At independence, the city of Ibadan was undoubtedly the city in West Africa and the third largest in Africa after Cairo and Johannesburg. Ibadan continues to be a rich city full of friendly people and thriving businesses. This city is also known for her ancient houses and buildings, with about two-thirds of houses present in Ibadan built many decades ago.
Ibadan can also boast of being the pioneer location for many establishments in Nigeria. Among them include the first stadium (Liberty stadium), the first Television Station (NTA), the first University (the University of Ibadan, UI), the first skyscraper (Cocoa House), the first dual road (Queen Elizabeth road), and the first teaching hospital (University College Hospital, UCH). The strength of this city can boast of her size with a landmass of over 27000 sq km and an estimated population of about 3.3 million. To add to this, here are 5 more things to know about Ibadan.
- Peaceful and accommodating atmosphere: Not many cities can boast of a peaceful environment. Ibadan is known for her peaceful and accommodating inhabitants. However, the popular saying that Ibadan accommodates everyone may not be true because violence and theft rarely have a foothold in the peaceful city.
- Favorable cost of living: Corps members that have lived in Ibadan can easily attest to the fact that the cost of living in the city is relatively low compared to other cities in Nigeria. The cost of goods and services is cheaper than in other places. At Ibadan, one can buy a meal for as low as ₦100.
- Large market and business opportunities: As a result of a large number of people living in Ibadan, the city serves as a viable location for business owners to sell their goods and services. Coupled with the fact that the cost of living is low, Ibadan is a favorable location for most types of business to grow.
- Easy transportation network: Another advantage that Ibadan has is the simple and efficient transportation network with people moving about with fewer hassles. This is made possible by the effectiveness of the transport system present in the city.
- Proximity to Lagos: This may be described as one of the major merits of Ibadan. The closeness between the two cities makes it possible for people to conveniently travel to and fro Lagos on a daily basis. This also contributes greatly to the economic development of Ibadan.