The Brown Roof City

The Brown Roof City

The town I was born in.

The city I have spent more than two decades of my life in.

The city that has encompassed great warriors.

The city with the first highest building in Africa (Cocoa House).

It was the capital of Western colonial administration and region in 1893 and 1939 respectively.

The city with the premier University and the first University in Nigeria.

The city with the first Television Station in the whole of Africa in 1959. 

The city with the third-highest population in Africa after Cairo and Johannesburg. With a total population of three million six hundred and forty-nine thousand (2011).

The city that has produced kinsmen.

Only two states have more population than my city: Lagos and Kano.

The city that is recognized worldwide.

It is the home of the Nigeria Army 2nd Division.

It has 11 recognized local Government areas.

My city hosted the first housing corporation in Nigeria.

It has the oldest surviving Newspaper (Tribune Newspaper).

My city has more than twenty Radio stations of high repute.

It hosts one of the two town halls in Africa of the Greco-Roman architectural design (Mapo Hall).

It is the only city in Nigeria with 15 federal tertiary institutions and research institutes.

It has the biggest supermarket in Africa (ShopRite Ring-Road).

It has the first stadium as well as the first international stadium in Nigeria (liberty stadium) with a capacity of thirty-five thousand eight hundred and forty-six.

The brown roof city hosts the regional headquarters of the Central Bank of Nigeria where seven states operate.

It has the first motorable road constructed in 1905.

My city hosts the first set of secondary schools in Nigeria.

The brown roof city has the highest number of professors in Africa.

Nomenclature

The brown roof city is the city of great warriors that conquered the region. According to oral tradition the city name was coined from the phrase 'Eba Odan' which means 'by the edge of the meadow'.

The name of this great city is IBADAN. the capital of the pacesetter state (Oyo State).

The name "the brown roof city" was given to Ibadan because of the ages it has survived which makes it an ancient city. Some may say it is because of the change in color of the roofings due to the long existence.

Place of Attraction

Ibadan has the Bower towers, designed by British colonial officer Taffy which is the only one of his kind in Nigeria and West Africa situated in the middle of the city. From this tower, you can easily see the perimeter of Ibadan.

Mapo Hall is another place of attraction, one of the two town halls in Africa of Greco-Roman architectural style. This hall has served a great purpose for the Western region. Ibadan is the political headquarters of the Western part of Nigeria. This hall has hosted presidents and presidential candidates among others in his magnanimous structure.

The Zoological Garden and the Botanical gardens at the University of Ibadan are places you will love to be.

Alakia Airport is a local airport under upgrading which has served a lot of purposes for the residents. The location among other things has always amazed the viewers.

Cocoa House, this building was constructed with the excess gained on cocoa cultivation and it has been the first tallest building in the whole of Africa

Television stations and Radio Stations Ibadan has more than seven television stations and more than twenty Radio stations among which are international and local.

God bless The Brown Roof City!!!

I am proud to be born in IBADAN

Thank you for your time 😊