My Story which started here: http://www.nomadicnegro.com/lagos-to-ibadan/ is continued and concluded here.

The first point of contact on arriving at Agodi gardens was the gate man who directed me to the main entrance where entry tickets were sold. I’m not sure if baba was trained on customer service but I was impressed at how organized the whole process went. Visitors were offered multiple options of either cash payment or via a POS machine. And like most tourist attractions in the country, #500 was the entrance fee here too.

While a group of guys took full advantage of the neatly trimmed lawn to play a 4-a-side football, another group comprising just ladies got together to celebrate a birthday in an amazing fashion. I wished I could join them but my liver failed me.







The flesh was willing to remain within the 150 acres garden but my spirit yearned to see more of Ibadan before the day runs out. So I hopped on another bike heading destined for round-about as this will enable me join a cab or a tricycle which will take me to Bodija where I was told I can get nice Amala for lunch.

The Cocoa House

After traveling for close to 6 minutes, I saw the legendary Cocoa building and immediately commanded my biker to stop, sorting him with a rough #100 note. A Shoprite was located within the same facility but I doubted it’s still in operation, so i placed better focus on the skyscraper.


I strolled into the reception where I met a woman whom I’m sure was the receptionist to ask if I can go up the building. but she told me I can’t because it’s not a work day, as she would have wanted me to see the museum located in the penthouse, from where I can have a fantastic view of the city.

I could still remember few facts about the historic building as I reached for my phone to take some shots.

*THE 26-STOREY BUILDING LOCATED IN DUGBE WAS COMPLETED IN 1965, 5 YEARS AFTER NIGERIA’S INDEPENDENCE.

*IT WAS BUILT FROM COCOA PROCEEDINGS AS THE COUNTRY EARNED SO MUCH FROM THE CROP AT THAT TIME.

*THE BUILDING IS THE FIRST SKY SCRAPER IN NIGERIA AND WAS ONCE THE TALLEST IN AFRICA.

*IT GOT BURNT IN 1985 BUT RENOVATED IN 1992.



“Egbon E jor, e gbe mi lo sibi ti mo ti le ri amala gidi je ni Bodija.” I hinted the bike man how badly I needed a good Amala for lunch, hitting the passengers’ seat in the process with my palm. “Ha dandan ko no ko lo si Bodija.” He advised, insisting there’s somewhere around the corner where they sell doper Amala aside Bodija, so I obliged but threatened jokingly not to pay him if I get disappointed. He in turn smiled confidently as the bike tyres propelled us downward a sloppy streets of Dugbe. That was all I needed.

On getting to the restaurant, he told me to go in and eat while he’d wait outside to hear the result.




To say the least, I’ve never eaten such a sumptuous meal in a while. I scooped hurriedly the content of the stainless plate, defying the hotness of both soup and fish. I was almost stepping out before discovering water should be drank during/after a meal.

A grin was all I needed to pass a satisfactory message to my partner who returned the same gesture. He volunteered to take me around from the famous Bower’s Tower to Oke Mapo and back to my hotel in ring road. I promised to give him #1,000 and he happily kicked his bike to life directing the front tyre towards Oke Sapati.

We Soon Got To Bower’s Tower

He warned me to hold him tight while he replicated same to his bike as the three of us ascended the hills of Oke-sapati. Our funny ascension reminded me of the biblical Elijah and his Chariot, only that there was no fire. While at it, I wondered how the engineers who constructed the road managed to get their heavy machines to execute such a daunting task. Torrents of horrible thoughts ran through my head but I rebuked them all with the blood of Jesus.

We finally got to the topmost part of the hill where houses with funny postures stared at us. I needed no help in telling we’ve gotten to the destination so I asked him what the place was originally built for. He made me understand that it was in its prime an amusement park where people come to relax but met its doom after falling out of love with the government.

“Can I sha see all the brown roof if I make it to the top of the Tower?” I cut in. He replied yes, so I told him to wait while I approached the only man within the building who was obviously the one in charge.

Read My Dangerous Trip To The Unpopular Fall In The Wilderness

After few lines of salutation, Baba made me understand that the tower was built in memory of CAPTAIN ROSS L.BOWER, the first resident and travelling commissioner of Interior Yoruba land. This was after I had injected #200 inside his feeble palm. This was the required compulsory fee to be paid before gaining entrance to the tower itself.



According to a report on The Nation’s newspaper, one could see at a glance the four corners of Ibadan metropolis from the top of the Tower. It gives a panoramic view of all the important places in the ancient city. One can see a bird’s eye view of Gate, the University College Hospital (UCH), University of Ibadan, Adebayo, Cocoa House, Dugbe Market , Agodi Gardens, Iwo Road, Ife Road, Olorunsogo and the defunct Lagos /Ibadan Toll Gate. Other far-flung places like Adamasingba, Felele, and many more become visible. Some of these places are far flung but standing atop the tower gives one a precise picturesque of them.

A view from the topmost point inside BOWER’S TOWER

Can you spot the Cocoa house?

My muscles (esp. those in my laps) ached badly while I descended the tower so I instructed my biker to take me straight to the hotel. I needed a sound sleep. They kuku said something about he who fights to run.

On our way back, he pointed to me a bungalow with unattractive paint as the building where Galaxy television is located. It became clear to me why the TV station churns out poor quality works.

We also passed by Mapo hall where he asked if I’d be willing to see but I declined. the pains were unbearable. But like an unrepentant masochist, I was somehow enjoying it.

Mapo Hall is the colonial style city hall, perched on top of Mapo Hill, in Ibadan, Mapo Hall was commissioned during the colonial era by Captain Ross in 1929. Just like the Centenary hall in Ake (Abeokuta), Inside the hall are pictures of all the past Olubadan (Kings) that reigned till date.

This time I took my bath on getting back to the hotel because I wasn’t ready to go outside again for the day since we’d be returning to Lagos the next morning.



Back To Lagos

Night came like there was emergency and before I could ask what was going on, morning had crept in too in its usual regalia. It was a smooth sail as we checked out around 10 am that Sunday, boarded a bike to Challenge where we waited for 2 other passengers to join in before the driver zoomed off to Lagos.


Amazing sisters at the park who parted with a #500 bill after completing Dami’s challenge of reciting 1-10

Lagos is synonymous to that irresponsible boyfriend who you can’t stop going back to after each maltreatment.

I did a mental permutation of my next trip and concluded after few minutes it has to be the suspended lake in Ado Awaye, Oyo State.


When was the last time you visited Ibadan? Please share your experience in the comment section so I can learn a thing or two from you too!

Have you visited Ibadan before now? what was your experience like?
I record all my adventures on www.nomadicnegro.com

No be this guy been go Owerri early this year?

Afam4eva:
No be this guy been go Owerri early this year?

Lol
Afam, You aren't far from the truth.

OBALORLA:


Lol
Afam, You aren't far from the truth.

I used to follow your website but lost contact. I think you may consider capturing your trip on video in the future.

Afam4eva:

I used to follow your website but lost contact. I think you may consider capturing your trip on video in the future.

Valid point bro. I'm currently learning how to do that.

Thanks for the tip. I don't want you to lose contact again, hence i'd advise you subscribe freely on the blog so you can get my travel updates as soon as I return from every journey.

OBALORLA:


Valid point bro. I'm currently learning how to do that.

Thanks for the tip. I don't want you to lose contact again, hence i'd advise you subscribe freely on the blog so you can get my travel updates as soon as I return from every journey.

I will do that.

Ibadan
Coolest city

seunny4lif:
Ibadan

Been there?

OBALORLA:


Been there?

Yes,
IB is coolest city