Dr Bamidele Onalaja, the Lagos Chairman of Real Estate Development Association of Nigeria (REDAN) and CEO at RevelutionPlus Group blamed the collapsed 21 storey building on the performance of professionals involved on the project, also on the part of government.
Dr Onalaja made this disclosure during an interview on CityTalks with Reuben Abati.
According to him, the natural occurrence cannot be dismissed but it is very slim; “according to my experience and observation in this particular case,” he said.
The body of the developer of the collapsed property, Femi Osibona, the MD of Fourscore Homes was recovered four days after the incident occurred.
According to the Lagos Chairman of REDAN, Femi Fourscore wasn’t planning that the property should collapse on him and all the other staff involved.
He said, “There are three blocks of those high rises, 21, 15 and 16 unit of the high rises but that of the 21unit collapsed.
“The project is a multi-billion project that is given to experts. So, I want to assume that Femi gave the projects to expert; the architect and structural engineer.”
He added, “There is a project manager for that project, I want to assume, who coordinates the M & E, the mechanical and electrical consultant on that project.
“Now that Femi is gone, it is not possible for us to ask him questions.
“They should go to his office, get the books to find out who handled the project.”
According to Onalaja, there is a fundamental problem when a project requires 18mm rod and 12 is recommended and if the project requires 18.7 pilling and I am recommending 10; “there is no way such a project will not come down,” he said.
He said, “If the foundation is faulty, what can the righteous do?”
The CEO of RevelutionPlus Group stated that from a reliable source undisclosed, that the collapsed building got approval for 21 storey and not 15 or 16 as many has insinuated.
He repeatedly expressed concerns on professionals involved in the project.
He noted a lot of human error from the part of the foundation from the beginning could have been responsible for the collapse.