By Wellington Jopelo
The Progressive Social Club in Offin Ologbowo, Marina, Lagos Island, has raised an urgent alarm over recurring fires in high-rise buildings across Lagos. The group is calling on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the state government, and CBD authorities to take immediate steps to prevent further disasters.
According to the club, these fires are no longer just accidents but are linked to poor building oversight, weak enforcement of safety rules, and misuse of structures, particularly in Lagos Island’s Central Business District.
President-elect of the club, Prog. Rafiu Olasunkanmi Bolaji, a retired UBA employee and native of Offin Ologbowo, stressed the need for urgent government intervention to protect lives and property.
Speaking during an interview, Alhaji Moshood Oladehinde, Treasurer and Financial Secretary of the Progressive Social Club, blamed the persistent fire outbreaks on the Environmental Department and CBD authorities, accusing them of failing to enforce safety standards and approved building usage regulations.
According to Oladehinde, during the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, most high-rise buildings in Lagos were used strictly as offices by banks, oil companies, and other corporate organisations, with strong safety measures in place. However, he said the situation changed when many of these buildings were sold to foreign, mostly Chinese, companies and converted into warehouses.
He described the conversion of office towers into storage facilities as a major cause of fire outbreaks, citing buildings such as the former Defence House on Customs Street, Financial Trust House in Balogun, Great Nigeria House, Mandilas Building, and others.
Oladehinde stressed that the government must take a bold step to stop the use of high-rise buildings as warehouses, warning that failure to act would lead to continuous fires, loss of lives, and destruction of property.
He advised that warehouses should be relocated to areas like Apapa or moved outside Lagos to locations more suitable for such activities.
He also raised security concerns, noting that some of the warehouse-converted buildings have become hideouts for criminal activities. He cited Elephant House in the Ologbowo area as a no-go zone at night, where residents and passers-by risk being robbed or worse.
The Progressive Social Club further lamented the activities of container trailers that block roads in the area, alleging that drivers bribe security operatives and also pay levies to area boys, thereby causing traffic congestion and public nuisance.
Oladehinde called on the Central Business District authorities to work closely with security agencies to improve safety at night, clear illegal obstructions, and strictly enforce fire safety regulations across all high-rise buildings.
The Progressive Social Club, Lagos also known as Progressive Social Circle was founded in October 1976 and has remained active in community development on Lagos Island. The club aims to foster good relationships among residents and with the Lagos State Government.
The current leadership of the club includes President, Prog. Rafiu Olasunkanmi Bolaji; Vice President, Prog. Sadiq Hamzat; General Secretary, Prog. Taye Hassan; Treasurer, Prog. Moriif Kaka; and Social/PRO, Prog. Tunji Ayandare. Other notable members include Akintola Olumola, a former staff of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, Tunde Hassif, Dr. Nafiu Aigoro former perm.sec. Ogun state and wakilu folami union bank retiree now in USA.
The club recently held its Annual General Meeting on Sunday, January 4, 2026, during which Prog. Rafiu Olasunkanmi Bolaji emerged as the newly elected president. The association is set to mark its 50th anniversary in the Offin area of Lagos Island later this year.
The election was monitored by the Editor-in-Chief of The Royal Times and Network Times, and former staff of Daily Times, Mr. Ranti Thomas, who commended the club for conducting a peaceful, transparent, and well-organised electoral process.