Two landmark cities with a lot of history and charming city centres with historical grace and similar outlooks.
The only siginificant difference between the core of both cities is the presence of certain social amenities such as running water, electricity, garbage collection and good roads which are all government dependent for the most part, otherwise the nature of most old European cities with antique and renowned histories such as Florence, Milan, Barcelona, Rome, Venice, Zagreb, Lisbon and the Ibadan city centres are very comparable.
The old city centre/Quarters of Ibadan in places such as Beere, Oje, Yemetu and the others can actually be a magnet for tourists with a little more attention to things like inner city roads, inner streets laid with stone/cobble roads just like our ancestors did in places like ancient Ife, taps/running water etc.
If one observes carefully, one can't but notice that all cities in the world from Europe to Asia and Africa with significant historicity to their names all have old quarters that retains the special old medieval charm. Ibadan and other cities in Yoruba land are no exception.
The old parts of cities/towns are the actual parts that give them their character/uniqueness. All modernist architecture across the world look very similar. Infact, a lot of the overly superficial new cities of the Middle east such as Dubai, Manama, Abu Dhabi and Doha are trying to create/enhance certain areas of their shiny new cities to create that special ambience of historicity, a classic medieval type look in order to give their cities actual character/soul.
In Yorubaland, all the old quarters of our cities should be preserved and worked upon for the future generation. We don't want to end up with modern but characterless cities with no actual soul.
Ire o!
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