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Ibadan (, ; ) is the
capital Capital may refer to: Common uses * Capital city, a municipality of primary status ** List of national capital cities * Capital letter, an upper-case letter Economics and social sciences * Capital (economics), the durable produced goods used f ...
and most populous city of
Oyo State Oyo State is an inland state in southwestern Nigeria. Its capital is Ibadan, the third most populous city in the country and formerly the second most populous city in Africa. Oyo State is bordered to the north by Kwara State, to the east by Osun ...
, in
Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
. It is the third-largest city by population in
Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
after
Lagos Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the List of cities in Africa by population, second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national ca ...
and
Kano Kano may refer to: Places *Kano State, a state in Northern Nigeria * Kano (city), a city in Nigeria, and the capital of Kano State **Kingdom of Kano, a Hausa kingdom between the 10th and 14th centuries **Sultanate of Kano, a Hausa kingdom between ...
, with a total population of 3,649,000 as of 2021, and over 6 million people within its metropolitan area. It is the country's largest city by
geographical area The geographic coordinate system (GCS) is a spherical or ellipsoidal coordinate system for measuring and communicating positions directly on the Earth as latitude and longitude. It is the simplest, oldest and most widely used of the various ...
. At the time of Nigeria's independence in 1960, Ibadan was the largest and most populous city in the country, and the second most populous in Africa behind
Cairo Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world and the Middle East: The Greater Cairo metro ...
. Ibadan is ranked the second fastest growing city on the African continent according to the UN Human settlements research program (2022), It is also ranked third in
West Africa West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Maurit ...
in the tech startups index. Ibadan joined the
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
Global Network of Learning Cities in 2016. Ibadan is located in south-western Nigeria, inland northeast of Lagos and southwest of
Abuja Abuja () is the capital and eighth most populous city of Nigeria. Situated at the centre of the country within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), it is a planned city built mainly in the 1980s based on a master plan by International Plann ...
, the federal capital. It is a prominent
transit Transit may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film * ''Transit'' (1979 film), a 1979 Israeli film * ''Transit'' (2005 film), a film produced by MTV and Staying-Alive about four people in countries in the world * ''Transit'' (2006 film), a 2006 ...
point between the coastal region and areas in the hinterland of the country. Ibadan had been the administrative centre of the old Western Region since the early days of
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...
colonial rule, and parts of the city's ancient protective walls still stand to this day. The principal inhabitants of the city are the
Yoruba people The Yoruba people (, , ) are a West African ethnic group that mainly inhabit parts of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. The areas of these countries primarily inhabited by Yoruba are often collectively referred to as Yorubaland. The Yoruba constitute ...
, as well as various communities (notably Igbo,
Hausa Hausa may refer to: * Hausa people, an ethnic group of West Africa * Hausa language, spoken in West Africa * Hausa Kingdoms, a historical collection of Hausa city-states * Hausa (horse) or Dongola horse, an African breed of riding horse See also * ...
, Edo, and
Ibibio Ibibio may refer to: * Ibibio language * Ibibio people * Ibibio Sound Machine, an English electronic afro-funk band who sing in Ibibio See also * Ibiblio ibiblio (formerly SunSITE.unc.edu and MetaLab.unc.edu) is a "collection of collections" ...
) from other parts of the country (Nigeria).


