My City

I am a native of Ibadan, an ancient city situate in the South Western part of Nigeria. My beloved city is largest in Oyo State whilst standing as the capital city therein. With a population of 3,649,000 as of 2021 and more than 6 million people living in its metropolitan area, it is the third-largest city in Nigeria by population after Lagos and Kano. By area, it is the biggest city in the nation. Ibadan was the biggest and most populated metropolis in Nigeria and the second-most populous city in all of Africa in 1960, behind Cairo. According to the UN (2022) and the index of tech startups, Ibadan is the second-fastest growing city in Africa.

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Our History

The history of Ibadan's birth is obscure; only oral tradition contains any written records. According to folklore, the first residents in Ibadan were exiled fugitives from justice from neighboring communities. This little group later grew as immigrants from all around Yorubaland (now western Nigeria).

Following protracted intertribal conflicts in the area, recorded history starts in 1829. The Ife, Ijebu, and Oyo kingdoms' winning armies camped at Ibadan during that year, forming the foundation of the present city.

One particular historical element that is no longer present in the current lifestyle of Ibadan indigenes is the nature of warring domination. Ibadan people are referred to as "Omo ageshin kole" (the people who ride horses to plunder).

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Flowing from the historical background which states that the settlement was first commercialized by warring indigenes of neighboring communities, it is not hard to believe that many battles were won by these settlers. Of course, in a civilized society it is expected that these violent occurrences would be discontinued.

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What I miss about my culture

Speaking on what I miss the most about old cultures, I would say it is the communal way we used to celebrate festivities when I was growing up. There has been a decline in the unison my extended family used to have in the yuletide seasons but I guess it's just life catching up with us all. I was too busy with work myself to attend the last Ileya festival hosted in my childhood home. I almost missed Christmas last year and this year isn't assured if I'm being honest.

Also, the cultural heritage of the Yoruba language isn't as strong as it used to be. Children these days are raised to speak English majorly, without adequate focus on native languages. This is evident in the reduction in the number of people speaking the language which is quite disappointing because foreigners get so excited trying to learn the language.

Finally, growing up, I remember regular masquerade festivals which used to be a whole lot of fun. Masquerade parades and numerous cultural fun activities that accompany the displays. Lately, the rate of such occurrences has been greatly reduced and the displays are even limited to certain areas.

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Conclusion

I would say on a general note, I prefer the changes heralded by civilization to what was in force prior to this era. Imagine enlisting someone like me in a pre-civilization army to fight battles. I am almost sure I would fail woefully Lol. But to be honest, I think it's way better. In addition, there are a lot of positives that play a major role in shaping what our society looks like in present times.

I am inviting @isaac-a and @ifecollins to jump on this contest.