IBADAN, the Oyo State capital, is said to be the largest city in West Africa. It is also, most times, called an "ancient city", but according to recent findings, it may not be as ancient as one may be forced to think. This is due to the upsurge in the siting of companies and their subsidiaries in the city and the long queues of traffic in major parts of the city. Gone are the days when rickety cars and buses plied the streets of the city, with cranking engines, emitting thick, black smoke.The ancient buildings and the 'rusty roofs' which were some kind of emblems for the city in times past, are giving way to, remodelled and more sophisticated houses, thus giving the city a new look. But that is not all, Ibadan, in recent times, has continued to attract more investors who seem to want to cash in on the changing face of the city, and on its large population.Its proximity to Lagos, the popular south-western city, known for its upbeat tempo, was expected to have facilitated accelerated development before now. But its opportunities are not as many as Lagos, which has a seaport, an international airport, among others. This made Ibadan to remain an ancient city for quite a while, until recently.A drive round the city is quite revealing. Most of the areas and streets in the city are beginning to wear a new look, thanks to the influx of investors who seem to have awoken to the opportunities posed by the large population. According to Dayo Adeniran, a student living in Ibadan is becoming interesting as new joints and relaxation centres are springing up everyday.He added, "I was born in Ibadan so I guess I am a proper 'Ibadan boy'. In the past, my parents would talk about renting houses in areas like Oluyole, Joyce B, Felele, Bodija, because they were the choice areas to live in then. Now, those areas, though still popular, have been overtaken by areas like Alalubosa, Jericho, Iyaganku, Oluyole extension, Wire and Cable, Ashi, Akobo Estate, etc to mention a few. Also, the former Leventis Building, Rex Cinema and the Koko Dome were the most popular hangouts for socially consious people, but now, places to visit and relax in Ibadan are too numerous to mention. Though we do not have beaches here, most of the massive shopping complexes which make Lagos so interesting are already springing up in Ibadan.Also, before now, you could hardly see any brand new car on the streets of the city. If you look around now, eight out of ten cars are choice cars. That shows that indeed, our status in Ibadan has changed".The nightlife too has picked up. When the Nigerian Tribune drove round the town recently, it was discovered that even at midnight, there were still vehicular traffic within the town and most of the clubs visited had customers until the wee hours of the next day.A business owner, Mrs Nonyem Okechukwu, who runs a popular eatery in Bodija, one of the upscale areas of the city, said that she left Abeokuta, Ogun State, for Ibadan, because of the lucreativeness that had become synonymous with the town.And she is not alone because more businesses such as food courts, schools, car dealerships, banks, clubs, shopping complexes etc are springing up everyday, thus giving the city a new look.But the development comes with a price; heavy vehicular traffic. It is common sight nowadays to see long queues on major roads in Ibadan, with motorists spending hours on trips that ordinarily should have lasted minutes.Deji Korede, a banker, said that in recent times, he had been leaving home by 5.30am, in order to get to work by 7.00am, a trip which four years ago, took him 25 minutes. This has taken a toll on many people, as they have had to spend more on fuel and car servicing. This has prompted residents of the city to demand for more motorable roads from the state government, a development which the government is making efforts to respond to.Also, due to the influx of businesses, more job opportunities are daily being made available, consequently encouraging more people to move into the city, consequently expanding it more than ever before. Though the news might sound cheering, some residents argue that this migration of people and businesses are responsible for the upsurge of crime within the city. They claim that in some instances where some individuals fail to get their dreams actualised, they resort to crime.Perhaps in a bid to quell frayed nerves, it is not an uncommon sight to see armoured and patrol vehicles of security personnel in strategic areas of the city, thus prompting the question, 'Can Ibadan still be referred to as an ancient city
Click here to read full news..