History

Ibadan, coined from the phrase "Eba Odan", which literally means 'by the edge of the meadow', came into existence in 1829, during a period of turmoil that characterized
Yorubaland Yorubaland () is the homeland and cultural region of the Yoruba people in West Africa. It spans the modern-day countries of Nigeria, Togo and Benin, and covers a total land area of 142,114 km2 or about 60% of the land area of Ghana. Of this ...
at the time. It was in this period that many old Yoruba cities such as old Oyo (Oyo ile), Ijaye and Owu disappeared, and newer ones such as Abeokuta, new Oyo (Oyo atiba) and Ibadan sprang up to replace them. According to local historians,
Lagelu Lagelu, ''-- Oro a pata maja'' ("Oro" in Yoruba means a sprite) -- was the founder of Ibadan, around 1829. A military legend and Yorubas' generalissimo from Ile Ife, he founded two of the three cities ( Eba Odan and Eba'dan) that eventually beca ...
founded the city, and was initially intended to be a war camp for warriors coming from Oyo, Ife and Ijebu. As a forest site containing several ranges of hills, varying in elevation from 160 to 275 metres, the location of the camp offered strategic defence opportunities. Moreover, its location at the fringe of the forest (from which the city got its name) promoted its emergence as a marketing centre for traders and goods from both the forest and grassland areas. In 1852, the
Church Missionary Society The Church Mission Society (CMS), formerly known as the Church Missionary Society, is a British mission society working with the Christians around the world. Founded in 1799, CMS has attracted over nine thousand men and women to serve as mission ...
sent David and
Anna Hinderer Anna Hinderer or Anna Martin (1827–1870) was a British missionary to Ibadan, Yoruba Country which is now part of Nigeria. She is celebrated by a stained-glass window in Liverpool Cathedral. Life Hinderer was born in Hempnall in Norfolk in 1827 ...
to found a mission. They decided to build the mission and a church in Ibadan when they arrived in 1853.Martin Lynn, ‘Hinderer, Anna (1827–1870)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 200
accessed 18 March 2017
/ref> Ibadan thus had initially begun as a military state and remained so until the last decade of the 19th century. The city-state also succeeded in building a large empire from the 1860s to the 1890s which extended over much of northern and eastern Yorubaland. It was appropriately nicknamed ''idi Ibon'' or “gun base”, because of its unique military character. In Ibadan, unlike other Yoruba cities with traditional kingship institutions, the warrior class became the rulers of the city as well as the most important economic group. Ibadan grew into an impressive and sprawling
urban Urban means "related to a city". In that sense, the term may refer to: * Urban area, geographical area distinct from rural areas * Urban culture, the culture of towns and cities Urban may also refer to: General * Urban (name), a list of people ...
center, such that by the end of 1829 Ibadan dominated the Yorùbá region militarily,
politically Politics (from , ) is the set of activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status. The branch of social science that studies ...
and
economically Economics () is the social science that studies the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. Economics focuses on the behaviour and interactions of economic agents and how economies work. Microeconomics analyzes ...
. The military
sanctuary A sanctuary, in its original meaning, is a sacred place, such as a shrine. By the use of such places as a haven, by extension the term has come to be used for any place of safety. This secondary use can be categorized into human sanctuary, a saf ...
expanded even further when
refugees A refugee, conventionally speaking, is a displaced person who has crossed national borders and who cannot or is unwilling to return home due to well-founded fear of persecution.
began arriving in large numbers from northern Oyo following raids by
Fulani The Fula, Fulani, or Fulɓe people ( ff, Fulɓe, ; french: Peul, links=no; ha, Fulani or Hilani; pt, Fula, links=no; wo, Pël; bm, Fulaw) are one of the largest ethnic groups in the Sahel and West Africa, widely dispersed across the region. ...
warriors. After losing the northern portion of their region to the marauding
Fulani The Fula, Fulani, or Fulɓe people ( ff, Fulɓe, ; french: Peul, links=no; ha, Fulani or Hilani; pt, Fula, links=no; wo, Pël; bm, Fulaw) are one of the largest ethnic groups in the Sahel and West Africa, widely dispersed across the region. ...
s, many Oyo indigenes retreated deeper into the Ibadan environs. The
Fulani The Fula, Fulani, or Fulɓe people ( ff, Fulɓe, ; french: Peul, links=no; ha, Fulani or Hilani; pt, Fula, links=no; wo, Pël; bm, Fulaw) are one of the largest ethnic groups in the Sahel and West Africa, widely dispersed across the region. ...
Caliphate attempted to expand further into the southern region of modern-day Nigeria, but was decisively defeated by the
armies of Ibadan An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
in 1840, which eventually halted their progress. The colonial period reinforced the position of the city in the Yoruba urban network. After a small boom in rubber business (1901-1913), cocoa became the main produce of the region and attracted European and
Levant The Levant () is an approximate historical geographical term referring to a large area in the Eastern Mediterranean region of Western Asia. In its narrowest sense, which is in use today in archaeology and other cultural contexts, it is eq ...
ine firms, as well as southern and northern traders from Lagos, Ijebu-Ode and
Kano Kano may refer to: Places *Kano State, a state in Northern Nigeria * Kano (city), a city in Nigeria, and the capital of Kano State **Kingdom of Kano, a Hausa kingdom between the 10th and 14th centuries **Sultanate of Kano, a Hausa kingdom between ...
among others. The city became a major point of bulk trade. Its central location and accessibility from the capital city of
Lagos Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the List of cities in Africa by population, second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national ca ...
were major considerations in the choice of Ibadan as the headquarters of the Western Provinces (1939) which ranged from the northernmost areas of
Oyo State Oyo State is an inland state in southwestern Nigeria. Its capital is Ibadan, the third most populous city in the country and formerly the second most populous city in Africa. Oyo State is bordered to the north by Kwara State, to the east by Osun ...
to
Ekeremor Ekeremor is one of the eight local government areas (LGAs) in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. It borders Delta State and has a coastline of approximately 60 km on the Bight of Bonny. Its headquarters are in the town of Ekeremor in the northeast of t ...
,
Bomadi Bomadi is an Ijaw local government area in Delta State, Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Af ...
and Patani, which were regions transferred from the old Delta province in the Old Western region and later Mid-west to the old Rivers state and later Bayelsa, in the redistricting of Nigeria carried out by the
Yakubu Gowon Yakubu Dan-Yumma 'Jack' Gowon (born 19 October 1934) is a retired Nigerian Army general and military leader. As Head of State of Nigeria, Gowon presided over a controversial Nigerian Civil War and delivered the famous "no victor, no vanquish ...
administration shortly before the
Nigerian civil war The Nigerian Civil War (6 July 1967 – 15 January 1970), also known as the Nigerian–Biafran War or the Biafran War, was a civil war fought between Nigeria and the Republic of Biafra, a secessionist state which had declared its independence f ...
.


