The receding evening sun is partially hidden by a dark cloudy sky, but not completely as its dark golden glow splashes over the beach fronts, giving it a yellowish hue. The breeze whistles gently sweeping across the coconut trees. The coconut fronts bow at the touch of the cool breeze as if in reverence to a deity.
Sunset offers a more glowing scene from the comfort of ‘Oba Ileriji’, the Tree House, the latest offering in Lagos tourism and hospitality market, while night rest seems unending with the comfort inside.
Just by the shore of Atlantic Ocean, ‘Oba Ileriji’ is simply being intimate with nature your own way. Built on the white sandy beach (about 10 metres from the ocean bank), the tree house stands on eight wooden sticks, about six feet high. Just under the house is a small swimming pool demarcated by sliced trunks of coconut trees which are in abundance on the Lagos beach front.
The staircase made of slices of locally processed wood speaks of ingenious creativity, while the dry stems of small trees serve as part of the staircase. They turn golden as the shaft of the late evening sun cascades on them.
At the entrance to the house is ‘gangan’ (Yoruba drum). On the right is a mini-balcony with wooden stools and tables. One could sit here and watch the sun recede and gradually welcome the night that would immediately cast its spell on the earth.
One could also watch the ocean water in its monotonous crash on the shore, and then retreat only to repeat the same thing while sipping a glass of choice wine. Most importantly, specially trained and traditionally dressed attendants are attached to this audacious new concept in luxury suites that combines modern luxury and the Ijaw primeval architectural design. Their job is to make sure the best of wine, food (seafood), massage, fitness and pamper never lack within the ‘Tree House’ for its deserving guests.
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Inside, the luxury suite is more alluring. The floor is made of wood with an overlay of marble. A six-by-six bed at the centre welcomes you to play. The interior décor is purely African. There is a clean modern bathroom and a toilet. The rest room is also built with bamboo while a special thatched ceiling cools the inside. Yet, it houses the most modern entertainment and luxury gadgets.
The intrigue is that over 70 percent of the content of the Tree House is locally sourced from Ikegun Village, Ibeju Lekki, the host community of La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort, promoter of ‘Oba Ileriji’. This allows for that authentic African feel amidst natural pamper and manmade fun. The design of the house is such that it has wide windows overlooking the ocean.
“The materials and the builders are from this community and I am indeed very pleased with this development,” explains Wanle Akinboboye, the founder of La Campagne Tropicana. “My joy is that more of it will be built in the nearest future and replicated across Africa. This would no doubt lead to more jobs and opportunities for the entire community where the facilities are made.”
Akinboboye insists that you should visit to partake in the romance with nature which, according to him, has gone a notch further with the introduction of the Tree House.
Besides the new concept, the whole resort is an adventure that awaits any tourist any day. From a palm-fringed land, white sandy beaches where time slows down in sync with the rhythm of the waves that gently lap the shore, to a dip in the refreshing surf of the Atlantic Ocean on your left or the placid fresh water lake on your right, the resort beckons for a date with nature and man.
While you plan a visit, please keep aside N100,000 per night in ‘Oba Ileriji’. It is only a visit and experience that will tell if the Tree House offerings are worth the money you expend on them.
