A Tourist In My City.

Hey you guys, it’s been a minute. How’s self-isolation going? Amidst the whole quarantine szn…, Well I feel this is the best time for me to take you on a journey out and around Ibadan.

Ibadan is such an amazing place, Have you been to Ibadan? Let me tell you about Ibadan the Pace Setter State, The state of the Ancient Yorubaland.

This just reminds me of this song that we used to sing in primary school

Wherever you go (Gon gon gon)

Whatever you see ( Sisi Eko)

Do not say yes (why) when you need to say No (Baba Ibadan)

So being a corp member serving in Ibadan, Oyo state( I redeployed/relocated 🙈😂) has availed me the opportunity of wanting to explore my favourite city more, and guess what? I have lived in Ibadan all my life and I have never been to these popular places that I have heard so much about all my life.

Ibadan is home to many first.

Fun facts – Some of the first historical places in Nigeria are in Ibadan.

One of the oldest hotels in Nigeria (Premier Hotel) A fun fact about Premier hotel is that you can almost see it from everywhere, depending on where you are in Ibadan, it’s on a hill.

The first University( University of Ibadan) which is the oldest in Nigeria. The first skyscraper (Cocoa House) which has 25 floors.

The first Television Station which was called WNTV/WNBS now called NTA it was launched by Chief Obafemi Awolowo in Ibadan.

The first Teaching Hospital (UCH) University College Hospital, Ibadan.

Cocoa House

Location – Dugbe, (Cocoa house) Ibadan. I have never entered inside Cocoa house, but I did for the first time, there are 25floors, there are stairs and there’s an elevator. The stairs were a long way up so the elevator was the best option. It was honestly a scary and funny experience 🤪

We went to the museum which was on the topmost floor, we got there and I was able to get a few pictures 🙈🙊

The highlights✨

There were so many artifacts but I couldn’t possibly take pictures with all of them.

There’s also the hall of fame which I really hope to be in one day. It’s filled with names of notable Nigerians and what they have done. It’s really amazing.

You guys with all my “hard guy hard guy” we went to the museum I was so scared, writing and thinking about it now it’s funny, but experiencing it was not. I had to call our “tour guide” to come 🤦🏾‍♀️

Then there’s this part it’s also on the topmost floor. I had the right sunlight that was just perfect for me to take pictures. I almost forgot where I was

This is still on the top floor, I could literally see the whole of Ibadan from this view ✨

Views 😍

• Bowers Tower

Captain Robert Lister Bower in 1936 – He was the first British Resident in Ibadan, Bower’s Tower is located on the summit of Oke-Are, the highest hill in Ibadan – Nigeriagalleria.com. The tower is over 60 feet it is on the hilltop of Oke Are, Ibadan.

The Tower has about 47 spiral staircases.

Tbh I have mixed feelings about this place I do not think I’ll come here anytime soon. Although it’s a historical place, it’s nice and all that, but it’s so deserted 💀it will be nice if the government can do something about it. I love the way the steps were built, I’m so scared of height but the way it was built you can’t look down so you don’t get scared. I didn’t go to the topmost part, probably next time when I go I will but so far, this was how it was from my view, from the top of the tower you can see the view of the ancient city of Ibadan, and brown Rusted Roof

• Book Sellers Location- Jericho, Ibadan. This place brings a lot of memories. It’s like you’re in the 80s or the early 90s, entering this place it has a really nice smell that I can’t explain. I don’t think there’s anyone who schooled in Ibadan that hasn’t been here, they literally have almost all the books you’d need for school. I used to come here when I was younger with my grandpa to get books for school, other times books for leisure.

Then I found this section, I was honestly really thrilled, it made my heart happy, I spent like 30minutes here🤩💛

Booksellers is so memorable, I didn’t even know they had a place where you could sit and read but they do.

•TopFatArtGalley

An art gallery in Ibadan

I have been talking about going to an art gallery for a long time now, things just get in the way. Then I discovered this.

My friend Temitope is an amazing artist, and by God’s Grace one day soon, she’d open her own art gallery 👩🏽‍🎨✨

About this TopFatart gallery, I have so little and so much to say about this place.

I’d have loved to have taken so many pictures here to show you but I couldn’t because “it wasn’t allowed” 🤡 You could only take pictures outside, except you pay #10,000 which he said was for 10mins, how??????????

it was honestly quite disappointing but okay. The tour guide was kind of hostile but okay it honestly felt like a waste of time 🤡

That was my experience anyway, it could have changed now.

Besides that, it’s a good place to feed your eyes on amazing artworks.

Location – Suite: 156, Lekan Salami Complex, Adamashingba, Ibadan

•Amala.

Picture credit @MaziIbe – Twitter.

Location – Iya Adija Adeoyo Road Ibadan

Trying to take a good picture of Amala was an epic fail for me cause it wasn’t just working out 💀 then I saw this 😍😍

Of course, I had to do this for culture.

Lately, I have been seeing a lot of Amala slanders and it will not be accepted❌

Please dears, let’s learn to appreciate the good things that come out of life. There are various spots where they sell really good Amala in Ibadan, the best spots are usually the underrated ones.

Exploring Tips.

Travel in groups or with a friend at least, I really don’t know much about travelling or exploring alone but it is much more fun when you have people or at least someone you can easily relate too, take pictures with, make new memories with. Make sure you have enough money too with you so don’t get stranded.

It took me about 2 months to put it all together, I will add Ibadan blogger to my CV 😁

Remember to wash your hands, use an alcohol-based sanitizer and maintain a social distance. Stay at home! and if you must go out go with all the protective gears, in all stay safe ❤️

Thank you for reading

I hope you enjoyed the ride, this is where our bus stops, but there will definitely be more journeying in Nigeria and out of Nigeria.

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Eyilayo🍫✨