Ibadan
is generally regarded as the ugly duckling when compared to popular
sister cities in the western parts of the country, especially Lagos. While Lagos is indeed the hub
of Nigeria and holds everything essential to keeping a visitor
enthralled, Ibadan is also a good idea. Maybe even a better idea than
Lagos.
When
people think of Lagos, they focus on the peripheral: the great food and
the opportunity for shopping, the bustling night life, the myriad
tourist sites and fantastic architecture. What many do not know is that
Ibadan has many of the same attributes, only with its own twist as well
as profound benefits.
No Traffic
Traffic
is an everyday occurrence in Lagos and can steal the joy from any
commuter’s day. There is no exception to area or time, almost every part
of the city has a level of traffic and at almost all times within the
day- not just rush hours. It can literally take you 2 hours to cover 1
kilometer in some areas. Commuters have to head out extra early to run
errands or cut their fun short so as to get home early. In Ibadan
however, this is not a problem. While its inhabitants witness occasion
traffic, it is not a standard occurrence and it is certainly not a part
of their lives. Unlike Lagos,you can actually have great value for your
time while commuting within Ibadan.
Low-cost accommodation
Lagos
has a plethora of hotels, from budget to luxury; however, the room rates
are most times expensive when compared to room rates in other parts of
the country and thus pose a challenge to travellers, especially budget
travellers. In Ibadan, there are upscale hotels that offer same service
as upscale hotels in Lagos, however the rates are cheaper. For instance,
the The Carlton Gate Hotel, Ibadan, which is rated a 5-star hotel
starts from as low as N20,700 on Jovago.com, while Sheraton Lagos Hotel,
a 5-star hotel in Lagos, with even a lesser rating on same portal,
starts from N48,000. Ibadan also has a number of budget hotel options
that offer even more value to travellers.
Micra instead of Moluwe
In
Lagos, budget travellers who have to resort to public transport end up
with bus options: Moluwe and danfo buses, as the taxi option also comes
as steep price. In Ibadan however, public transport is not only even
cheaper, but gives the commuter much more privacy and comfort. The
popular means of transportation is via Micra, a sedan taxi (not
necessarily of Nissan brand as the name suggests) which picks 4-5
passengers per time. Passengers in this sedan painted white with blue
stripes pay as low as N50 for certain destinations, a situation not
possible with the Moluwe or danfo within Lagos.
Cheaper food
No
doubt, Lagos offers a bunch of gastronomic delights for the hungry
traveller, however, the food do not come cheap, at least when compared
to food in Ibadan. Even though the number of restaurants, cafes, bukkas
and fast food joints in Lagos may be larger than the those Ibadan, the
cost of consumption is relatively higher. An average meal in a standard
lagos (budget) restaurants starts from N1, 000, however in Ibadan, you
can get same food with better ambiance for as low as N500. You are able
to save more on food while visiting Ibadan without missing out on the
local delicacies or sticking to you preferred variety: Chinese, Indian,
French, e.t.c.
A better chance at love
It is no
secret that love is hard to find in Lagos. Most of its inhabitants are
so focused on making money or building their career and have no time for
serious relationships. Single visitors to the city usually assert that
the good ‘ones’ within the city are either hooked or taken.
In Ibadan however, there is better opportunity at meeting “the one” as
there are many options. Also, the restaurants and hang out spots are
affordable and you easily can go on dates or engage in activities that
encourage love and romance without breaking bank.By
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