Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Ibadan
02 / POP 2.7 MILLION
The word sprawling could have been invented to describe Ibadan. You're likely to pass
through this major transport junction, but there's little to keep you here.
Hotels are generally shoddy and expensive. The best bet on the higher end is
Kakanfo Inn
(
www.kakanfoinn.com
; 1 Nihinlola St, Ring Rd, Ibadan; )
, which has a decent Indian res-
taurant. A cheaper option is the
University of Ibadan Guest House
( 012 273 9865; University of
Ibadan Campus; )
. If you want something other than local chophouses, go to
Pancho
Vino
(off Town Planning, Oluyole; pizzas around N1400;
noon-3pm & 6-11pm)
for pizzas and Lebanese
food in clean, modern surroundings.
The Gbagi market has an enormous selection of fabric.
Iwo Rd is Ibadan's major motor park; minibuses run to all points from here, including
Lagos (N500, 90 minutes), Abuja (N2000, eight hours) and points north. For Oshogbo
(N300, 90 minutes), go to Gate Motor Park in the east of the city.
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Oshogbo
This quiet city has been a traditional centre for Yoruba spirituality and, since the 1950s,
the birthplace for much contemporary Nigerian art.
The best sight is the
Osun Sacred Grove
believed to be the dwelling of Osun, the Yoruba
fertility goddess. In the late 1950s, Austrian-born artist Susanne Wenger, later accepted as
a high Yoruba priestess, revived the neglected grove, filling it with her own and her many
pupils' sculptures and shrines revering traditional deities.
For an extra fee, tour the groves with one of Susanne's adopted children (and traditional
priests) Sangodare ( 0803 226 2188) or Doyin Faniyi ( 0803 226 2188). Also visit
