Sula Royal Debuts as Igbogbo’s First One-Stop Lifestyle Destination

BY EGUONO ODJEGBA

The otherwise quiet township of Igbogbo, in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State, assumed an unusually festive atmosphere on Sunday, November 1, 2026, as an impressive assembly of traditional rulers, maritime industry leaders and stakeholders, political associates, religious dignitaries, family members and business stakeholders converged for the commissioning of Sula Royal Premium Complex Limited.

The unveiling marked a significant milestone in the commercial and hospitality landscape of Igbogbo, with the emergence of what is regarded as the township’s first integrated One-Stop-Shop multipurpose event, fitness, wellness and recreational complex.

During the turbaning ceremony at the Igbogbo Central Mosque

But beyond the grandeur of the commissioning, the occasion represented a personal milestone for the promoter, Alhaji Ayokunle Sulaimon, Chief Executive Officer of Sula Marine Services Limited and Special Assistant on Media to the National President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA).

It was a double celebration for the maritime entrepreneur, whose commissioning ceremony was preceded by his installation as the Allakoso Adeen of Igbogbo Central Mosque, a traditional religious title that recognises his growing responsibilities within the Islamic community.

The twin events brought together two important dimensions of Sulaimon’s public life: his commitment to religious and community service and his determination to translate entrepreneurial ambition into tangible economic and social development.

Located in the heart of Igbogbo, Sula Royal Premium Complex is conceived as an integrated destination where hospitality, physical fitness, wellness, entertainment and social events converge.

Rather than operate as a conventional event centre, the facility has been developed around three complementary business segments: Sula Royal Hall, Sula Royal Premium and Sula Funcity.

The Sula Royal Hall, the complex’s principal events facility, boasts a seating capacity of approximately 1,000 guests, including a dedicated VVIP section designed to accommodate distinguished personalities and high-profile gatherings.

Sulaimon and his delectable wife, Juliet arriving at the Igbogbo Central Mosque for the turbaning ceremony

The Sula Royal Premium section provides a combination of hospitality and wellness services, including a modern gymnasium, spa, kitchen and grill, alongside office facilities.

Completing the offering is Sula Funcity, a recreational destination designed for both adults and children, featuring swimming facilities, indoor games, an outdoor bar and other entertainment attractions.

The concept effectively brings together facilities that would ordinarily require customers to visit different locations, offering individuals, families, corporate organisations and social groups the convenience of accessing multiple services within one secured environment.

The investment is further supported by dedicated infrastructure, including a transformer, commercial standby generator, industrial inverter backup system and extensive parking facilities, underscoring the promoter’s intention to establish a professionally managed destination capable of handling large gatherings and sustained commercial activity.

Explaining the thinking behind the investment, Sulaimon said the project was informed by the realities of business sustainability and the need to diversify beyond the traditional customs brokerage and freight-forwarding business.

As CEO of Sula Marine Services Limited, a licensed customs agency involved in freight forwarding, customs clearance and supply-chain services, he understands the cyclical nature of maritime business, where periods of intense commercial activity can alternate with slower periods.

For him, diversification is not merely an investment option but a strategic necessity for any serious entrepreneur seeking long-term business stability.

He explained that his decision was also influenced by a market-visibility assessment which revealed a significant gap in the availability of modern integrated recreational and wellness facilities within Igbogbo and the wider Ikorodu environment.

According to him, the absence of a facility combining a contemporary gymnasium, swimming pool and spa services presented an opportunity to develop something distinctive for the community.

He noted that the swimming component was deliberately incorporated into the fitness offering because swimming provides an important aerobic exercise option for gym subscribers.

His words: “During our business visibility study, we discovered that what the community needed was not available. There had never been any modern facility like this, a gymnasium attached to a swimming pool, because when you register as a gym member here, you have the opportunity of swimming twice a week.

“Swimming is aerobic exercise. Then our spa is top-notch. Bringing all these services together in the same complex is something that does not exist anywhere in Ikorodu.”

The entrepreneur disclosed that construction commenced in 2021, shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic, but the journey was far from straightforward.

Apart from regulatory challenges, the project was confronted by escalating construction costs and other difficulties associated with sustaining a major development over several years.

He, however, acknowledged the encouragement and intervention of the traditional ruler of Igbogbo Kingdom, whose support, he said, helped the project overcome some of its challenges.

Beyond the immediate commercial prospects, Sula Royal Premium Complex is expected to contribute to employment generation, skills development and increased economic activity within the community.

Sulaimon disclosed that the facility has projected staffing requirements of more than 200 positions, with 45 employees already engaged in the first phase of operations, noting that recruitment for the next phase is ongoing.

The employment potential is significant for a community where investments capable of generating direct and indirect jobs can stimulate household incomes, small-business activities and the wider local economy.

From hospitality and facility management to fitness instruction, food services, entertainment, security, maintenance and administrative operations, the complex offers opportunities across several service-sector occupations.

Sulaimon also disclosed that the Igbogbo project is part of a broader expansion vision. According to him, the company is considering establishing similar facilities in Apapa, around the Lagos airport corridor and in Port Harcourt, leveraging the existing recognition of the Sula Marine business name within the maritime and commercial environment.

