Obidike Ikenna: Reshaping Real Estate Industry in Nigeria

Mr. Ikenna Obidike, the CEO of Gold Point and Arrow International Limited, a leading real estate company, operating mainly in Lagos and the South-east part of the country, is on the road to his zenith. From being a custom-licensed clearing and forwarding company since 1999, his inspiring tale of metamorphosing into a multimillion realtor in Lagos State is worthy of emulation. In this chat with REBECCA EJIFOMA takes a deep dive into Obidike’s trajectory as a real estate enthusiast 

Ikenna Obidike is a man ready to take Nigerians where they need to know. As the CEO of Gold Point and Arrow International Limited, he attributes his sterling achievements to hard work, resilience, intentional efforts, and consistency from bottom to top. 

About three decades ago, when Obidike hit the road for Lagos, from the far east in Ichi, Anambra State, like a wise man seeking greener pastures, little did he know that things would fall effortlessly into pleasant places for him. “I moved in with my elder brother living in Lagos. It was an eight by eight size apartment in a face me I face you compound in Ilupeju,” he recounted gleefully. 

“The room had only four by four ceilings. It was that tiny, and it was the last room before the toilet and bathroom. “At that time, our walls usually got drenched. I wasn’t enjoying the place, but I had no option. When you woke up, you would see children pooping in front of your room. You would be helpless because you must avoid being attacked by furious parents. 

“When I started making money, I moved to the Island, and because of my experience in my former compound, the first thing that came to my mind was to acquire property. I started buying landed property. I have friends that are into real estate. When I saw what they were doing, I told myself I was getting there,” he added.

According to the property developer, he had two plots of land where he lived at Osapa London in the Lekki area of Lagos. First, he developed the one plot out of the two, sold it, and dwelt effortlessly in a rented apartment with his nuclear family. “I later moved out of my home to a rented apartment because I soon realised that the real estate business is capital-intensive,” he admitted. 

The only words he could resonate with were generating capital. “I needed capital to go into it, and the only way to raise money was by selling my house in Osapa London. I had other landed property. I had to demolish my duplex to build three homes. That was how I raised the capital to begin the real estate business fully. 

“I lived in a rented house with my wife and children for years. It was not an easy decision, but because I knew where I was going, I continued. My motivation was to give people a decent home. I want to see people live in good homes. I have built three houses for people without roofs over their heads as gifts. So every time I remember where I am coming from, I want to help and ensure that Nigerians live in better homes with clean and pleasing environments.”

For Obidike, passion lured him into real estate. “The need to end the housing problems in Nigeria compelled me into this industry,” he told THISDAY at his Lekki office. “When I left my home in Ichi, I had no intention of joining the real estate business. I delved into the Clearing and Forwarding business and registered my company in 1999.

“If you look at the company’s logo of Gold Point. That arrow is the anchor of the ship. It is still valid today. We are still into clearing. We registered the company in 1999. It has been in operation since then. We joined the real estate business in 2017. We have been doing well since then. We have built many houses. We started in Osapa London before spreading to Chevy View, Orchid Road, and others. We have built several houses there as well.”

Gold Point Uniqueness 
On what stands Gold Point and Arrow International Limited out from other real estate companies, Obidike insisted that quality is their benchmark. “When you visit our properties, and you see the finishing – the quality of material we use – you won’t need anybody to tell you this is different,” he chuckled. We believe in quality, and it has been helping us. When we build, we don’t waste time selling.

Need for Government to Synergise with Citizens 

While the people are willing to make their bids, there is also a need for the government to give them a pat on the back or just a handshake. Obidike noted. 

He decried that despite the tremendous success recorded since he ventured into real estate, the lack of government support in providing the necessary infrastructures has not encouraged the business. 
 

The government, according to Obidike, needs to start building infrastructure like roads, electricity, and water to make the job easier for the developers. Even if it means paying a development fee, the developers can now come in and start building with ease. “But what we are witnessing as developers is you buying land, sand-fill it, fixing the roads, buying transformers, providing water, and fixing the drainages. 

“Once the government provides some necessary infrastructure, he continued, it becomes easier for developers to come in, build and sell at a more affordable rate to citizens.”

As a fast-rising real estate company in Nigeria, Obidike is confident that in the next five years, Gold Point and Arrow International Limited will grow in leaps in the country and Africa. We will be one of the most talked about real estate companies in the country and beyond.

CSRs, Donation of Homes to Homeless 

For Obidike, while others chose real estate as their calling, real estate chose him. Hence, he continues to impact lives through corporate social responsibilities and giveaways. 

According to Obidike, “We have constructed roads in Osapa London, and we are also involved in the ongoing Orchid Road construction. I am one of the people that built most of the roads in Osapa London. Currently, we are doing another one because when I have a project somewhere, and there is water on the road disturbing them, I will bring in stones to fix the environment and make it look clean for people to come and live 

“I don’t only build properties for sale,” he chipped in, “Over the years, I have built and donated houses to homeless people, a situation that plunged me into my experience years ago.”