For decades, Nagwamatse House stood as an architectural masterpiece in Kaduna, towering over the cityscape and serving as a commercial hub. Located on an expansive land on Ahmadu Bello Way by the famous UTC bus stop in Kaduna North Local Government Area, the building was once the darling of many companies, including banks, utility firms and other organisations.
It also used to attract tourists, media professionals working on documentaries and others, including fun-seekers trying to have an aerial view of the Kaduna city due to its strategic location, which makes it visible from many parts of the metropolis.
A brief history
Nagwamatse House, named after the late Emir of Kontagora, Ibrahim Nagwamatse Dodon Gwari, used to be owned by the New Nigerian Newspapers Limited (NNN), a media company established on October 23, 1964, by the then-Northern Region Government, led by Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto. The company’s flagship newspaper, New Nigerian, was first published on January 1, 1966.
As part of its expansion and quest for sustainability, NNN invested in real estate, and Nagwamatse House became one of its most significant developments. Constructed in the 1970s, the building was envisioned as a commercial nerve center for Kaduna, accommodating diverse interests.
A veteran journalist Alhaji Tajudeen Ajigbade, who joined New Nigerian as a young reporter in the 1970s, recalls that “The idea for the building started with the same administration that established NNN in 1966, though construction didn’t commence immediately. Mamman Daura, as Managing Director, initiated the Imam House, another NNN property which was named after Abubakar Imam, the first editor of its Hausa newspaper Gaskiya Ta Fi Kwabo, before Nagwamatse House took shape,” he said.
The land on which the building stands was formerly a wrestling ground used for traditional dambe competitions, owned by the Northern Nigeria Arts Council. Under the leadership of Muhammadu Turi Muhammadu as Managing Director after Mamman Daura’s tenure ended, NNN finally executed the construction, with the Bank of the North financing it. In return, the bank occupied the ground floor as its Kaduna office.
Tajudeen Ajibade said upon completion “It was one of the prominent tall buildings not only in Kaduna but in Northern region.”
Also speaking, an estate agent Sani Haruna, told Dateline that “Nagwamatse House came into being in 1974, about six years after the construction of Ahmed Talib House, also known as Ten Storey in Kaduna. Nagwamatse House was designed to accommodate 100 tenants, which was higher than the 80-capacity Ahmed Talib House.
“It was also meant to be a 17-storey building as you can see from the extended tower which houses the staircase and the elevator railings. But they did not go beyond 11 floors. At the time of its completion, it was the tallest building in Nigeria, until the construction of the 23-floor Bank of the North building [now Skyline University] in Kano changed the equation.”
Once upon q centre of attraction
In its early days, the Nagwamatse House was the cynosure of all eyes. It was a dominant presence on the Kaduna skyline.
Lawal Dogara, another former NNN employee, who worked there in the 1980s, remembers its prominence. “In those days, the building was a landmark. The now defunct National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) occupied about four floors, and the presence of the Bank of the North [later Unity Bank] added to its prestige. It was one of the most recognized buildings in Kaduna,” he recounted.
He also attested to the building’s structural integrity. “Nagwamatse House was well-built. I later learnt that it even had underground floors and car park. The people who constructed it really did a good job,” he added.
Dateline Nigeria reports that Nigeria’s first private television station DITV also used to be there before moving to its permanent office. The Kaduna office of the African Independent Television (AIT)/Ray Power FM was located at the Nagwamatse House until recently when it was sold and all tenants were asked to leave the building.
One of the tenants of the property who has lived in the building for two decades said they were forced to leave. “They brought us letters from the court. Even the Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Agency (KASUPDA) said we must leave because we were living in danger, that they could not vouch for the integrity of the structure after long years of neglect. But we all know it was not true. So, we were literally chased out of the building.”
A dwindling fortune
Dateline Nigeria reports that even before tenants were asked to leave, the once lively building had become a shadow of its former self. Many of the floors were empty and the elevators had stopped working, with people having no option than to use the stairs.
Several parts of the building also suffered from absence of power. Eventually broken windows, crumbling walls, and an eerie silence characterized what was once a beacon of economic activity. The once a bustling commercial hub gradually deteriorated due to a lack of maintenance.
Lamenting the building’s decline, Dogara said “For years, it suffered from neglect before it was finally sold. It’s sad to see such an important structure in this state.”
Haruna said businesses are now shunning multi-tenanted facilities because of inconveniences and difficulty in maintenance. “When you share space with others, there are inconveniences one may have to live with. So, to avoid that, companies are now opting for smaller structures that are easier to maintain.
Kaduna’s many high-rise buildings
Apart from Nagwamatse House and Ahmed Talib House, Kaduna city boasts of many high-rise structures, virtually all of them situated within the same neighbourhood. Another 10-storey structure is Savannah Bank building which, like Nagwamatse House and Ahmed Talib House, is located on Ahmadu Bello Way. The Astajam Ali Akilu House is also located on the same road.
There are also the Bank of Industry (BOI) building, formerly known as NIDB building, as well as Turaki Ali House, another NNDC project jointly owned by the Northern states and constructed in 1982, Hamza Zayyad House, Hamdala Hotel, among others.
What Next for Nagwamatse House?
With Kaduna’s growing urban development, many believe that Nagwamatse House could still be revitalized if given the right attention even though it was sold.
Urban planners and heritage conservationists argue that repurposing the building for modern use whether as a business hub, a government office complex, or a higher institution of learning [same way the Bank of the North building was turned into Skyline University] would restore its former glory.
For now, Nagwamatse House stands as a silent witness to the past, waiting for a new chapter in its story.
