Ile-Ife. A student town.
Took a hair-raising, shared taxi trip to my home for this traineeship – Ife. Ok the trip wasn't that hair raising. Sure there were big ditches and holes in the road, police checkpoints to pass, and some crazy drivers out there, but our driver seemed to know when to swerve/slow for the holes, knew when/who to bribe, and was more reckless than half the other motorists. But hey I arrived in one piece.
Ife is a quiet town. Especially so when there are no students. For it is also partly a student town. One that swells to life when school is on. Which is what is happening now. After beating up their vice-chancellor and other such mischief (ah kids these days), the students of Ife's university (Obafemi Awolowo University) were punished with a 3 month strike/ban. For now they have agreed to open the uni, but not resolved the matter.
There are constantly these long-running disputes between students, teachers and the administration. They always cause long delays. One such delay/strike lasted 11 months. Which is why the students here commonly describe how long there degree here by saying it is 4 plus x. The x factor being the extra number of years one must attend due to strikes and clashes. The University of Lagos is also closed at the moment after some students "torched" 15 cars or so and attacked their VC. Though I think most of the time, uni is not running because of strikes, not violence. NEWSFLASH! My boss's son has just returned home from his college of technology after students from his school beat up their Dean of something-or-other and his wife etc. etc.
So anyway it's a small town. So much so that I kind of already know my way around it (basically) after two weeks. Mind you the university grounds are almost bigger than the town. There is no strolling to campus here. It's a 20-30 min walk from the front gate to the first building. Also, whenever I seem to walk anywhere with some of the AIESECers around town, we have to stop every 10 metres or so to say hi to somebody. If anyone is late its often because they had to stop and chat to too many people.
posted by Nicholas Wolf @ 7:31 AM
8 comments
8 Comments:
dear nick, thanks for saying something about ife but i want you to know that not everything you said is correct about the ancient town.
ile-ife is among the largest town in southwestern nigeria(yorubaland). ile-ife is know for its hospitality for students and visitors. you said the campus ia almost as big as the town, that is completely untrue. the campus is about 5 percetage of ile-ife 'cos the campus is a very big area bigger than some towns around ife. ile-ife is an industrial town, not in terms of big buildings but agriculture. it is one of the heart beat of nigeria agriculture today in cocoa production. the population of the town is about 300,000, i hope you know that. about knowing almost the town, you dont know 0.5% of the town.where do you know?, the main town, the town centre, the farms and settlements,the villages, i dont think you know all these. the campus is in the outskirt of the town on your way to ibadan and for your information i dont think you half of the campus itself. i was born in this town before i came to united states and it is great town. to know more about ile-ife go to www.ile-ife.info .or got to encyclopeadia britanica.
Errr thanks Seeni for clarifying. But no need to get too technical on me.
I was merely trying to compare the size of Ife to the only other place I've been in Nigeria so far (Lagos) for indeed it is largish compared to say most Australian towns/cities (I think our National Capital, though not the biggest city has about the same size population). Also to highlight the importance of the campus to the town.
And yes of course I don't know the whole town but I'm trying. My work takes me around different places as at the moment I am doing work in about half the secondary schools in Ife. So I have seen some more rural and village life as well as the main town/markets etc. No need to try and put a figure on it!
I'll be here a while so if you have any suggestions about things to see in Ife that'd be cool.
Ok cya,
Nick
You were on point with your description Nick nevermind people we call ITK's (I too know) in Nigeria which is pretty much a slang for a nerd - u can add that to your collection of Naijavocabs!! Im still feeling your blogs which is a good tour-guide for any visitor in Nigeria!!!
Ah... Grreeaattt Ife!!!
I miss OAU. The year I spent there is one of the best in my life - so far!
Yes, Ife gets "dry" when the students leave and I still remember that ridiculously long drive from the main gates to the Amphitheatre.
So you live in "quaters". Good for you! Only the privileged get to live there.
hey, u people are just saying what u dont know. for ur information one more time, oau is just like a tiny peanut in a large bowl. u said that you have been to schools in ife, let me ask you how many do you go? presently in ife there are over 100 secondary school both public and private two polythecnics 4 school of science and two technical schools and countless primary schools, inside ile-ife alone there are two local goverment. all these cannot exist if there is no people to leave for it. numbers of people determines all i have mentioned above. and dont forget they get national tv state radio, one of the largest reserves of timber is there in area 5 on your way to ondo. go to http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9042119 maybe u can get more info.
you cant just downgrade a place just because you never take your o know ile-ife the cradle of yoruba race.
Hello my name is Martin and i want to visit IFE is that truth there is an Hotel named "sunflower hotel" in IFE, if yes is it good.
And what kind of life or night life in IFE.
U can write to me on allotoi777@live.ca
Thanks
i my name is Martin from Canada, i want to visit IFE, tell me is it truth there is an hotel in IFE called "sunflower" is it good. What kind of life or night life in IFE.
Than you for your info.
you can write to me at allotoi777@live.ca
Thanks
Nick dear, now I really want to go to Ife, like to live/work there someday. I have a new friend who claims the university buildings are superbly beautiful. Since it also is a reputed acada land, it's probably worth passing through. I returned to your blog cos I remember you've been.
I'm in the North now, and enjoying the hospitality while it lasts. I somehow fear that my own Yoruba people are more of a handful than the laid-back Adamawa.
Hope you're happy, wherever you are.
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