Tourist Destinations in Ibadan

A city in the south-western part of Nigeria, Ibadan is the capital city of Oyo State and the third largest metropolitan area, by population, in Nigeria, after Lagos and Kano. Better known in Yoruba as Ẹ̀bá-Ọ̀dàn, meaning ‘the city at the edge of the savannah’, it is also the largest and most populous city in the country and the third in Africa after Cairo and Johannesburg.



Ibadan is very old as it was the centre of administration of the old Western Region since the days of the British colonial rule. The city has stood the test of time and while it has developed into a metropolitan city today which is home to about 3.5 Million people, it shows more than just scars of history. It has got a strong combination of tradition and sophistication, and is still driven by its ancient heart. Its location and persistence has made the city a nexus of culture and Jovago.com, Africa’s largest hotel booking portal shares all the details.


TOP 3 SITES

Bower’s tower

An over 60 feet tall tower located on the hill top of Oke Are in Igbo Agala (Agala forest) area of Ibadan,the Bower’s tower is the highest hilltop in the city and it has about 47 spiral staircases. It is not only ancient but unique as it offers a panoramic view of the whole city from the top .

Mapo Hall



A remarkable structure commissioned during the colonial era by Captain Ross in 1929, Mapo hall is located right beside Bere Market in Ibadan and is a symbol of the ancient’s key roles in Nigeria politics.

Agodi gardens

The most popular of the city’s six parks, Agodi Garden is a lovely park which  spreads over 13 acres of land is a lovely park right at the center of Ibadan city. Most tourist flood the location for different forms of entertainment and recreation.



LODGING

Ibadan is quite metropolitan and as such, most of its hotels can compete with hotels in cities like Abuja and Lagos. Visitors can choose from over 300 hotels within the city via Jovago.com.  From ultra-chic and luxurious to, quaint and charming or affordable and basic, No matter your preference and even budget, there is a perfect match for you. For budget travellers, there are decent midrange options on the ground.

SHOPPING

Like true Nigerians, the people in Ibadan love to buy and sell.  Shopping is taken seriously around the city and visitors who visit find a lot of options. There are several major areas to go shopping in Ibadan- from the local and bespoke to the mega shopping center. There are also many craft, books and souvenir shops in the Old City. Most visitors love to buy the adire – “tie-dye” cloth dyed locally in large pots of indigo is popular in the city- as souvenirs.  





DINING

People in Ibadan love to eat. A lot. And there are plenty of terrific restaurants in and around the city. One of the first places locals will take you is to a get amala, ewedu or efo — basically, their most favorite local meal. The local foods are best gotten in market areas and bukka around town. There are also opportunities for fine dining either at the top hotels including Owu crown hotel and Premier hotel.

FUN FACT

Located at the hub of Ibadan’s commercial centre, Cocoa House is the first skyscraper in Nigeria.

6 airport tips for Nigerians who love to travel

Travel buffs in Nigeria prefer to travel by air; however, they would admit that the airport may not be one of the favorite aspects of their trips. From the intimidating crowd, long lines and delayed flights, getting through the airport can be a struggle!  

Airports do not have to be a complete nightmare though. There are many ways to navigate airports like a pro, saving you a lot of time and money, also, making your journey faster and more comfortable. Here are 6 airport hacks from Jovago.com, for Nigerians who love to travel.

Make your luggage easy to spot

Most luggages come in dark colours and similar designs so it can be extremely difficult to identify at the airport. Aside from causing undue delay, especially when you end up with someone else’s luggage, not being able to identify your luggage can cause a measure of frustration. To avoid all that and ensure a quick getaway at baggage claim, go for an eye-catching suitcase. It could be in manner of design or in colour. You could also just tie a brightly colored fabric or ribbon to the handles too.

Meet friends at departures

The airport, especially arrivals, usually buzzes with a crowd of people and so it can be difficult locating someone or identifying a stranger you are meant to meet. To cut out the stress of roaming the entire airport in search of a friend or contact, ask the person to meet you at the departures. It is so much easier there.

Search for an airport buddy when delayed

If you are travelling alone and your flight has been delayed. Rather than sit on your own and perish in agony, seek out someone else and make friends with them. Unlike other airports around the world, Nigerian airports do not offer free Wi-Fi, so your chances of alternative entertainment may not be high if you do not have data on your phone. To keep things interesting, search for someone who looks roughly your age and go chat them up.

Do not hesitate to ask for free things

Nigerians they tend to shy away from freebie in public lest they be judged as freeloaders. Unfortunately, refusing to ask for free things when you are at the airport can deprive you of very luscious benefits or opportunities to save. Ensure you take advantage of special events like birthdays and honeymoon! Inform the airline staff of your unique situation and ask for the possible privileges attached to it. The worse that can happen is a polite no.

Wear Your Extra Luggage

Sometimes, you find that when you get to the airport and your carry-on weight is over the limit…even if you already weighed it at home. Rather than toss some of the items away or going into a gift shop in the airport and asking for a large shopping bag with which you can carry all the extras, you can simply wear the heaviest items in layers to get past security, and once you are done with security, you then head to the nearest bathroom and switch out of the clothes.

Always use the checkpoints on your left

It almost amazing how most people in the airport always steer to the right when choosing a security checkpoint line, leaving fewer people in line on the left. To save time and reduce stress, just head toward the left rather than the right.

Ndem Nkem

Travel/Tech Writer Jovago Nigeria

Inspire Your Travel Senses

• As a young female, it is my desire to see the world, or at least as much of it as I can before I ‘settle down’.

Now, my prayer and hope is that after graduating from university, I will bag a job that allows me to travel. Or at least pays enough for me to travel wherever I wish to go to.
Following this interest of mine, I discovered and followed certain Instagram accounts that allow me to see others fulfilling their desires and fuel me to chase mine.
So here we go:

Black Adventuristas: @blackadventuristas

This account is catered towards black women who travel far and wide, doing things that they dream of.
They also repost followers’ pictures for the benefit of others as an incentive for more to be seen and done.

Hostel World: @hostelworld

Hostel World is a website that provides services for travellers to stay in accommodation for a cheaper price thereby meeting new people and making new friends.

Yagazie Emezi: @yagazieemezi

If you do not know who she is or you aren’t already following Yagazie’s Instagram account, it is safe to say that are living under a rock.
Yagazie’s account is full of photographs of her travels and as a bonus, her witty cartoon series (I promise you, they are funny) as well as other things that she posts.
She also runs a separate account called Bialere (@bialere) which focuses on young African photographers and aims to exhibit their pieces to the public.

Humans of New York: @humansofny

The Humans of New York account is mostly focused on, you guessed it, the humans of New York (clap for yourself) but it sometimes features other countries exclusively. The man behind the account, Brandon Stanton, photographs the residents of the different parts of New York and interviews then informally, after which he captions the posted photograph with excerpts of the interview.

Humans of Lagos: @thehumansoflagos

This article will not be complete without stating the Humans of Lagos account. It would be unfair of me to mention the American one and leave its Nigerian counterpart behind.
So this account basically does what the American one does, but with a Nigerian twist.
As a Nigerian living in another country, this account allows me to connect with my country again, it allows me to pick up different slang and to reach back into memory.
So if you like what you see, follow these accounts. I assure you, you will not be disappointed.
Yours Truly.