Ibadan: Meeting the 21st Century Head-on!
Ibadan strikes me as a collage of ancient meets modernity!
Poems have described it as The Red Rusty Roof Town.
It is known as the Largest City in Africa.
Today Ibadan boosts no less then 10 radio stations and 3 TV stations! Business is good.
The presence of Palms Mall which houses Shoprite and Games simply tells you how very modern Ibadan journeyed from red rust roofs!
As far back as 1829, Ibadan has been a thriving place and by 1893 Ibadan area became a British Protectorate after a treaty signed by Fijabi, the Baale of Ibadan with the British acting Governor of Lagos, George C. Denton on 15 August.
The first university to be set up in Nigeria was the University of Ibadan. Established as a college of the University of London in 1948, and later converted into an autonomous university in 1962. It has the distinction of being one of the premier educational institutions in Africa.
- Other noteworthy institutions in the city include:
- The University College Hospital (UCH) - the first teaching hospital in Nigeria
- The internationally acclaimed International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)
- The Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER)
- Leadcity University, which according to my guide is a blend of the "rich notorious" Don't ask me what it means, read between the lines.
- Also the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria
- The Nigerian Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT),
- the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T)
Ibadan has an airport, Ibadan Airport, which operates daily flights to Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Ilorin e.t.c through major airlines in Nigeria such as Arik Air. The city is also served by the Ibadan railway station on the main railway line from Lagos to Kano.
Ibadan is naturally drained by four rivers with many tributaries: Ona River in the North and West; Ogbere River towards the East; Ogunpa River flowing through the city and Kudeti River in the Central part of the metropolis. Ogunpa River, a third-order stream.
A tropical wet and dry climate, Ibadan offers you the best holiday weather you'd love! It affords you the opportunity to visit landmark sites and areas such as:
- Dugbe district, the commercial nerve centre of Ibadan as well as the Cocoa House in Dugbe, reputably Nigeria's first skyscraper.
- The museum at the building of the Institute of African Studies, and several other libraries all over Ibadan.
- The Bower Memorial
- Home of the First Television in Africa
- 2 Zoological gardens and a botanical garden to explore.
- Oke Mapo, that is, Mapo Hill
- Trans-Wonderland amusement park,
- The Cultural Centre, Mokola and
- The Obafemi Awolowo Stadium.
There's so much to see. The University of Ibadan alone provides you with an enchanting and soothing tour all of its own. Try it!
Don't forget to visit the Palm Malls too!
And guess what? It is only in Ibadan an ice-cream cup is sold for N1,500! Go figure. You don't believe me?
Here's a shot of my Photo Slide Story for you to peek at. Have a great ride:
http://ladyechannel.blogspot.com/2015/03/ibadan-poems-have-described-it-as-red.html.
https://plus.google.com/b/102488508152202926359/102488508152202926359/posts/GQ3hptHfsXG.
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