Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo state is a place you cannot but visit. Ibadan is one of the most populous cities in West Africa. After the Independence in 1960, it was the most populous and largest city in Africa. Ibadan is located in the Southwestern part of Nigeria. It is bounded by Ogun and Osun state. Yoruba language is widely spoken in the city.
The metropolitan city can be accessed by the air, land and rail. The city could be connected from Murtala Mohammed International Airport in less than an hour through Overland Airways and Arik Air to Ibadan Airport. Many roads also link to the city. Popular among the roads is the Lagos-Ibadan expressway which is one of the busiest in the country. Ijebu-Ode, Ikire roads and others also leads to the ancient city. There is also a railway terminal linking Lagos to Kano. If you are visiting the city with a lot of brown rooftops when viewed aerially, then listen to singer, Qdot’s hit track on the city. The presence of several white and colored Micra cabs is a pointer to the city.
There are several places where you relax and have fun during your visit. Notable among them are; Agodi botanical gardens, The Palms Mall, Heritage Mall, Trans Amusement Park and several others. Agodi Gardens is situated not too far from the Governor’s office. It has Water Park, lake, mini zoo, picnic and gardens and playing ground for children. The garden hosts birthdays, children parties and it is a ground for photographers to take beautiful shots as a result of the scenery. You could come with your family and have a nice time here.
If you are lover of sports, the city houses two stadia which are historical. The Obafemi Awolowo Stadium (formerly Liberty stadium) and Lekan Salami Stadium are the two standard stadia in the city. Lekan Salami is the home of Nigerian Premier League giant, Shooting Stars Football club. Many national football heroes made their names while plying their trade in the city decades ago.
The city is also home to several tertiary institutions. University of Ibadan located at Agbowo is one of the most populous and oldest Universities in West Africa. The architectural designs of the buildings in the campus are masterpiece. There are the great hostels named after pioneer Nigerian leaders; Zik Hall (Nnnamdi Azikwe), Awo Hall (Obafemi Awolowo), Sultan Hall (Ahmadu Bello) and others. There is also a zoological garden in the university premises. Other institutions in the city are; Leeds City University (private-owned), The Ibadan City Polytechnic, Polytechnic of Ibadan and several others. Other notable places to visit are; Cocoa House, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) premises (the first broadcasting station in Nigeria) and many other establishments.