Colonial Ibadan

In 1893, the Ibadan area became a
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...
Protectorate A protectorate, in the context of international relations, is a State (polity), state that is under protection by another state for defence against aggression and other violations of law. It is a dependent territory that enjoys autonomy over m ...
after a treaty signed by Fijabi, the Baale of Ibadan with the British acting Governor of
Lagos Colony Lagos Colony was a British colonial possession centred on the port of Lagos in what is now southern Nigeria. Lagos was annexed on 6 August 1861 under the threat of force by Commander Beddingfield of HMS Prometheus who was accompanied by the Ac ...
, George C. Denton on 15 August. By then, the
population Population typically refers to the number of people in a single area, whether it be a city or town, region, country, continent, or the world. Governments typically quantify the size of the resident population within their jurisdiction using a ...
had swelled to 120,000. The British developed the new colony to facilitate their
commercial Commercial may refer to: * a dose of advertising conveyed through media (such as - for example - radio or television) ** Radio advertisement ** Television advertisement * (adjective for:) commerce, a system of voluntary exchange of products and s ...
activities in the area, and Ibadan shortly grew into the major
trading Trade involves the transfer of goods and services from one person or entity to another, often in exchange for money. Economists refer to a system or network that allows trade as a market. An early form of trade, barter, saw the direct exchan ...
center that it is today.


Geography

Ibadan is located in south-western Nigeria in the southeastern part of
Oyo State Oyo State is an inland state in southwestern Nigeria. Its capital is Ibadan, the third most populous city in the country and formerly the second most populous city in Africa. Oyo State is bordered to the north by Kwara State, to the east by Osun ...
at about northeast of
Lagos Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the List of cities in Africa by population, second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national ca ...
and east of the Nigerian international border with the
Republic of Benin Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Republic of Dahomey, Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burki ...
. It lies completely within the tropical forest zone but close to the boundary between the forest and the derived savanna. The city ranges in elevation from 150 m in the valley area, to 275 m above
sea level Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical datuma standardised g ...
on the major north–south ridge which crosses the central part of the city. The city covers a total area of , the largest in Nigeria after Bauchi. The city of Ibadan is naturally drained by four rivers with many tributaries: Ona River in the North and West; Ogbere River towards the East;
Ogunpa River The Ogunpa River river system is a third-order stream with a channel length of and a drainage basin covering draining the densely populated eastern part of Ibadan, Nigeria. The city of Ibadan in southwestern Nigeria (7º23’ N, 3º5’ E) is the ...
flowing through the city and Kudeti River in the Central part of the metropolis.
Ogunpa River The Ogunpa River river system is a third-order stream with a channel length of and a drainage basin covering draining the densely populated eastern part of Ibadan, Nigeria. The city of Ibadan in southwestern Nigeria (7º23’ N, 3º5’ E) is the ...
, a third-order
stream A stream is a continuous body of water, body of surface water Current (stream), flowing within the stream bed, bed and bank (geography), banks of a channel (geography), channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a stream ...
with a channel length of 12.76 km and a catchment area of 54.92 km2. Lake Eleyele is located at the northwestern part of the city, while the Osun River and the Asejire Lake bounds the city to the east.


Climate

Ibadan has a
tropical wet and dry climate Tropical savanna climate or tropical wet and dry climate is a tropical climate sub-type that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification categories ''Aw'' (for a dry winter) and ''As'' (for a dry summer). The driest month has less than of p ...
(
Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
''Aw''), with a lengthy
wet season The wet season (sometimes called the Rainy season) is the time of year when most of a region's average annual rainfall occurs. It is the time of year where the majority of a country's or region's annual precipitation occurs. Generally, the sea ...
and relatively constant temperatures throughout the year. Ibadan's wet season runs from March through October, though August sees somewhat of a lull in precipitation. This lull divides the wet season into two different wet seasons. November to February forms the city's
dry season The dry season is a yearly period of low rainfall, especially in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which moves from the northern to the southern tropics and back over the course of the year. The te ...
, during which Ibadan experiences the typical
West Africa West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Maurit ...
n
harmattan The Harmattan is a season in West Africa that occurs between the end of November and the middle of March. It is characterized by the dry and dusty northeasterly trade wind, of the same name, which blows from the Sahara over West Africa into the ...
. The mean total rainfall for Ibadan is approximately , falling over about 123 days. There are two peaks for rainfall, June and September. The mean daily temperature is , the mean minimum , and the relative humidity 74.55%.


Administration

There are eleven (11)
Local Governments Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration within a particular sovereign state. This particular usage of the word government refers specifically to a level of administration that is both geographically-loca ...
in Ibadan Metropolitan area consisting of five urban local governments in the city and six semi-urban local governments in the less city. Local governments at present are institutions created by the military governments but recognised by the 1999 constitution and they are the third tiers of government in Nigeria. Local governments Councils consist of the Executive Arm made up of the Executive Chairman, the Vice chairman, the Secretary and the Supervisory Councilors.


