Visit to Bowers Tower

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Post

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Dec 17, 2022

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Like fine wine the building has aged well

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Life

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Published

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Bowers tower is an historical landmark in Ibadan. It is a 60-foot tower that was built in 1936 in honour of Captain Robert Lister Bower - the first british resident in Nigeria. He was appointed by Queen Elizabeth in 1893 to oversee and put an end to the wars between the different Yoruba kingdoms. It rests at the top of the "Oke Are" hill and gives a stunning 360 degree view of the landscape.

The area is a popular religious site there are multiple churches and groups of people praying, so remember to be mindful and respectful of this. I found our way to the tower grounds and the history practically reverberated through my feet. It's been run down over the years as there isn't much support from the government, but the dilapidation was strangely charming. After-all, it’s been here for almost 90 years.

The air was crisp because of the altitude and so i had a refreshing sit-down with the caretaker, Mr Adebayo who gave me a crash course! He explained that the top of the tower is the highest point in the state and it also marks its geographical centre as well.

The tower itself is in good shape. The concrete walls have stood the test of time and the terracotta colour was brilliant against the blue sky. The tower isn't very spacious on the inside, so you have to climb carefully with your hands and knees to get to the top.

The view is definitely worth it though. Deciding on how good your eyesight is, you can spot a number of landmarks like University College Hospital (UCH), University of Ibadan, Cocoa House, Dugbe Market, Agodi Gardens and lots more. Just being there made me feel grand, literally the best seat in the south west.

One thing that caught my eyes was the 360 degree views from the top of the tower which was just amazing to behold, entrance into the place is free but you’ll will have top pay 200 naira to climb to the top of the tower.