Discover Nigeria!
In the words of Bill Bryson, “I can’t think of anything that excites a greater sense of childlike wonder than to be in a country where you are ignorant of almost everything.”
Spread over Nigeria are various historical tourist attraction centres. Whether you’re looking for a getaway spot in the country or are trying to discover Nigeria, we’ve got you.
Here’s a list of 7 exciting cultural and historical places to visit in Nigeria:
1. Badagry
Situated in Lagos State, Badagry is a historical site that consists of several places you can visit. It is one of the earliest settlements of colonial masters, slave traders and missionaries.
The ancient city has a slave market, slave port, the first-storey building and primary school in Nigeria and other beautiful places. Certainly, it is a place that you should visit as it promises a lot of adventure.
2. Ancient Walls of Kano
The walls served as defensive walls to safeguard the inhabitants of the ancient city of Kano. It was described as the most impressive monument in West Africa.
It originally had an estimated height of 30 to 50 feet and was about 40 feet thick at the base with 15 gates around it.
3. Tafawa Balewa Square
Formerly Lagos Race Course, TBS, was once a sporting field that hosted horse racing. In later years, it was redeveloped to celebrate Nigeria’s independence and the lowering of the Union Jack.
The Square has other monuments which include The Remembrance Arcade and the 26-storey Independence House with a gigantic sculpture of four white horses and seven red eagles above the gate which are symbols of national unity.
4. Ogbunike Cave
Situated in Anambra state–the south-eastern part of the country–Ogbunike Cave is a collection of caves located in a valley covered by the tropical rain forest. It is said that the cave has a lengthy walkway of about 317 steps constructed by the state government in the mid-90s.
However, the cave still holds its spiritual significance to the people with the celebration of the “Ime Ogba” festival to celebrate the discovery of caves. It should also be noted that visitors are not allowed to enter with their shoes on and women who are on their periods are not allowed in too.
5. Yankari Game Reserve
This is a large wildlife park situated in Bauchi State. It covers an area of about 2,244 square kilometres and it is suitable for tourists to watch wildlife in their natural habitats due to its location in the heartland of West Africa Savanna.
It is said to be the home of the remaining Elephants and Lions in Nigeria, as well as several natural warm water springs and a wide variety of flora and fauna.
6. Zuma Rock
This is a large natural monolith located west of Abuja, along the main road of the country’s capital to Kaduna off Mandala. It rises approximately 300 metres (980 feet) above its surroundings. During the intertribal wars, it was used by the Gbayi people as a defensive retreat against invading neighbouring tribes.
It is said to be one of the highest and largest monoliths in the world, taller than Aso rock and Olumo rock combined.
7. Ikogosi Warm Springs
Located in southwestern Nigeria, Ikogosi is a town in Ekiti state. It is a unique site where warm and cold springs merge, both maintaining their thermal properties. The warm spring has a temperature of about 700c at the source and 370c after meeting the cold spring.
The site is guaranteed to amaze nature lovers and it could also pass as an eco-tourism destination because of the conservation of flora and fauna over there.
#TraditionalValues is a segment documenting the beauty of indigenous culture. This edition features 7 historical and cultural places you can visit in Nigeria on holidays.
