An Actor’s Quest in Real Estate
Vanessa Obioha
With the steady rise in the number of homeless persons in Lagos state due to a 2.5 million housing unit deficit, Nollywood actor Kelechi Udegbe, embarked on a quest to investigate and collate data on some of the challenges the Lagos dwellers face in accessing affordable housing.
The six-part documentary series ‘Kelechi’s Quest’ directed by Deji Akinpelu was screened recently at the Westwood Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos.
Drawing the attention of various stakeholders in the public and private housing sectors, the docuseries elaborated on the misconceptions of low-cost housing schemes in the state, the role of cooperative societies in land acquisition, and the role of government in bridging the gap between low-income and the highincome earners through mixed and integrated housing schemes.
Eliciting questions from the audience, a panel made up of Lateef A. O. Sholebo, Rebecca Roberts, Dr. Bashirat Oyalowo, Ayo Ibaro, Kelechi Udegbe and Dr. Taibat Lawanson was set up with the aim of objectively tackling some of the issues raised by applying economic and financial policies, social and environmental policies, and mixed income policies in making feasible projection for affordable housing.
Sharing the experiences he garnered during the investigative work, one which afforded him a fresh view on housing schemes and the social dichotomy it has created, Udegbe said: “When you sleep in a cosy environment, you don’t understand what that is until I was on this quest.