Ibadan

About Ibadan

Seen from the top of Bower's Tower, Ibadan is a sea of rust-brown roofs rolling over seven hills, one of the largest cities in Nigeria and the capital of Oyo State. It is a city of scholars and traders, home to the country's oldest university, busy markets and a skyline crowned by Cocoa House, often called the first skyscraper in tropical Africa.

Ibadan was founded in the early 19th century as a war camp by Yoruba soldiers after the collapse of the Old Oyo Empire, and it quickly grew into a powerful city-state. Under British rule it became the seat of the Western Region, and the wealth of the cocoa trade paid for landmarks such as Cocoa House. University College Ibadan, opened in 1948, educated writers including Wole Soyinka and Chinua Achebe. Ibadan is also known for Yoruba food, from amala with ewedu and gbegiri to roadside suya.

Ibadan lies about two hours north of Lagos by expressway, and a standard-gauge railway now links the two cities. Ibadan Airport has domestic flights, and road links continue to Oyo, Ogbomosho and Abeokuta.