Local government areas

Ibadan Urban — LGA Chairman # Ibadan North — Adebayo Adegoke #
Ibadan North-East Ibadan North-East (Yoruba: Ariwa-Ilaorun Ibadan) is a Local Government Area in Oyo State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are on Iwo Road. The postal code A postal code (also known locally in various English-speaking countries throughout the world ...
— Lekan Afuye #
Ibadan North-West Ibadan North-West is a Local Government Area in Oyo State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are at Dugbe/Onireke. The postal code A postal code (also known locally in various English-speaking countries throughout the world as a postcode, post code, ...
— Mojeed Bosun Ajuwon #
Ibadan South-East Ibadan South-East is a Local Government Area in Oyo State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are at Mapo Hall. The postal code A postal code (also known locally in various English-speaking countries throughout the world as a postcode, post code, PIN ...
— Abimbola Omiyale #
Ibadan South-West Ibadan South-West is a Local Government Area in Oyo State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are at Oluyole Estate in Ibadan. Its areas or districts includes Ring-Road, Oke-Ado, Oke-Bola Gege, Born-Photo, and Isale-Osi. It has an area of 40 km and a ...
— Adeleke Taoreed Bolaji Ibadan Semi-Urban — LGA Chairman
  1. Akinyele — Taoreed Jimoh Adedigba
  2. Egbeda Egbeda is a Local Government Area in Oyo State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Egbeda. Egbeda local government was carved out Lagelu Local government in 1989. The postal code A postal code (also known locally in various English ...
    — Akeem Akintunde
  3. Ido Ido () is a constructed language derived from Reformed Esperanto, and similarly designed with the goal of being a universal second language for people of diverse backgrounds. To function as an effective ''international auxiliary language'', I ...
    — Sheriff Adeojo
  4. Lagelu Lagelu, ''-- Oro a pata maja'' ("Oro" in Yoruba means a sprite) -- was the founder of Ibadan, around 1829. A military legend and Yorubas' generalissimo from Ile Ife, he founded two of the three cities ( Eba Odan and Eba'dan) that eventually beca ...
    — Oyesanmi Toriola
  5. Ona Ara Abọ foto Ona Ara is a Local Government Area in Oyo State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Akanran. It has an area of 290 km and a population of 265,059 at the 2006 census. The postal code A postal code (also known loc ...
    — Ogundele Biliaminu
  6. Oluyole {{Unreferenced, date=June 2022 ''For the Local Government Area of Oyo State, see Oluyole, Nigeria.'' Chief Oluyole was a distinguished, dominating army commander from Oyo. He rose to fame as Bashorun, a title he subsequently made famous, and w ...
    —Ayodeji Abass Aleshinloye


Local Council Development Areas

The former Executive Governor of Oyo State, Senator Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi, created some Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) out of some of the existing local government areas in Oyo State. From the Ibadan Urban Local Government areas, the following LCDAs were created. Out of Ibadan North Local Government area, Aare Latosa LCDA and Irepodun LCDA were created. Out of Ibadan North East Local Government area, Ibadan East LCDA was created. Out of Ibadan North West Local Government area, Oke'Badan North LCDA was created. Out of Ibadan South East Local Government area, Ibadan South LCDA was created. Out of Ibadan South West Local Government area, Ibadan West LCDA was created. From the Ibadan Semi-urban Local Government areas, the following LCDAs were created. Out of Akinyele Local Government area, Akinyele South LCDA and Akinyele East LCDA were created.


Demographics

Until 1970, Ibadan was the largest city in
Sub-Saharan Africa Sub-Saharan Africa is, geographically, the area and regions of the continent of Africa that lies south of the Sahara. These include West Africa, East Africa, Central Africa, and Southern Africa. Geopolitically, in addition to the List of sov ...
by surface area. In 1952, it was estimated that the total area of the city was approximately 103.8 km2 However, only 36.2 km2 was built up. This meant that the remaining 67 km2 were devoted to non-urban uses, such as farmlands, river floodplains, forest reserves and water bodies. These “non-urban land uses” disappeared in the 1960s: an aerial photograph in 1973 revealed that the urban landscape had completely spread over about 100 km2. The land area increased from 136 km2 in 1981 to 210–240 km2 in 1988-89 (Areola, 1994: 101). By 2000, it is estimated that Ibadan covered 400 km2. The growth of the built-up area during the second half of the 20th century (from 40 km2 in the 1950s to 250 km2 in the 1990s) shows clearly that there has been an underestimate of the total growth of the city. In the 1980s, the Ibadan-Lagos expressway generated the greatest
urban sprawl Urban sprawl (also known as suburban sprawl or urban encroachment) is defined as "the spreading of urban developments (such as houses and shopping centers) on undeveloped land near a city." Urban sprawl has been described as the unrestricted growt ...
(east and north of the city), followed by the Eleiyele expressway (west of the city). Since then, Ibadan city has spread further into the neighbouring local government areas of Akinyele and Egbeda in particular.


