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By Faith Ijeh
Ibadan is the second most populous city in Nigeria after Kano, with over three million population. It is the largest city in Nigeria by geographical size. Ibadan has a very rich cultural heritage and interesting history. There are lots of interesting things to do and places to visit in Ibadan for recreation and enrichment. Here are some of the places to visit.
1. Agodi Garden
Agodi Garden is a modern tourist attraction centre in the city of Ibadan. Located along Parliament Road by the state secretariat, the site is a serene environment. The facilities sit on 150 acres of land. It is usually patronized by families at weekends and festive periods. While the children’s facilities in the garden include a swimming pool with inflated balloons, grown-ups may use any of the diverse tropical trees for picnics and other social gatherings while enjoying the cool breeze. It is also a good place for groups, associations and families to picnic.
2. Captain Bower’s Tower
Bower’s Tower sits atop Oke-Are, a hill standing at the centre of the city. It is a historic monument built to honour Captain Robert Lister Bower in 1936. Bower was the colonial District Officer in charge of Ibadan and environs. From the tower,most parts of the sprawling city are visible. Anyone with a good vision can even see the Lagos-Ibadan toll gate as well as Ibadan-Ife toll gate from the top of the tower. The entire UCH, University of Ibadan, the Polytechnic of Ibadan, the Lekan Salami Stadium at Adamasingba and the colourful conference of rustic brown metal roofs which cover a larger percentage of the buildings in the metropolis. It is a beautiful place to visit.
3. University of Ibadan Zoological Garden
The University of Ibadan Zoo, like most modern zoos, displays wild animals primarily for the conservation of endangered species as well as research purposes, education and entertainment of visitors. The garden is home to a wide array of animals comprising mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibian.
4. Cocoa House & Odu’a Museum and Hall of Fame
Built in 1965 with proceeds from cocoa, rubber and other cash crops, Cocoa House is the first skyscraper in West Africa. It stands at the centre of Dugbe Central Business District of the city. Cocoa House houses various corporate offices. The museum stands alone on the topmost 24th floor of the building. In the museum are drawings, pictures and monuments of great Yoruba men and women and items illustrating Yoruba culture.
5. Malls
There are various malls in the city of Ibadan, a must-visit for all. The Palms Shopping Mall on Ring Road, Heritage Mall at Cocoa House, Dugbe, Ace Mall at Bodija, Ventura Mall at Sanngo and Jericho Mall. These malls have movie theatres, arcade games, children sections, restaurants, good shopping experience and many beautiful stores.
There are also the National Museum of Unity and Lead City University among others.