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The Nigerian Field Society |
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Trip to IITA research centre at Ibadan 13th – 15th June 2008
For those of you who have not been to the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture research centre at Ibadan all I can say is “go now”. It is an oasis of calm within the hurly burly of Nigeria and represents extraordinary value. The NFS group arrived throughout Friday afternoon into Saturday morning in various small groups but I shall not list everyone, as I will forget someone for sure. Both Saturday and Sunday morning saw early walks out to the lake for bird watching which is a huge attraction for the orthinologically minded and was led by the extremely knowledgeable Phil Hall. Phil not only knows his West African birds but can identify them by sound as well, which never fails to impress me.
Saturday saw another walk into the forest area at 10.00am with a forest technician from IITA who was a fascinating source of information on the uses of the forest trees as well as the history of the forest which only 40 years ago had been populated with villagers. 6.30pm saw us grouping up again for sundowners by the lake where we were treated to the spectacle of fireflies dancing above the grass. In addition, the campus sports two tennis courts, a 9 hole golf course, a swimming pool, and you can go fishing on the lake, so if the walking doesn’t tire you out there is plenty that will. The site also has extensive roads and tracks; the extent of which are enough for a couple of hours cycling without crossing your tracks.
The accommodation is spacious and clean with an en-suite washroom with shower. It is not luxurious but you have to remember this is accommodation for research visitors not a 5 star Dubai hotel. It is also less than N8000 for a double room including a huge double bed. Where else do you get value for money like that in West Africa? Some words of advice on getting there. Friday often witnesses some huge church gatherings which can disrupt the journey and there is a large truck stop which also generates delays at dusk as drivers pull over so as not to arrive in Lagos in the dark. So if you travel Friday I recommend you leave before 3.00pm and expect a 3 to 3 ½ drive. Foodwise is a mixed bag. My last visit I was treated to a perfectly acceptable buffet but this time it was not laid on and the menu limited. I had fish and chips on the Friday (very traditional I know). The fish was a little dry and unappetising whilst on the Saturday the steak was distinctly chewy. That’s said I saw some others taking a delicious looking fresh salad and the meat that was barbequed seemed popular. I think I just made unfortunate choices but then again at around N600 per meal it would be churlish to dwell too long on the food. The return on Sunday was a breeze in comparison and we made it home with 2 minutes to go before the two-hour mark and my 5-year-old lad Alex slept all the way. It’s a great little trip away and thanks this time to Mike Newton and Phil for organising it.
Mike Stovold (Great Britain)
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Lagos Branch