Places of worship

Among the
places of worship A place of worship is a specially designed structure or space where individuals or a group of people such as a congregation come to perform acts of devotion, veneration, or religious study. A building constructed or used for this purpose is somet ...
, there are
Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
churches and temples:
Church of Nigeria The Church of Nigeria is the Anglicanism, Anglican Church body, church in Nigeria. It is the second-largest Province (Anglican), province in the Anglican Communion, as measured by baptised membership (not by attendance), after the Church of Englan ...
(
Anglican Communion The Anglican Communion is the third largest Christian communion after the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. Founded in 1867 in London, the communion has more than 85 million members within the Church of England and other ...
),
Presbyterian Church of Nigeria The Presbyterian Church of Nigeria is a Presbyterian church in the Nigeria and subscribes to the Westminster Confession of Faith. The denomination has ten synods, more than 50 presbyteries and over 4,000 congregations, and almost 8,000 ministers a ...
(
World Communion of Reformed Churches The World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) is the largest association of Calvinist churches in the world. It has 230 member denominations in 108 countries, together claiming an estimated 80 million people, thus being the fourth-largest Chris ...
),
Nigerian Baptist Convention Nigerian Baptist Convention is a Baptist Christian denomination, affiliated with the Baptist World Alliance, in Nigeria. The office headquarters is in Ibadan, Nigeria. Rev. Dr. Israel Adélaní Àkànjí MFA is the president. History The Nige ...
(
Baptist World Alliance The Baptist World Alliance (BWA) is the largest international Baptist organization with an estimated 51 million people in 2022 with 246 member bodies in 128 countries and territories. A voluntary association of Baptist churches, the BWA account ...
),
Living Faith Church Worldwide Living Faith Church Worldwide (also known as Winners' Chapel) is an Evangelical charismatic Christian denomination and a megachurch. The headquarters is located in Ota, Nigeria. The organization has since become a global network of churches w ...
,
Redeemed Christian Church of God The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) is a Pentecostal megachurch and denomination founded in Lagos, Nigeria. The General overseer (most senior pastor) is Enoch Adeboye, ordained in 1981. The church in Lagos had an average church attendanc ...
,The Covenant Nation,
Assemblies of God The Assemblies of God (AG), officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 144 autonomous self-governing national groupings of churches that together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination."Assemblies of God". ...
,
Seventh-day Adventist Church The Seventh-day Adventist Church is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sabbath, and ...
,
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Ibadan The Archdiocese of Ibadan ( la, Archidioecesis Ibadanensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Ibadan, Nigeria. History * 13 March 1952: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Ibadan from the Me ...
(
Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
), some Pentecostal churches, and
Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
mosques.


Architecture

The best method to move about the city is to use reference points and notable landmarks. Dugbe district is the commercial nerve centre of Ibadan. This is where many banks have one or more branches. The south west regional office of the
Central Bank of Nigeria The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is the central bank and apex monetary authority of Nigeria established by the CBN Act of 1958 and commenced operations on 1 July 1959. The major regulatory objectives of the bank as stated in the CBN Act are ...
is at Dugbe. Also at Dugbe is the
Cocoa House Cocoa House, was completed in July 1964 and commissioned in July 1965. At a height of 105 metres, it was the first skyscraper in West Africa. and was, from 1965 to 1979, the tallest building in Nigeria. It is located in Dugbe, a major commercia ...
,
Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
's first
skyscraper A skyscraper is a tall continuously habitable building having multiple floors. Modern sources currently define skyscrapers as being at least or in height, though there is no universally accepted definition. Skyscrapers are very tall high-ris ...
. It is one of the few skyscrapers in the city and is at the hub of Ibadan's commercial centre. The Cocoa house is the headquarters for the Oodua Investment Company co-owned by all south-western states. Other tall buildings around Dugbe axis include Femi Johnson glass house, CBN building, United Bank for Africa, Oxford building, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria's Building, among others. There is a
museum A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make these ...
in the building of the
Institute of African Studies The Institute of African Studies on the Anne Jiagee road on campus of the University of Ghana at Legon is an interdisciplinary research institute in the humanities and social sciences. It was established by President Kwame Nkrumah in 1962 to encou ...
, which exhibits several remarkable pre-historic bronze carvings and statues. The city has several well stocked
libraries A library is a collection of materials, books or media that are accessible for use and not just for display purposes. A library provides physical (hard copies) or digital access (soft copies) materials, and may be a physical location or a vir ...
, and is home to the first
television station A television station is a set of equipment managed by a business, organisation or other entity, such as an amateur television (ATV) operator, that transmits video content and audio content via radio waves directly from a transmitter on the earth ...
in Africa. The city has two zoological gardens, one located within the
University of Ibadan The University of Ibadan (UI) is a public research university in Ibadan, Nigeria. The university was founded in 1948 as University College Ibadan, one of many colleges within the University of London. It became an independent university in 196 ...
and another at Agodi Gardens which also contains a
botanical garden A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens, an ...
, swimming pool and leisure spots. The
Bower Bower may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Catherine, or The Bower'', an unfinished Jane Austen novel * A high-ranking card (usually a Jack) in certain card games: ** The Right and Left Bower (or Bauer), the two highest-ranking cards in the g ...
Memorial Tower to the east on ''Oke Aàre'' (Aare's Hill) ("Aare" in Yoruba means commander-in-chief or generalissimo), which can be seen from practically any point in the city; it also provides an excellent view of the whole city from the top. Other attractions include
Mapo Hall Mapo Hall is the colonial-style Ibadan City Hall on top of Mapo Hill in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. Mapo Hall was commissioned during the colonial era by Captain Ross in 1929. It was designed and constructed by engineer Robert Jones. Officiall ...
– the colonial style
city hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses ...
– perched on top of a hill, "Oke Mapo," Mapo Hill ("oke" is hill in Yoruba), the Trans-Wonderland
amusement park An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, as well as other events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central ...
, the
cultural Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and Social norm, norms found in human Society, societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, Social norm, customs, capabilities, and habits of the ...
centre Mokola and the
Obafemi Awolowo Stadium The Obafemi Awolowo Stadium located at Liberty road, Ring Road in Ibadan, Nigeria, originally known as Liberty Stadium until 2010 is a football stadium with a capacity of 25,000 seats. History Construction The stadium was opened in 1960 during th ...
(formerly Liberty 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 one of the tallest and largest hostel in West Africa. The first teaching hospital in Nigeria, University College Hospital, were both built in this ancient city. Ibadan is also home to the
Shooting Stars FC Shooting Stars Sports Club (often nicknamed 3SC or ''Oluyole Warriors'') is a Nigerian football club based in Ibadan. History The club was one of the founders of the Nigerian Premier League in 1972, when they were called ''WNDC Ibadan'' (Wester ...
– a professional
Football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
Club Club may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Club'' (magazine) * Club, a ''Yie Ar Kung-Fu'' character * Clubs (suit), a suit of playing cards * Club music * "Club", by Kelsea Ballerini from the album ''kelsea'' Brands and enterprises ...
also known as 3SC. 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 9-hole IITA Golf Club based on the 1,000 hectare premises of IITA.


