Who Is Azad Cola? All You Need to Know About the British Businessman Behind Cheddar’s Hotel Takeover
- Azad Cola is a British property investor and the owner of UK-based Cola Holdings Limited
- Azad Cola and Cheddar have been long-time business partners in the No. 1 Oxford Street Hotel project
- His company is seeking to enforce a US$14.9 million judgment debt linked to Cheddar's luxury hotel
The name Azad Cola has suddenly become one of the most talked-about in Ghana after a High Court granted police assistance to a court-appointed Receiver to take possession of Nana Kwame Bediako's, popularly known as Cheddar's, No. 1 Oxford Street Hotel in Osu.
Source: UGC
While many Ghanaians are familiar with Cheddar and his luxury real estate empire, few know much about the British businessman whose company is at the centre of the legal dispute.
Who is Azad Cola?
Azad Cola, whose full name is Azad Bakir Ali Cola, is a British businessman and property investor. He is the owner of Cola Holdings Limited, a UK-based investment company with interests in real estate and property development.
For years, Azad Cola maintained a close business relationship with Cheddar, with the pair collaborating on high-end property developments.
One of their biggest projects is No. 1 Oxford Street Hotel, one of Accra's most recognisable luxury hospitality developments.
The two businessmen are linked through Kensington Residential Partners 1 Limited (KRP1), the company behind the iconic Osu hotel.
Their partnership helped transform the prime Oxford Street location into a luxury destination featuring more than 100 premium suites.
Azad Cola is taking over the hotel
The dispute centres on a US$14.9 million judgment debt involving Cola Holdings Limited and Kensington Residential Partners 1 Limited.
After earlier legal proceedings, Ghana's High Court authorised a Receiver appointed by Cola Holdings to take possession of the hotel with police assistance after attempts to obtain peaceful possession reportedly failed.
The ruling does not determine the outcome of the wider legal dispute, which remains before the courts.
Cheddar has maintained that he disputes liability arising from the case and has instructed his lawyers to challenge the enforcement process.
The hotel's management has also indicated that it has filed an appeal and continues to operate while the legal battle continues.
As the case unfolds, Azad Cola has gone from being a relatively unknown British investor to one of the most discussed figures in Ghana's property sector, with the future of one of Accra's most luxurious hotels hanging in the balance.
Aerial View of Cheddar's No.1 Oxford Street Hotel
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that a video showing an aerial view of Nana Kwame Bediako's No. 1 Oxford Street Hotel in Osu surfaced on social media amid a court battle.
The footage offers a bird's-eye view of the No. 1 Oxford Street Hotel, unveiling a modern multi-storey structure with floor-to-ceiling glass windows, multiple balconies, spacious terraces, and a clean white exterior.
Source: YEN.com.gh
