Top 10 Places of Interest To Visit in Ibadan City

The ancient city of ‘Ibadan’ got her name from “Eba Odan” meaning ‘by the edge of the meadow’. Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo State in South west Nigeria has over the years grown into a modern-day urban centre and is also arguably Nigeria’s largest city by geographical area. If you are visiting Nigeria and especially the Southwest, do well to stop by in Ibadan to take in the ambience as you check out the top 10 tourist attractions in the city at a surprisingly very affordable cost. So, here are my top 10 places of interest to visit in Ibadan, capital city of Oyo State, Nigeria… 1. Agodi Gardens Agodi gardens, formerly known as Agodi Zoological and Botanical Gardens was created in 1967. Although unfortunately destroyed by the Ogunpa flood disaster in 1980, it experienced a major makeover in 2012 by the Oyo State Government, and was reopened in 2014. Coveering about 150 acres (61 ha), the location of the garden at the heart of the city and right behind the State Government Secretariat, makes it a prime place to visit for both local and international tourists. The park provides an ideal location for several outdoor unwinding activities such as picnics, garden parties, weddings and even a boat ride. 2. Bower Memorial Tower This is an ancient monument located on top of Oke-Are which boasts of the highest altitude in Ibadan and one of the top tourist attractions in Ibadan. Builtwas to honour Captain Robert Lister Bower in 1936. Bower was the first British resident of the region. The tower stands 60 feet tall and 11 feet wide and the top of the tower overlooks the entire city of Ibadan. 3. Cocoa House Dotting the skyline of the main Ibadan city business district is the towering Cocoa House skyscraper. The 26-storey building is home to some of the financiall institutions in Ibadan. Worthy of note is that the structure houses a beautiful fountain and a Cocoa tree after which the building gets its name. The building also has a museum and a Hall of fame. 4. Mapo Hall Reminiscent of the pre colonial era in the city, Mapo hall adorns the top of Mapo hill. The construction of the hall took over 4 years and was finally open for operations in 1929. The hall was made to serve the administrative needs of the colonial era, it is popular for its seven halls which represent the seven hills of Ibadan on which the city stands. 5. University of Ibadan Zoological Garden A world class standard zoo located within the campus of Nigeria’s premier University. The place boasts of several mammals, amphibians and reptiles that live in their natural habitat. Note also that the ZOO also serves as a zoo for domestic and international tourists visiting the place. The Zoo teaches one about the importance of preserving our natural environment. 6. Irefin Palace This ancient palace is a beautiful work of art and colonial architecture, while it requires some refurbishing at the moment, it however stands till date as one of the very best ancient Palaces in the country. 7. IITA Forest Reserve A forest reserve spread over vast piece of land in Ibadan under the control of the National Resource Management (NRM) Department. The IITA Ibadan campus covers 1000 hectares (2470 acres) of which about 350 hectares (865 acres) are forested. The largest forest fragment is known as the IITA Forest Reserve. Preserving the natural habitat and numerous flora and fauna of the region, it presents a natural beauty to behold. 8. Bodija Market An open market located at the city center, few kilometers from the State secretariat as well as the University of Ibadanis one of the most popular tourist attractions in the Ibadan region. The market was initially a fighting arena later converted into a market. Opened about 30 years ago, the market provides a perfect destination to access the local farm produce of Southwest Nigeria. 9. Ibadan Golf Course The Ibadan Golf course is a major tourist attraction in Ibadan. The lush green golf course is one of the most well-groomed places for golfing enthusiasts in Africa. The course consists of six 3 par holes, eight of 4 par holes and five of 5 par holes. 10. National Museum of Unity The National Museum of Unity is a structure of great importance. The building is home to some of the most important national archaeological and historical relics and artefacts, showcasing the rich culture of the Nigerian people. The museum is divided into four key sections comprising the Yoruba Gallery, the Unity Gallery, the Masquerade Gallery and the Pottery Gallery. In conclusion, suffice to say that the city of Ibadan offers tourists and fun seekers a perfect location for exploration, it is also pertinent to note that outside Ibadan, there are several other breathtaking tourist attraction sites scattered across the other different cities of the State from Old Oyo to Ogbomoso to Oke Ogun and also to Ibarapa, Oyo state is filled with beautiful landscape, culture and locations that will make your day anytime of the year. Come visit Oyo State today.