Education

Ibadan is host to Nigeria's premier higher institution of learning, The
University of Ibadan The University of Ibadan (UI) is a public research university in Ibadan, Nigeria. The university was founded in 1948 as University College Ibadan, one of many colleges within the University of London. It became an independent university in 196 ...
. Established as a college of the University of London in 1948, and later converted into an Autonomous entity, autonomous university in 1962. Other higher educational institutions in the city include; The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Lead City University, Koladaisi University, Federal college of Animal health and Production Technology, Federal College of Forestry, Highland College of Technology, Samonda, Federal School of Statistics, Federal Cooperative College, Tower Polytechnic, Ibadan, Ibadan City Polytechnic, Citigate Polytechnic, NIIT University among others. There are also numerous public and private primary schools, primary and secondary schools located in the city and its suburbs. Other noteworthy institutions in the city include The University College Hospital, Ibadan (UCH), which is the first teaching hospital in Nigeria; the internationally acclaimed International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) headquartered in the city. Established in 1967, it focuses on the agricultural and developmental needs of tropical countries, with several research stations spread across Africa. The Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER), The Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, The National Root Crops Research Institute, and The Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), The Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, the Nigerian Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT), all under the auspices of The Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria. In 1853, the first Europeans to settle in Ibadan, Reverend David and
Anna Hinderer Anna Hinderer or Anna Martin (1827–1870) was a British missionary to Ibadan, Yoruba Country which is now part of Nigeria. She is celebrated by a stained-glass window in Liverpool Cathedral. Life Hinderer was born in Hempnall in Norfolk in 1827 ...
, started Ibadan's first Western schools. They built churches and Anna taught at the new school. They built the first two-storey building in Ibadan, which can still be found today at Kudeti. The first pupils to attend an elementary school in Ibadan were Yejide Olunloyo (female) and Akinyele Olunloyo (male) – the two children of an Ibadan high chief.


Economy

Ibadan is the capital city of
Oyo State Oyo State is an inland state in southwestern Nigeria. Its capital is Ibadan, the third most populous city in the country and formerly the second most populous city in Africa. Oyo State is bordered to the north by Kwara State, to the east by Osun ...
, the fourth largest state economy in Nigeria, and the second largest non-oil state economy in Nigeria after Lagos state. With its strategic location on the railway line connecting
Lagos Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the List of cities in Africa by population, second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national ca ...
to
Kano Kano may refer to: Places *Kano State, a state in Northern Nigeria * Kano (city), a city in Nigeria, and the capital of Kano State **Kingdom of Kano, a Hausa kingdom between the 10th and 14th centuries **Sultanate of Kano, a Hausa kingdom between ...
, the city is a major center for trade in cassava, Cocoa bean, cocoa, cotton, timber, rubber, and palm oil. The city and its environs is home to several industries such as Agro allied, Textile, Food processing, Health Care and Cosmetic, Tobacco processing and Cigarette manufacturing, Leatherworks and furniture making Etc. There is abundance of clay, kaolin and Aquamarines, aquamarine in the city environs, and there are several cattle ranches, a Dairy farming, dairy farm as well as a commercial abattoir in Ibadan. There are dozens of banks and Insurance firms spread out across the cityscape that service the city's millions of inhabitants. The main economic activities engaged in by the Ibadan populace include Agriculture, Trade, Public service employment, Factory work, Service sector/Tertiary production, Etc. The headquarters of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) have extensive grounds for crop and agricultural research into key tropical crops such as bananas, plantains, maize, cassava, soybean, cowpea and yam. According to a report, Ibadan is the 3rd cheapest Nigerian city to live in.


Entertainment and recreation

Ibadan is a busy city but also accommodates an adequate amount of entertainment and relaxation. There are numerous bars, lounges and night clubs to enjoy, including the Lebanese owned "KOKO Dome" which is the oldest night club in the city dating back to the mid 90s.