He further revealed that members of ANLCA would enjoy discounted rates at the facility, a gesture intended to encourage industry colleagues to patronise the business and explore investment opportunities outside the traditional clearing and forwarding space.

The commissioning attracted an impressive collection of personalities, including the King of Igbogbo Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Oba Semiudeen Orimadegun Kasali; Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, a member of Lagos State’s Governance Advisory Council; the Executive Chairman of Igbogbo/Baiyeku Local Council Development Area, James Olalekan Aroyewumi; ANLCA National President, Sir Emenike Nwokeoji; the association’s Board of Trustees Chairman, Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha; National Vice President, Prince Segun Oduntan; and ANLCA patron, Chief Taiwo Oyeniyi.

Others included Chief Oye Ariyo, President of Oodua Logistics, as well as several association executives, chapter chairmen, maritime stakeholders, political associates and traditional title holders.

The occasion was chaired by Odofin Adewunmi Adedeji Ogunsanya, SAN, Chairman of MultiChoice and the Odofin of Remoland.

In his goodwill message, Nwokeoji described the investment as a source of pride for ANLCA, noting that the commissioning demonstrated the possibilities available to members who embrace entrepreneurship and business diversification.

He said the association’s presence was not only to celebrate Sulaimon but also to expose its members to an investment model capable of inspiring others to pursue bigger business ambitions.

“We are here today to show solidarity with Ayo Sulaiman, and secondly, to expose this facility to our members so that, as they leave here, if they submit their wishes and aspirations to God, one day, they will commission even bigger projects,” he said.

Nwokeoji urged residents of Ikorodu to patronise the complex, observing that Sulaimon could have established the investment elsewhere but deliberately chose his community because of the role it played in shaping his life.

He also suggested that the facility could serve as a suitable venue for ANLCA retreats and other association programmes.

The ANLCA president, who disclosed his family relationship with the celebrant, also acknowledged the support of Sulaimon’s wife, Mrs Justina, describing the project as an achievement that reflected the importance of partnership and encouragement within the family.

Similarly, Prince Segun Oduntan commended Sulaimon for making a significant investment in his home community, describing him as a worthy example for other members of the association.

He particularly acknowledged the support of the Igbogbo monarch, noting that the traditional ruler had consistently encouraged development-oriented investments in the kingdom. He expressed optimism that the investment would inspire further commercial developments in Igbogbo.

For the chairman of the occasion, Odofin Ogunsanya, the significance of the project extended beyond its commercial value to the example it offered the younger generation.

He urged youths in the kingdom to embrace hard work, legitimate enterprise and productive investments rather than engage in land grabbing and other activities that undermine community development.

He specifically used Sulaimon’s achievement to demonstrate that substantial investments could be built through legitimate enterprise, perseverance and responsible business practices.

Ogunsanya also expressed confidence that the project could serve as a model worthy of emulation by the Lagos State Government and other development stakeholders.

The celebration was rounded off with a colourful reception at the complex, featuring an assortment of African and continental cuisines, while Fuji music star, Wasiu Alabi Pasuma, provided entertainment for the guests.

Earlier, at Igbogbo Central Mosque, family members, Islamic clerics and well-wishers had witnessed Sulaimon’s turbaning as the Allakoso Adeen, adding a spiritual and traditional dimension to an otherwise remarkable entrepreneurial celebration.

For Igbogbo, the emergence of Sula Royal Premium Complex represents more than the addition of another hospitality facility to its growing urban landscape.

L-R: ANLCA VP Odunta, Board Chairman Mustapha, and National President Nwokeoji exchanging greetings at the occassion

It signals the possibility of expanding the township’s commercial identity beyond its traditional residential and community functions into a destination for corporate gatherings, wellness activities, family recreation and organised entertainment.

Its integrated business model also offers a practical illustration of how entrepreneurs within Nigeria’s maritime sector can deploy experience and capital accumulated from their primary businesses into other productive sectors of the economy.

It is expected that the long-term significance of the investment will ultimately be measured not only by the impressive architecture or the scale of its opening ceremony, but by its capacity to sustain employment, deliver quality services, attract patronage and stimulate complementary businesses around it.

For Sulaimon, the ambition appears considerably bigger than a successful commissioning in Igbogbo. With plans to replicate the concept in Apapa, the Lagos airport corridor and Port Harcourt, Sula Royal Premium could yet evolve from a pioneering community investment into a recognisable hospitality and lifestyle brand.

For now, Igbogbo has a new destination, its residents have a new range of recreational and wellness options, and the maritime business community has another example of what strategic diversification can achieve when entrepreneurial ambition is matched with persistence and investment.

Frontline juju meastro, Pasuma and his band providing musical entertainment for guests at the event

Sulaimon disclosed that one of those who inspired him most was Prince Segun Oduntan, who according to him visited the project site more than 20 times to encourage him, particularly during periods when the rising cost of building materials threatened the project’s progress.

More pictures from the occassion: