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A quaint mixture of old world charm and modern attractions, Ibadan has many attractions for the tourists and visitors on business. There is a museum in the building of the Institute of African Studies, which exhibits several remarkable pre-historic bronze carvings and statues. The city has several well stocked libraries, and is home to the first television station in Africa. Dugbe Market is the nerve centre of Ibadan's transport and trading network. The best method to move about the city is to use reference points and notable landmarks. The city also has a zoo located inside the University of Ibadan, and a botanical garden located at Agodi. The Bower Memorial Tower to the east on Oke Aàre (Aare's Hill) ("Aare" in Yoruba means commander-in-chief or general), which can be seen from practically any point in the city; it also provides an excellent view of the whole city from the top.
Another prominent landmark, Cocoa House, was the first skyscraper in Africa. It is one of the few skyscrapers in the city and is at the hub of Ibadan's commercial centre. Other attractions include Mapo Hall – the colonial style city hall – perched on top of a hill, "Oke Mapo," Mapo Hill ("oke" is hill in Yoruba), the Trans-Wonderland amusement park, the cultural centre Mokola and the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, a major stadium. The first citadel of higher learning, University of Ibadan (formerly the University College of Ibadan), the Obafemi Awolowo Hall in the University of Ibadan is said to be the tallest and largest hostel in West Africa. The first teaching hospital in Nigeria, University College Hospital, UCH, were both built in this ancient but, highly important city. Ibadan is also home to the legendary Shooting Stars FC – a professional Football Club. There are some good golf courses: the Ibadan Golf Club is a large 18-hole challenge and the Barracks course has just been extended to 18 holes. The most challenging and exclusive is the IITA Golf Club based on the 1,000 hectare premises of IITA.
Although we constantly work on checking and updating VisitIbadan information, we invite our readers to personally double check all information before departure.
| ATTRACTIONS A to Z |
IMAGES |
NAME |
| Airport
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Ibadan Airport |
| Amusement Park |
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Trans-Wonderland amusement park, Bodija |
| Art Centre
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Cultural Art Centre - Mokola |
| Botanical Garden |
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Botanical garden – Agodi |
| Football Club
|  |
Shooting Stars FC – a professional Football Club |
| Golf Clubs |
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Ibadan GC, Barracks course GC, IITA GC |
| Government Offices |
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Governor’s Office, House of Assembly, Secretariat |
| Governor’s House |
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Governor’s House, Agodi |
| GRAs – Government Reservation Areas |
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Jericho, Iyaganku, Challenge |
| Hills (Oke) |
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Oke-Aare, Oke-Mapo, Awotan , Mokola, Kakanfo, Oke-Badan, Oke-Padi, etc |
| Historic Building |
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Mapo Hall - the colonial style city hall |
| Hospital
|  |
University College Hospital, UCH – the first teaching hospital in Nigeria |
| Hostel |
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Obafemi Awolowo Hall (UI) - the tallest and largest hostel in west Africa |
| Hotels
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Premier Hotel, Davies Hotel, D"Rovers Hotel, Kakanfo Inn |
| Institutes
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Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria. |
| Markets |
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Dugbe, Oja-Oba |
| Monument |
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Bower Memorial Tower – Oke Aàre |
| Museum |
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Institute of African Studies – Ibadan Museum of Unity |
| Palace |
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Olubadan PalaceIrefin Palace |
| Parks and Gardens |
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UI, IITA, Old Oyo |
| Railway Station
|  |
Dugbe Terminus |
| Recreation Club |
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Ibadan Recreation Club, Sabo – first cosmopolitan recreation club in Africa. |
| Reservoir |
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Eleyele Reservoir |
| Restaurant |
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Eating out – Cocoa Dome |
| Rocks |
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Eluku Rock |
| Shopping Centres |
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Agbowo Shopping Complex, Iyaganku Mall, Elizabeth II Road, Ogunmola Street, Heritage Mall and Cocoa Mall. |
| Skyscraper |
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Cocoa House - the first skyscraper in Africa |
| Stadium |
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Obafemi Awolowo Stadium (forerly Liberty stadium) the first stadium in Nigeria |
| Statutes |
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Basorun Oluyole, Balogun Oderinlo, Basorun Ogunmola, Iyalode Rukayat, Oderinlo. |
| Television Station |
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NTA Television station - the first television station in Africa |
| University
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University of Ibadan (formerly the University College of Ibadan) |
| Zoo |
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University of Ibadan |
When planning а trip to Ibadan, you should take into considerations such issues as climate, festivals and public holidays. The fourth largest city in Nigeria, Ibadan is also the capital of the Oyo State and serves as а transit hub between other areas in Nigeria.
Climatic Considerations
Ibadan has а tropical savannah climate and there is а minimal temperature range in the region throughout the year. Characteristic of this climate is average monthly temperatures that are above 18 C. The wet season begins in March and ends in October with less rainfall in August. Site seeing may be difficult during the wet season as rain hinders outdoor activities. Activities such as Dugbe Market and the botanical gardens are difficult to visit during rainy weather. One activity option is Transwonderland Amusement Park.
From November until February Ibadan experiences the Harmattan, а strong wind that blows through West Africa. Аs it crosses the Sahara Desert it picks up dust and pushes it across Western Africa. When it is blowing particularly hard it can carry particles all the way to North America. The Harmattan can decrease visibility and the sun may be shaded by all the dust particles. This impacts travel conditions causing flight delays. The combination of monsoons and the Harmattan wind can result in tornadoes. The wind is, however, cool and lowers the temperature of the region. Local people call this wind "The Doctor".
Transport
The effect of weather conditions on transport also influences the decision of when to visit Ibadan. Roads are not in good condition and this can cause problems especially during rainy season. Be aware of potholes. The roads post no warnings of dangerous curves and other obstacles making driving with limited visibility problematic. During rainy season transportation methods such as taxis and rental cars serve as better methods of transportation as going on foot or using а scooter can be difficult in the rain.
Public Holidays and Festivals
Public holidays fall on the January 1, which is New Year and May 1. Assumption Day falls on 15 August. November 1 and December 25 are also public holidays. The New Yam festival is an age-old fete that honours the gods to ensure a good harvest. The festival is а vibrant and colourful affair with masquerades and sporting events. This is also a good time to watch traditional dances and wrestling competitions. This festival is in August.
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