AP Nigeria

Archive for the ‘Nigeria Cities’ Category

Kano is a walled city and most of its buildings are built on clay. Important urban agglomeration in the country. It is known for its leather goods and for being the largest industrial center of northern Nigeria.

The main attraction of the city is the old town where even though the walls are crumbling, its doors are intact. The main gate called Kofar Mata Gate leads to the palace of the Emir and the central mosque.

The mosque is closed to visitors who are not Muslims, but has to be seen on the outside, especially at the hour of prayer (Friday 12:30 pm), when it attracts about 50,000 faithful.

Town southwest of the country. In the city are the Obafemi Awolowo University (1961), a museum of Yoruba art and the Museum of the Institute of African Studies.

In Ife, which was an ancient city sacred Yoruba, stands the palace of Oni, one of the main temples of the traditional Yoruba religion. The city was destroyed in 1849 and rebuilt in 1882.

Benin City is one of the ancient capital of the Yoruba kingdom, which before the arrival of British colonialism had led to its own form of art: the Benin Bronzes.

A splendid collection of these bronze pieces can be seen at the National Museum.

Another good place is the Palace of Oba, for whose visit is required a special permit. In Okada House is possible to observe some unusual sculptures. The city is an important center of production and export of rubber.

Is built on several islands and adjacent mainland, and is the largest city in Nigeria, the main port and an important economic and cultural core.

The National Museum Lagos Island is worth visiting for its impressive bronze sculptures and ivory carvings found in Benin and their masks and terracotta antiquities found in Jos. From oldest relics to the more modern ruins, another exhibition worth seeing is the car with bullet holes that killed Murtala Mohammed former head of state.

This Nigeria city is the cradle of Yoruba art and art produced over the last 30 years than anywhere else in Africa.

The best time to visit is during the Oshogbo Oshun festival (last week of August), when held dances and sacrificial rites.

Oshogobo is famous for its sacred grove and an area where there are numerous monumental sculptures and shrines dedicated to different gods Yoruba. Many of these shrines are on the verge of collapse, but since the 50 Austrian sculptor named Suzanne Wenger has been working to restore these shrines all its splendor.