Shopping, Cinema and Parks

The Heritage Mall and Cocoa Mall houses several local and international retail stores. The two malls were built to interlink with each other and located in the same compound as Cocoa House at Dugbe. The 2 malls contain a South African retail shop; Shoprite, Pep Store (kids wears and boutique) several cafés, restaurants, electronic outlets, Mr. Price, Cash and carry (wholesale), Cash n Carry. There is also the Palms Mall at Ring Road which houses one of the largest Shoprite store in Nigeria. There is another mall which opened not too far from the Central Business District called the Jericho Mall Kudeti Avenue, Onireke GRA. The top cinema chain in Nigeria, Filmhouse has 2 cinemas at the Heritage Mall Dugbe and another of its branch operate at the Ventura Mall, Samonda.


Sports and recreation

There are various sport centres and facilities within the city limits of Ibadan. The Ibadan recreational club established 1902 in the Sabo area of the city is one of the oldest of such clubs in the country. It offers a swimming pool, tennis courts, basketball courts, snooker, squash courts, darts corner, and a relaxation bar. The city is also host to dozens of football academies where soccer talents are groomed. The Agodi Gardens of Oyo State has been completely refurbished to contain a Botanical Garden, Zoo, Swimming pool, Guest house, Bar and Restaurants. In addition, there are the Ibadan Polo Club at Eleyele and the Ibadan Golf Club in the Onireke reservation Area. The city has the first standard Nigerian stadium, The
Obafemi Awolowo Stadium The Obafemi Awolowo Stadium located at Liberty road, Ring Road in Ibadan, Nigeria, originally known as Liberty Stadium until 2010 is a football stadium with a capacity of 25,000 seats. History Construction The stadium was opened in 1960 during th ...
formerly Liberty Stadium as well as The Lekan Salami Stadium which is the home of 3SC, Shooting Stars SC, Shooting stars football club, the team that won Nigeria's first international trophy, The African Cup Winners' Cup in 1976 by defeating Tonnerre Yaoundé of Cameroon 4 - 2 on aggregate points.


Public spaces and parks

* Trans Wonderland, Trans Amusement park * Fun factory *Agodi Gardens, Agodi Gardens and Leisure Park * Heritage Mall * Ibadan recreational park * Heritage & Cocoa Mall * The Palms Mall * Ventura Mall and Indoor park *The University of Ibadan Zoo *Game World, Dugbe, Ibadan * Aces Mall, Bodija, Ibadan


Transport

The city of Ibadan is a major Nigerian transport hub with freeways linking it with
Lagos Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the List of cities in Africa by population, second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national ca ...
in the South South West, Ijebu Ode and Shagamu in the South, Abeokuta in the West, Oyo, Oyo, Oyo, ogbomosho, Offa, Kwara, Offa and Ilorin in the North, Ife, Ado Ekiti, Osogbo, Ilesha, Akure, Okene, Auchi and other cities towards the East. The city is also served by an airport, the Ibadan Airport, which operates daily flights to Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Ilorin etc. through major airlines in Nigeria such as Overland Airways and Arik Air. The city is a major terminus railway station on the Rail transport in Nigeria, main railway line linking
Lagos Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the List of cities in Africa by population, second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national ca ...
with
Kano Kano may refer to: Places *Kano State, a state in Northern Nigeria * Kano (city), a city in Nigeria, and the capital of Kano State **Kingdom of Kano, a Hausa kingdom between the 10th and 14th centuries **Sultanate of Kano, a Hausa kingdom between ...
in the North of the country. Nearly all the major roads are dualized (Double carriage roads), such roads include the Ojoo-Sango-Mokola road that passes in front of the University of Ibadan, others include Ring road-Orita-Challenge-New Garage ways and the recently completed Dugbe-Eleyele-Jerico Road. There are various roundabouts, intersections and flyovers within the city, the latest being the Mokola flyover built to reduce persistent traffic gridlock being experienced in the Mokola axis of the city. Modes of transport include, cabs & taxis, taxi-vans commonly called ''Danfos'', and in more recent times mass transit buses have commenced operations to reduce the hardship of students and workers commuting from various suburban areas to the city center, private/personal/family cars, Scooter (motorcycle), scooters commonly known as ''Okadas'', Coach (bus) services, more commonly known locally as "luxurious busses" such as ''Alakowe Bus'', ''ABC Transport'', ''Cross Country ltd'' Etc., which operate To and Fro services linking Ibadan and all other major destinations in the country and beyond, as well as pedestrian walking. Since 2021, there is a new railway connection (standard gauge), which brings passengers to Lagos in less than 3 hours. It leaves at 8:00 and 16:00 every day (on time). The new railway line came with a new railway station.


