#30 before 30: ENTRY 2 (AGODI GARDENS)

Hello random people! Happy New Year! How's it going? So remember my post last year, the Olumo Rock post, yea? can you believe because of that post people went to Olumo Rock during the holidays? okay so not many people just two people, haha but that's pretty awesome, yea? heh! Anyways because of them i have decided to fully blog about my 30 before 30 experience(s) so enjoy!

I was browsing the net when i came across an article about Agodi Gardens, the article got me interested so i visited their website to learn more and the pictures i saw seemed photo-shopped, i mean it seemed too good to be true so naturally i had to see for myself! So i sent an email to them and they replied within 48 hours! how exciting! they even sent details of how to get there from Abeokuta! Didn't want to go alone so i called my friends since Unilag days serving in Ibadan and we agreed on time and date! Yay! Thus, on the 16th day of January 2016, at about 9:30am i started my journey from Abeokuta and arrived Ibadan 11:45am.

Entrance

Agodi Gardens is situated in Ibadan, Oyo province in Nigeria and apparently Ibadan is the third largest city by population in the country and also the third largest city in Africa. Until last week i knew absolutely nothing about Agodi Gardens and it's a shame that even the locals know little or none about the newly developed Garden, some of them still think it is the abandoned Garden that was destroyed many years ago.

Old picture of Abandoned Agodi Gardens gotten from their website

Agodi Gardens has actually been in existence for many decades, it was a huge tourist spot for residents and visitors to Ibadan in the 70s/80s, unfortunately, 34/35 years ago a destructive flood popularly called 'Omiyale' by the people of Ibadan swept through and destroyed the diverse ecological attributes Agodi Gardens was famous for (it also destroyed other parts of Ibadan.) Agodi was apparently a legacy of Awolowo but after the flood it was abandoned, Government that came into power since then either ignored it or wanted to turn it into an housing estate but it remained inconclusive until the Governor Abiola Ajimobi administration initiated a 1 billion Naira redevelopment programme. Yay! Now i do not know much about Governor Ajimobi's administration but i'm a tax payer now, haha! so i have to say Agodi Gardens is a good example of tax payer's money well spent! heh! So a round of applause for Ajimobi!  According to the administration, the garden is expected to generate about 1 billion naira yearly and create 1000 direct and indirect jobs upon full completion. Another round of applause! ;)

the completed phase, picture gotten from their site.

Agodi is divided into two phases, phase one  is 90% completed because the zoo is still in its old state and is about to undergo construction. The Garden includes a water-park with slides for both adults and kids which of course is my favorite part, hehe!, i didn't want to stop sliding, next time i go (yes i'm definitely going back) i'm gonna go straight to the water-park, heh! It has restaurants, a plate of food is 1000NGN, depending on what you eat though, snacks ranges from 150-250NGN. I ate fried and jollof rice and fish ( i'm a foodie, heh!) and i took 3 bottles of fanta (not at once though, okay i took two bottles at once and the third later, don't judge me it was sunny, water no dey taste well for my mouth when sun dey beat me, heh! i bought 1 litre of coke on my way back to abeokuta though, in my defense it was a long journey back, haha!) There's a Zoo too, i saw a Lion and his Lioness, monkeys, crocodile and many more (watch the video) i heard a lion roar for the first time in my life and i watched both of them play love, so exciting! (it isn't in the video though, i can't put it all in the video you have to go and experience it first hand) There's also a playground for kids and more than 2 acres of garden space for picnics(not everyday club, prepare a nice meal for her and have a lovely picnic in Agodi gardens, just the two of you, trust me she's going to be so impressed you will get the cookie that night! haha!) There's also a lake too and we explored it by going for a boat ride (my second favorite thing to do in Agodi gardens) I learnt how to paddle at no additional cost! I also rode a Pony for the first time! (its 100NGN per ride and i'm immensely ashamed to say i forgot to pay the Aboki! *sad*)

The staffs were extremely friendly, especially Mr Jackson(greet him for me when you go heh! ), i'm all about customer service so i was really impressed. I went with two of my female friends so every other person you see in the video were staffs or friends we made there.

Anyways watch the video it isn't exactly professional but it is somewhat detailed. As you would see in the video i had a swell time so i'm sure you would too! There's something for everyone, you can either go with your wife/husband, your kids, co-workers, friends, parents, grand parents even great-grand parents or you can go alone and make new friends! It is exceptionally perfect for pre-wedding photo-shoots and wedding ceremonies if you love mother nature like me! heh! Be sweet enough to share your own Agodi Gardens experience, tag us on Facebook or Instagram. Thanks for reading, hope you share, comment and subscribe! P.S- Special shout out to Ope and Mayowa! xo

 TIPS:

* It is pretty easy to locate once you get to Ibadan, just tell the Cab/Okada man, Agodi Gardens, parliament road.

*Entry fee to the park is 500NGN, additional 500NGN if you want access to the water-park.

*Agodi gardens opens 10am daily except for sundays when it opens 1pm.

*Don't litter the park, there are garbage cans round the park, look for one and drop your dirt in it.

*Thongs and some specific materials aint allowed at the water-park, so wear a decent swim suit, you can either buy there(1,500NGN per swim suit and 1,000NGN for the cap) or you can rent both for 300NGN each.

*You can bring your own food.

*A bottle of soda(coke and the likes) is sold for 150NGN at the restaurant but if you want to save 30NGN on a bottle, go to the water-park area, a bottle is sold for 120NGN. (You are welcome, haha!)

*For more details visit Agodi gardens 

Click this Link -Agodi trip video or watch it below. Enoy! xo