If from Benin City, you want to go to Osogbo, you must go to the motor
park, located on Mission Road, taking a collective taxi just past the
intersection of Oba Market Road and Mission Road, a few dozen meters from the
Ring Road, at cost of 10 NGN.
From the Benin City Motor Park, depart when full, collective taxis
bound for Osogbo. They leave when they are full. I waited about 40 minutes. The
journey costs 3,050 NGN and lasts less than 5 hours.
The paved road is in good condition.
In Osogbo, I went down the main road, near the junction for Osun Sacred
Grove, 2.5 km north of it.
From there I took a bike taxi for 150 NGN, which took me to the Osun
Sacred Grove.
Osun Sacred Grove, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Entry to the same
costs 500 NGN, use of the 2,000 NGN camera, the use of the smartphone to take
photographs costs 1,000 NGN. The non-obligatory English-speaking Guide paid 500
NGN. The visit lasted about 2 hours, during which I saw dozens of sculptures, a
shrine in which I could not enter but for which I had to donate 200 NGN and the
Sacred River.
From the Osun Sacred Grove, located 3 km south of the city center, I
took a bike taxi for 200 NGN, which took me to the Motor park, where there are
collective taxis for Ibadan.
From the Osogbo Motor Park, depart when full, collective taxis bound
for Ibadan. They leave when they are full. I waited about 15 minutes. The
journey costs 1,000 NGN and lasts from 1 hour to 2 hours depending on the
traffic that is often excessive in Africa's largest city by extension but not
by the number of inhabitants.
The aforementioned collective taxi ends the race at Gate Motor Park, on
the eastern outskirts of Ibadan, where you can take a collective taxi to
Abeokuta, whose journey costs 1,000 NGN and lasts from 1 to 2 hours depending
on traffic. It starts when it's full. I had to wait only 15 minutes before
leaving.
The aforementioned collective taxi ends the race on the eastern
outskirts of Abeokuta.
From there you can take either a Bike taxi or a real taxi to reach your
destination. Since I was in the company of a Nigerian Lord, whom I had met by
taxi, I opted for the second solution, at the cost of 600 NGN, which he paid
for me.
In Abeokuta I rested at the Quarry Imperial Hotel, located in the city
center, in Quarry Road n. 52, at the price of 11,800 NGN, for a double room
with en-suite bathroom, with hot water, air conditioning, non-working WIFI,
magnetic card and flat-screen TV.
In Abeokuta, keep in mind that every year in April the Drume Festival
is held, dedicated to Music, where percussionist bands from all over the
continent gather. The same is held from Thursday to Saturday from 16.30 to
22.30. Admission is free. There is room for 10,000 people. The same is
broadcast on TV on the Nigerian network. I went there, accompanied by an
employee of the Quarry Imperial Hotel. The bike bike taxi cost me 200 NGN for
the first leg and 200 NGN, for the return.
In Abeokuta, from the Quarry Imperial Hotel, I took a motorcycle bike
taxi, which at the cost of 400 NGN, took me to Olumo Rock, Holy place. In
theory the gates are opened at 9.00 am, but I showed up at 7.00 am and they let
me in for 1,000 NGN. The more you are able to hire a guide for 1,000 NGN. I
gave him 700 NGN. The rock is 140 meters high. In theory there is an elevator
that takes you to the summit, but at the time of my trip it didn't work. So I
had to put up with the many steps. Before reaching the top the guide showed me
some sacred places. From the Vetta you can enjoy a sublime view of the city and
its surroundings.
From there I took a motorcycle bike taxi back to my hotel. This time I
found a dishonest guy who first asked me for 500 NGN and then once he reached
his destination he doubled his fee, with an aggressive tone, with the feeling
that he wanted to attack me. So after a brief but heated discussion I gave them
to him.
In Abeokuta, from the Quarry Imperial Hotel, I took a motorcycle bike
taxi, which cost 200 NGN. He took me to the motor park where collective taxis
leave for Lagos when they are full. I had to wait almost 1 hour before leaving.
I paid 1,000 NGN for the race and it lasted almost 3 hours.
The road between Abeokuta and Lagos is in good condition.
The aforementioned taxi, however, left me in the extreme northern
outskirts of Lagos, where I had to take another minibus at the cost of 150 NGN,
which took me to Località Oshodi (on the main road, behind the airport). From
there, a Nigerian helped me find the right way. I crossed the pedestrian
bridge, went down the opposite side of the road and walked for 300 meters.
before finding a tuc tuc, near 50 NGN, for the Bus Stop of the BRT line (Lagos
Bus Rapid Transit System - Blue colored bus). From there I took a bus, blue in
color, to the Fadeyi district, paying it before going up, 100 NGN and then
another at a price of 100 NGN which took me to Lagos Island at 200 meters.
about from the Cathedral of Christ.
Lagos, with its 23 million inhabitants, although not the capital of
Nigeria, is the most populous city in Africa. It is counted among the most
dangerous cities in the world, although in recent years security has increased
considerably and at least in Lagos Island, during the day you can walk around
without problems, as I did. So I visited the Cathedral of Christ, Tinubu Square
which is the hub of Lagos Island, then the Central Mosque.
Later I took a bike taxi for the price of 100 NGN, which took me to Freedom
Park.
To enter Freedom Park, you need to pay 200 NGN. It is a pleasant place
full of Statues. Keep in mind that you can't use the camera, but you can take
pictures with your smartphone.
Then I visited the exterior of Holy Cross Cathedral and finally I
went to Tifawa Balewa Square and while I was taking some photographs. Two guys
approached me, telling me that it was forbidden to take pictures and so I
apologized and told them I would delete them in front of them, but they replied
that I could keep them, as long as I paid. They asked me 5,000 NGN, but in the
end I treated them and gave them 500 NGN.
From there I took a tuc - cuc which took me for 50 NGN in Old Marine
Street, where I took a yellow minibus to 2 Miles Bus Station, in the eastern
outskirts of Lagos. At the price of 400 NGN.
From 2 Miles Bus Station. in the west of Lagos they leave when full
taxis for the Frontier with Benin of Seme Krake or for Cotonou (Benin) are
full.
That day, however, for several exceptional reasons there were no direct
passengers in Benin, but only one other than me and then the Cotonou Race, I
paid double, because we were only 2 passengers instead of 4. So I paid 12,000
NGN, instead of the normal tariff of 6,000 NGN. The journey lasted about 3
hours.
The road between Lagos and Seme Krake is in very bad condition (full of
holes).
At the frontier of Seme Krake, I easily obtained the exit stamp from
Nigeria, filling out the appropriate form, without paying any bribe, while all
the other people of Color that preceded me had to do so at the request of the
desk clerk (500 or 1000 NGN).
The description of the trip complete with the map, photographs and
videos is available at this link:
https://vivendosalendo.blogspot.com/2019/07/viaggio-in-gabon-libreville-lambarene.html
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