Media

The city host the first T.V station in Africa NTA, Ibadan established as Western Nigeria Television (WNTV) in 1959. The oldest surviving Nigeria newspaper is in Ibadan Tribune founded by chief Obafemi Awolowo Premier of Western Nigeria. The first private TV station Galaxy TV in Oyo State also started in the city. As at 2014 the city is home to several media outlets including *Nigerian Television Authority Ibadan Network Centre Galaxy TV *B.C.O.S Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State which also runs the radio services of B.C.O.S radio 1, Oluyole FM 98.5) *Murhi International Television, MITV Ibadan *Silverbird TV *Channels TV *AIT Africa Independent Television Satellite channels are provided by *MultiChoice, Multichoice Africa owner of DStv and GOTV satellite company has an office in the Jericho area of the city providing subscribers with numerous international and local TV and radio. * Star times * DaarSat The radio stations in Ibadan are increasing in number compared to 5–10 years ago, when only 3 operated. Today, there are: *B.C.O.S Radio 1 and Oluyole FM 98.5 *Premier FM 93.5 (Federal Government Owned) *Amuludun FM 99.1(Yoruba only, Federal Government Owned) *Beat FM 97.9 *Mitv/Star FM 95.1 *Raypower Radio of AIT *Diamond FM 101.1 of University of Ibadan *Impact Business Radio (IBR 92.5 FM) a.k.a. Amutajero *Splash FM 105.5 *Inspiration FM 100.5 *Space FM 90.10 *Naija FM 102.7 *Royal Roots (R2)FM 92.9 *Petals FM 102.3 *Lagelu FM 96.3 *Fresh FM 105.9 *Star FM 91.5 *Jamz FM 101.1 *32 FM 94.9, Thirty-Two FM 94.9 * Noble 107.1 FM * Lead Radio FM 106.3 *Pensioners' FM 106.7 *Agidigbo FM 88.7 *Solutions FM 93.9 There are also online communities of Ibadan residents such as CONNECTIBADAN, Ibadan247, IBpulse and WhatsupIbadan. They help the public connect with news, event and people in Ibadan and Oyo State as a whole.


Notable people

* Aminatu Abiodun, 14th Iyalode of Ibadan * Victor Adeboyejo, British Championship League footballer. * Wally Adeyemo, U.S. government official * Sade (singer), Sade Adu, singer * Humuani Alaga, activist, indigenous textile entrepreneur * Yetide Badaki, actress * Kingsley Chioma * Ken Goldberg, inventor * Hugo Weaving, actor * Lamidi Adedibu, Lamidi Adeibu


Twin towns – sister cities

Ibadan is Twin towns and sister cities, twinned with: * Cleveland, United States


Gallery

File:Archbishop Ayo Lidigbolu House, Ibadan2.jpg, Archbishop Ayo Lidigbolu House File:AYEFELE MUSIC HOUSE, Challenge Ibadan.jpg, Ayefele music house File:Bayse one Checkmate Plaza, Ibadan.jpg File:Bower towers compund, Ibadan.jpg, Bower towers File:Bower towers gate, Ibadan.jpg, Bower towers gate File:Bower towers, Ibadan.jpg, bowers towers, Ibadan File:Challenge Round about, Ibadan.jpg File:Cocoa Dome, Dupe Ibadan.jpg, Cocoa Dome, Dupe Ibadan File:Crown Trust Plaza, Ibadan.jpg, Crown Trust Plaza File:Dugbe roundabout, Ibadan.jpg, Dugbe roundabout, Ibadan File:Havana Royale Hall, Event Centre, U.I road Ibadan.jpg, Havsns Royale hall and event centre File:Ibadan brow roofs, Ibadan.jpg, Ibadan brow roofs File:Oke bola Ibadan.jpg File:P1015181 (1).jpg File:Kudeti Avenue Onireke Ibadan.jpg, Kudi Avenue File:Ring Road Ibadan.jpg, Ring road File:Mobolaji Johnson house Dugbe Ibadan.jpg, Mobolaji Johnson house File:Kola Daisi University city building, Ibadan.jpg, Kola Daisi University city building File:MAHARAJI VILLAGE, Ibadan Express road 2.jpg, Maharaji village File:Molete Baptist Church, Challenge Ibadan 2.jpg, Molete Baptist church File:Ibadan ring road.jpg, Ibadan ring road File:OBA ADESSOJI ADERENI HOUSE, Ibadan.jpg, Oba Adessoji Adereni house File:Oyo Mesi Specialist Hospital, Ibadan.jpg, Specialist hospital File:Oyo state Government house gate, Ibadan3.jpg, Government house gate File:Oyo State Judiciary HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE 2.jpg, High court of Justice File:Presbyterian church, Ibadan.jpg, Presbyterian church File:Round about, Stadium Mokola Ibadan 3.jpg, Stadium File:Shoprite, Ibadan.jpg, Shooprite File:St. Annes Church, Molete, Ibadan.jpg, St. Annes Church File:SANGO- OJURIN MARKET, Ibadan.jpg, Sango Ojurin Market File:Symentry, Bodija road Ibadan.jpg, Symentry, Bodija road File:Ventura mall, Mokola, Ibadan.jpg, Ventura mall File:Ibadan Aerial View.jpg, Ibadan Aerial View of Alakia from an airplane


See also

* Railway stations in Nigeria * List of Nigerian cities by population


References


Sources

* 'On Education' - Page 69; 'Seventeen Years in the Yoruba Country: Memorials of Anna Hinderer (wife of the Rev. David Hinderer, C.M.S. Missionary in Western Africa). https://oyoaffairs.net/un-research-ranks-ibadan-as-2nd-fastest-growing-city-in-2022/


Bibliography


External links

* {{EngvarB, date=January 2021 Ibadan, Cities in Nigeria Cities in Yorubaland Populated places established in 1829 Populated places in Oyo State State capitals in Nigeria 1829 establishments in Africa 1893 establishments in the British Empire