With so much excitement all over my bronzed cheeks, i welcome you to ‘Bower’s Tower,’ another interior realm in the ancient city of Ibadan. Hope you have not forgotten how it felt at the previous interior realm i visited last year? Click this green text to read about Molete Bode, you will understand why i tag these places the Interior Realm of Ibadan.
The Bower’s Tower is seated in the exact core of Ibadan land and it is the highest hill in Ibadan.
READ ALSO:- MOLETE/BODE (INTERIOR REALM OF IBADAN)
Between the period of 1893 – 1897 during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, there were fervent wars happening between communities in Yoruba land. These include the Kiriji war, Ekiti parapo, the first Modakeke vs Ife war and the Shodeke vs Alaafin war. The act of selfishness in the trade by batter system of those days was the major cause of the feuds.
There were local warriors for each kingdom in Yoruba land who go to the war front. Captain Ross L. Bower was the first resident Commissioner of Interior Yoruba land appointed by Queen Elizabeth I in 1893 to see to the uneding war between the Yorubas.
Captain L. Bower discovered a particular spot in a forest in Ibadan during his four years period of peacekeeping (1893-1897).
During the Ibadan Municipal Government (IMG) in 1936 when historic places like the Mapo Hall was built by the white men, the Bower’s Tower was erected in honour of Captain Ross L. Bower.
READ ALSO:- CULTURAL CENTRE, MOKOLA IBADAN
The two white men who erected the Bower’s Tower used to climb up the Tower to view the landmass of Ibadan.
They built a place of shelter for themselves in the forest where they lived from 1936 till 1997.
During the military regime of Late Gen. Sanni Abacha in 1997 when timbers were improvised as cash crops, the Bower’s Tower was found in the forest as it was left by the two white men. The genesis Ministers of the then government decided to make something out of the ancient Tower.
By 1999, offices, canteen, car park and playing ground were built around the Tower to make it a recreation centre. It was reported that Yinka Ayefele‘s first musical concert held at the Bower’s Tower.
The historic record of Ibadan land as the second largest city in Africa can be appreciated by the views from the top of the 81years old Bower’s Tower.
From the top of the Bower’s Tower, one would see all the cardinals of Ibadan land as far as the University of Ibadan, Apete, Toll Gate, Obafemi Awolowo Stadium (former Liberty Stadium) in Oke Ado, Apata, Adegbayi, Ikolaba, Mokola, University College Hospital, Galaxy Television Station.
READ ALSO:- HENNA AT SABO, IBADAN
You can view the Cocoa House which is the highest building in Ibadan even below the Bower’s Tower.
The Bower’s Tower was commissioned in 1999 as one of the tourist centres in the ancient city of Ibadan. It was managed by a company called the ‘Best Four’ till 2014 when it became a property of the Oyo state tourism management board.
My trip to Bower’s Tower was orchestrated by my cool cat photographer friend Tolani of Flashdreams production.
READ ALSO:- TRANS AMUSEMENT PARK IBADAN
You dont have an idea how fulfilled i was by her choice of location and the depth of knowledge we were able to consume. (Thanks to the old man who took us through)
Photo Credit:- Flash Dreams Production
You should hit up Flash Dreams Production on instagram to book your next photo shoot, events and more, read up my trip to Agodi Gardens on May Day too if you haven’t. It is another tourist centre in Oyo state tourism management board.
I thirst for more collaborations with photographers, bloggers, fashion designers and more to explore my ‘to go’ list together. Trust me i am fun to be with. Send me an email and we will make it happen.
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Lets go places together!
Sa’eedah