For BusinessDay management and staff, it is a momentous occasion today as Babatunde Fashola, the Lagos State governor, performs the historic commissioning of their new iconic head office complex fondly called The Brook.

The Brook sits massively on 3,000 squares of land at 6, Point Road, Apapa GRA, Lagos and, with its fascinating façade, has become a cynosure of every eye, especially within its upscale neighbourhood.

This  iconic office complex, seen by many as a triumph of modern architecture, marks the full cycle in the evolution of BusinessDay as a company and, in the opinion of  its promoters, it is a place where the company has decided to live out its aspiration of “possessing, dwelling and flourishing”.

As a matter of semantics, The Brook symbolizes  nourishment; it means a place where water comes out; it is a metaphor for life, nutrition, health, activity and a lot more. And being located at the port area of Lagos, in a sense, there is no getting away from the water symbolism in connection with its name.

The vision that gave rise to this development is an elevated one, given the lavish consideration for not only the health and future of the business, but also the well being of the staff who sustain the business.

“We have tried to develop a place that is modern and adequate in terms of space; we have also tried to develop an eco-friendly environment—a conducive work place that is secure. Most importantly, we have tried to provide a place that not only draws a bit from where we are coming from,  but also signposts our future and the future of the business” , Frank Aigbogun, BusinessDay Publisher/CEO, says.

He continues: “We tried to put in place an edifice that we all can be proud of; one that inspires,   motivates and provides for us a platform for migration into the future. As you know, the media is in transition and we are preparing ourselves for that transition”.

Aigbogun is also in high expectation and conviction that, with The Brook, “we will be able to impact our people mentally,  psychologically and intellectually having created  for them a place where they can be intellectually challenged, psychologically uplifted and where, mentally, there would be no barriers at all. And we have no doubt that all of that, collectively, will impact positively on the quality of the work that we do and the health of our people as well”.

As an office complex, The Brook is unique, not just in its complexity, but also in its multiple-yet- integrated workplace structure and, to underscore this fact, the publisher says “many people have come here and left on their own and have had to come back seeking to be taken out of the premises. And for some of us who work here, sometimes we are not quite sure if we are going out or going back inside”.

Apart from the press which is located in the same premises, The Brook also has a modern newsroom. It has offices for various departments including  a new digital media platform, Research and Intelligence Business, Conferences Business, Advertisement, Circulation, Subscription etc.

There is also provision for a modern cafeteria, a gym with modern facilities where the staff can unwind; a lifestyle centre where  people can work into in a very relaxed environment over a cup of coffee or tea and get away from the hassle of the office. As part of this lifestyle area, there is a place for more serious reading where people can also have access to reading materials from all around the world via internet.

Within this edifice is a unique canteen which, in the opinion of the publisher, “is a leveller where the most senior and the most junior staff will meet and everyone will be equal because it is only one plate of food that would be served to each and everyone. We will make that place  the most cozy place here in order to create that sense of belonging and to allow for that kind of bonding that we have always aspired and worked very  hard to attain since we started business in 2001”.

A 75-seater amphitheatre is, perhaps, the most unique feature of The Brook. This is a place where the Training Division of the company will be holding its training session. Here also,  the company will be holding some of  its  conferences,  meetings and social functions by the staff.

The Brook also promises a water fountain which is expected to provide both attraction and some psychologically healing and cooling effect for people, and behind it will be a garden that would have seats where people who want to have a relaxing atmosphere can go to and  get ‘lost’.

Evidently, The Brook is not just another media house; it is, indeed, a bold statement on the future of media business in Nigeria,  although Aigbogun insists  that “The Brook is not meant to make a statement at all; we didn’t set out to speak to anybody, but to ourselves; we had ourselves alone in mind while doing this given that, relatively in Nigeria, this is still a very young business. So, our prayer is that God speaks and makes a statement through us”.

Chuka Uroko &  Odinaka Mbonu

2014-04-06