollgate stands this eyesore, the space that was home to the Gateway Hotel, Ota, once considered the pride of the state.
Close enough to Lagos to pull companies like Shepco and Shell Nigeria Gas for their events. Corporations were eager to book reservations for seminars and special occasions like AGMs.
At the moment here, is where we are – abandoned and vandalised, overtaken by weed and rodents. This is a testament of many years of neglect and decay.
According to a Gaurdian Nigeria report, the challenge came during the second tenure of former Gov Gbenga Daniel when he concessioned many state owned hotels. The immediate past Governor, Ibikunle Amosun reversed the concession of the properties.
This ghost of its past, the Gateway Hotel, Ota collapsed because of shoddiness and alleged under pricing by Gbenga Daniel.
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