Ibadan; My Ibadan

I love saying that I'm a Lagosian; at least staying in Lagos earns me that privilege. However, I just realised that it will be more apt to call me an Ibadan girl.

Regardless of the bad stereotypes about Ibadan people, I have come to love and consider the beautiful city, characterised by its brown rusted roofs, as home.

Before my official entry into Ibadan, it never really occurred to me that there was a city like this in Nigeria. Of course I knew it from the state and capital recitations, but it just never really registered in my mind (you know the way Jigawa or Gusau exists but you may not give much thought to it, because you haven't really considered going there).

It's quite embarrassing now that I had such condescending thoughts about Ibadan even though I had once been to the city on a short visit to my uncle's place (his children were my favorite cousins at that time). Save for my uncle, I really did not know anyone in Ibadan then.

My entry into Ibadan was prompted by my desire to go to a boarding school. My dad was considering Queens College, Federal College or any federal school at all. I was excited to go to any of them (especially Queens). In fact, we even considered St Louis in Ondo. However, as a result of many reasons I cannot begin to recount, I ended up attending a private school in Ibadan.

This was September 2010 and I have this been in Ibadan for over eight years now. I enrolled in an A-level center in the city, shortly after my secondary school education and then in the University of Ibadan from where I will soon be graduating.

I have continuously mentioned to anyone who cares to listen that once I'm done with my undergraduate programme in UI, I'll be leaving Ibadan and never coming back!

But now that I think of it, Ibadan is a city that I will not be able to easily detach from. This city holds so much meaning for me - freedom, love, friendship, education, enlightenment, experience, spirituality, to mention but a few.

It is in this city, I learnt the true meaning of freedom. It is in this city, I cut my teeth on adulting. I've made so many ties in Ibadan which have impacted my life a great deal.

This city of brown rusted roofs is one that has essentially molded me and made me into the woman that I am today. When I think of Ibadan, I think of growth, progress and the process.

This is in appreciation of Ibadan and all the beautiful stories, people, souls it has brought my way.

Welcome to Ibadan, the city that formed me. 

Thanks for visiting the blog. I hope you enjoyed reading through. What does Ibadan mean to you? You can share your views in the comment section.